Although considered to be the No. 1 airsoft event organizer in the United States, airsoft enthusiasts, including those who have seen action in his renowned Lion Claws series, know very little about John Lu outside airsoft.  John Lu traces his roots to Taiwan where he was born during the Vietnam conflict. He went to high school in Hawaii and then went on as a national scholar at the University of Denver where he graduated with a degree in Fine Arts.

He went to Cambridge University in the United Kingdom for further studies under noted English painters and worked alongside accomplished European artists at the John Constable Field Study Center for International Artists.

The combination of arts and politics (John minored in Political Science while majoring in Fine Arts) prompted him to visit historical cities throughout Europe, including the, then, German Democratic Republic. Surrounded by European arts and culture, John got to learn the inner workings of international relations first-hand as he traveled from country to country.

John would later find himself back in Hawaii where his summer job as a tour guide turned into a 25-year career in the international tourism industry. In 1989, while on a tour assignment in China, John was able to successfully extract a group of 16 American tourists from Beijing during the crackdown by the Chinese government against pro-democracy students in what is known as the Tiananmen Square incident.

In 1997, John launched Best of USA Marketing, a full service company that represents the efforts of American cities to market tourism to Asia and Russia and which also offers unique opportunities for foreign clients to interact with American celebrities through exclusive events. That same year, John was hired to produce the first US-Russian Petroleum Conference that was  participated in by 475 Russian oil executives and the mayor of Moscow.

John’s unique approach to events and conventions did not go unnoticed by US corporations. In the summer of 2000, John put on the most effective branding convention that the toy industry has ever witnessed on behalf of 21st Century Toys, Inc., and has since been producing conventions and events for firms with specific agendas.

While many companies remained passive after the 911 tragedy in 2001, John moved ahead with the first annual A Weekend of Heroes in Spring 2002. The largest military action figure toy convention in North America, A Weekend of Heroes does not only provide a platform for the next generation to gain a sense of military history but also honors military heroes of yesteryears through a fun and energetic environment.

In 2002, John launched North America’s largest war game simulation titled “Operation Lion Claws Military Simulation Series” (OLCMSS) that featured retired US Army Ranger Col. Danny McKnight of Black Hawk Down fame among many other well-known military personalities. This wargame series assists the US military in recruitment & retention in addition to benefiting military charities with portions of its proceeds.

When asked why the military? John answered “I benefited first hand from US military servicemen when I was a child growing up in Taiwan; I will never forget those trips to Toyland and the GI Joe toys Uncle Harvey bought me. This is my way of paying tribute to the best and the kindest military in the world.”

He has been at it since then, producing as many as four big events that draw thousands of enthusiasts annually thus making him the No. 1 wargame master in the United States.

It has been a pleasure for us to interview him to give his thoughts on his events and future plans for airsoft wargaming.

People in the airsoft community know very little about you, except for the fact that you are considered the No. 1 airsoft event producer here in the United States. Can you tell us more about the John Lu that most of us do not know?

I was never in the military. I derived my passion for the military from my childhood while growing up in Taiwan during the height of the Vietnam conflict. It was the kindness afforded to me by American servicemen that made a deep impression in me and made me want to pay tribute to the United States military whenever I can.

You have behind you years of experience as a tour and event organizer but what made you decide to venture into airsoft event organizing?

It was purely by chance. I lost my entire business due to the post 9-11 climate. One day while having lunch with a couple of my buddies, they joked about having me ask Colonel Danny McKnight of Black Hawk Down fame to lead airsoft games. At the time, I thought it was a stupidest thing I ever heard. It was a joke that turned into a dare and became reality.

Who introduced you to airsoft and what potential did you see when you decided to organize your first event?

Mike Maceda (Maceda is the God of early paintball, airsoft and 1/6 scale action figures in my book) convinced me to play my first airsoft game back in 1997 or 1998 (that was 40 pounds ago, hahaha!). I hated the game at first since all I had was a Marui rental, brand new out of the box and it wouldn’t shoot straight. I never thought that game would go anywhere if BBs couldn’t even shoot straight. When the initial “joke” and “dare” to produce Lion Claws came along, my whole intention was to produce it as an inspirational team-building event (which attracted a whopping 79 players).

After Lion Claws I, which I lost my shirt producing even with help from sponsors, Andrew Ho of Airsoft Extreme gave me an M4 and encouraged me to continue. Andrew thought I had something good going and he would do anything to help. That’s how the Lion Claws series was born.

What were the challenges you had to go through in launching the first Lion Claws series?

Getting folks to believe that I actually had Col. Danny McKnight and Sgt. Kenn Miller was the most difficult in addition to the lack of advertising revenue at that time. Getting financial support was quite difficult at that time.

How were you able to convince Colonel McKnight to participate in your event?

Colonel McKnight and I had already met and I had earned his trust by the time the Lion Claws concept came around. He was my very first military VIP speaker at the annual A Weekend of Heroes (www.weekendofheroes.com) event where we pay tribute to military personalities via action figure toys (no joke). I asked Colonel McKnight if he would consider being at Lion Claws and he agreed.

