Paintball wars: Sport requires 'Accuracy, stealth'

By RACHEL JACKSON, THE BAYONETJanuary 21, 2010

Paintball wars: Sport requires 'Accuracy, stealth'
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Paint flew as more than 20 paintballers gathered Friday for Outdoor Recreation's Paintball at the Woodlands.

"Paintball is like playing guns when you were a kid - it's a good time," said CPT Justin DePue, of the Maneuver Captains Career Course.

DePue, who has played paintball for five years, said he gets an adrenaline rush every time he plays.

"You get to hunt people," he said. "It's a time when it's OK to shoot somebody, it's not illegal and you aren't doing anything bad."

The key to paintball is having guts, said PFC Nicholas Smith, of 362nd Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge).

"You can't be scared to get hit because if you are, you'll try to stay back, he said. "If someone runs up on you and tries to shoot at you, you have to be ready to move out and run, knowing people are going to be shooting at you."

A plan's great, but expect the unexpected, said PFC Tony Epperson of 11th Engineer Battalion.

"Usually you go in with a plan, but it only works until you see someone on the other team," he said. " You make a plan and decide who will go where, and from there, it's just like war - anything can happen. You have to adjust as the fight goes on."

For this short-range game, stealth and accuracy can go a long way, said Chaplain (MAJ) Richard Garvey, the 199th Infantry Brigade chaplain. The object of the sport is to sneak as close to the opponent and either get a planned shot or a lucky shot, said Garvey, who has played paintball for five years and plays every Sunday.

The sport is addictive and being so close to opponents can be frustrating sometimes, said Officer Candidate Isaac Turner.

"The paintballs don't always shoot straight so you stand there and wonder 'I'm only thirty feet away. Why can't I hit that person and why am I shooting everything except him'' This is definitely a game of 'how can I outsneak my opponent''"

Friday's paintball was one of three paintball events Outdoor Recreation is having for Soldiers, civilians and retirees.