Who are the other military personalities that you have invited to be VIPs in your events and what were the reasons why you chose them?

Not everyone is suitable to be a Lion Claws VIP. Lion Claws VIPs are chosen for their notoriety, marketability, and their ability to mingle with players, and ultimately, inspire players and lead them in airsoft combat. Sgt. Kenn Miller was one of the original Lion Claws VIPs. It was him against Colonel McKnight. MSgt. “Mad Max” Mullen came on board in 2003 as a first time try-out but he was so incredible with people, he’s now a permanent fixture on our team. Col. Paul Longgrear, an amazing Green Beret with an amazing history! Sgt. Igor Dobroff, a former Russian airborne soldier who fought in Afghanistan in the 80s, is very animated and great with people.

What is the concept behind Lion Claws Series?

Pay tribute to the military and learn from inspirational personalities, not just any retired military. In fact, my concept to this date remains unchanged.

How many events do you conduct annually under the Lion Claws Series?

We kick off the year with Night Scorpion in Texas, then Lion Claws in California followed by Northern Wind and Irene and ending with Bull Dog in late fall. These are our regular events, however, we’re working creating additional regional events.

What makes each of your events different from the others under the Lion Claws Series?

We have a different VIP mix, different scenario mix and different AOs.

What makes your events different from other airsoft events?

Since I haven’t attended other airsoft events, I cannot comment on others but I stay focused with my theme and hope to bring out the best in all of us as patriotic Americans.

What would make an airsoft player want to be in a Lion Claws event?

First and foremost the player must have an interest in the military structure. There are sci-fi games among other types of games out there but we attract primarily folks who are interested in the military structure, willing to learn from real American heroes, and want to compete among hundreds of fellow airsoft enthusiasts at sometimes remote and even exotic places.

Which among these events draws the most number of airsoft players?

Lion Claws itself is our flagship for the West while Irene is our flagship for the East. Lion Claws averages more than 500 players while Irene averages 375 due to limited AO size but this grew to 500 in 2008 due to a larger AO.

Who do you consider the backbone of Lion Claws Series?

While many airsoft enthusiasts kindly credit me for all my events, I must share that compliment with my VIPs and Staff. Without the friendship and support of Colonel McKnight, Master Sergeant Mullen, Sergeant Miller, Colonel Longgrear and Sergeant Dobroff, these events would not have been possible. Moreover, without the friendship, dedication and hard work of my event chief of staff and their respective team members, none of the events are operable. I urge all attendees of Lion Claws series events to take a minute and shake the hands of my staff as
they are the backbone of Lion Claws.

You are considered the top airsoft event organizer in the United States, how does this affect you?

I do not see myself as the “top airsoft event organizer” at all; that’s a luxury I cannot afford. I’m a special events producer. My events take place at fancy hotels, exotic jungles, and military bases. All I can do is focus on the next event and make sure that my attendees have a good time.

Do you have plans of staging an international airsoft event anytime soon?

There had been talks about having Colonel McKnight do an event in Hong Kong or Germany but these are concepts that still need tweaking. Colonel McKnight and my Lion Claws VIPs would love to share their knowledge with international airsoft enthusiasts.

How would you describe the American airsoft player?

Each region is different, but on the average, American airsofters seek camaraderie, competition and respect for the military and I’m personally grateful for their support.

What are the problems facing the airsoft community in the United States?

Like all sports, there are less honorable players anywhere. But I wouldn’t necessarily call that a “problem.” We just need the more mature players to guide the younger ones toward the right direction.

How do you see the future of airsoft here in the United States?

I’m not in the selling business, hence, all I can do is continue to stay focused and provide airsoft enthusiasts
with what I can offer.

What is the biggest challenge when you organize and conduct your events?

The area of operation is always my number one challenge because I strive to keep things fresh but it’s tough to secure suitable AOs and military bases come and go and not all of them are feasible for our events.

Based on your experience, do you see a growth in the number of players that prefer to take part in milsim events?

Yes and no. Younger players can care less about milsim and simply prefer paintball-soft while those who desire more tactical play prefer milsim. But, older players could simply move on with life—kids, jobs, divorce, et  cetera—and leave airsoft all together. I see a growing number among younger players interested in milsim, which is an opportunity to for growth among the milsim level crowd.

What keeps you busy aside from organizing airsoft events?

My day job. Special events planning and production is time consuming. In addition to airsoft, I produce corporate
awards banquets, conferences, film/video production et cetera, as seen in my www.bestofusamkt.com Website. My
professional background encompasses more than 25 years in international tourism operation, promotion and marketing. Oh, and my three crazy dogs keep me on a very short leash.

How would you like to be remembered by the airsoft community?

Hahaha. “Remember?” That’s hardly a concept that even crosses my mind. I’m already very grateful to all airsoft
enthusiasts who had supported our events since 2002 and hope to continue my services to earn their friendship and trust for the years to come.