paintball mb

[imjorman040991]

now i know this nhas been brought up, and shut down before, but im going to write a proposal for a paintball merit badge. If i have good arguments tht support why this should be a merit badge...who should i write to in order to start my proposal

[Hubert]

I am unsure who to write to but I do not feel it will fly either way. In scouting, we are not allowed to shoot at living things. Paintball, you shoot at people, which are living. I would love for it to happen, but I dont think it will. Mainly do to saftey as well. It can be a hazard to the scouts.

But I am sorry I cant tell you who to write to.

[imjorman040991]

I am unsure who to write to but I do not feel it will fly either way. In scouting, we are not allowed to shoot at living things. Paintball, you shoot at people, which are living. I would love for it to happen, but I dont think it will. Mainly do to saftey as well. It can be a hazard to the scouts.

But I am sorry I cant tell you who to write to.

my point exactly, as an eagle scout ive taken the rifle merit badge, rifle...can kill things if not used safely...paintball marker...not as dangerous as a rifle...if followed safely it is completely safe...much safer than a rifle....with a rifle, no mattr what protection u wear, u can die from bein shot...in paint ball wearing the proper equipment, u cannot die from bein shot...the only way u can die paintballing is if u break the safety rules(i.e. taking off ur mask) with a rifle u can die if u dont follow the safety rules9i.e. not shooting down range, not using safety goggles, safety not on at appropoitae times, etc) also as u may have noticed, there are many more safety rules for the rfile, the paintball gun only requires goggles to be played safely

thats my main argument

[MDEagle]

There is a forum topic on this board "Developing New Merit Badges" or something like that. A little research there will help you learn how to submit a proposal for a new merit badge.

I, too, am skeptical that you'll be successful in the end, but who am I to tell you not to try? If nothing else it will be a good learning experience, and if I were on the merit badge development committtee (or whatever they call it), I would be impressed to see a well thought out merit badge proposal from a Scout. You should know that it won't be an easy task and, in the best case, would take quite a long time to gain approval.

Good luck, and whether you're successful or not, I applaud you for wanting to "give back" in this way. It shows a strong level of maturity and desire... just what I'd expect from an Eagle.

[imjorman040991]

*tear* that was deep lol...do you think that i make a good argument(see above post)

[wagionvigil]

If you can get past the Guide To Safe Scouting ban on this activity you might have a slim chance. It will never hurt to give it a try. Apparantly BSA risk Management has issues with it since it usually uses other people for a target.

[scouter01]

never been paintballing my self, but is there perhaps a a way to not shoot poeple? like for the merit badge, you shout a tree from 30 yards and then a rock from 10 yards ect.... ( in side a paintball place)? and then if you want to ppiant ball with real poeple, you take off the uniform and don't go as boyscouts but as freinds :p

[imjorman040991]

loophole lol but u see tho, shooting at trees and rocks isn't really paintballing...paintballing is about the thrill of using tactics to outsmart the other team...plus paintballing isn't necessarily about "killing" everyone. in woodsball games, there are objectives (hold a certain ground, take a certain objcetive, etc etc) are there eliminatiuon games,, yes. but they do not have to be apart of the merit badge. Plus, jus like the rifle and shotgun badges, we can require a safety course before being able to play....

i really think it will work if i bring up ceratin facts about paintball compared to rifle/shotgun shooting. It's possible, but i dont know who to talk to first

[joat]

... and then if you want to ppiant ball with real poeple, you take off the uniform and don't go as boyscouts but as freinds

That trick works just fine until some kid gets hit square in the eye with a paintball. It doesn't fool the kid's personal injury attorney. If Boy Scouts plan it, it's announced and discussed at a Boy Scout meeting, fees are collected at a Boy Scout troop meeting, and Boy Scouts and Boy Scout leaders attend, then you've got a lot of 'splainin to do to convince anyone it's not a Boy Scout event. The attorney will sue anybody and everybody including the boy that fired the shot, the supervising adults, the troop committee, the chartered organization, and BSA. Then they can all 'splain to the judge how it's not a Boy Scout event because they took off their uniform. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

[imjorman040991]

insurance waivers dude..before u paintball at ANY field in united states, you are required to sign a waiver stating that if you break the safety rules and get injured its no ones fault but your own. the only way ur getting hit in the eye is if you take of ur mask during play. if you do that, your at fault and the kid in question is dumb. at most fields, rules are enforced over and over, and in places where u can take your mask off, you are protect heavily by nets...so the only way someone is losing an eye during a painball game is if that person is being stupid

[Hubert]

The insurance waivers are to protect THEIR butts, not the troop leaders. But Joat is right, along with the others, if it is anounced at a meeting, discussed at a meeting, then it is a scout activity.

LOOPHOLE TIME! If you met at someones house, as friends, and went as friends, then there you go! lol.

I really do htink ou have a strong argument though. Wont hurt to try.

[riverwalk]

Hmmm, since you know "that dog won't hunt", meaning paintball in Scouting...consider the better approach. Paintball, as you know, is about the tactics and strategy of beating the other players...and uses paintball projectiles for same. But we don't want that do we .

So, send your proposal in, laying it out like the other activities you mention. In other words, safety training, use of targets, rangemasters and so on. BSA perhaps won't see the point, as the rifle/bb/shotgun/pistol opportunities for members now, accomplishes their desired objectives.

Besides, most paintball folks like to wear camo's, and we can't .

[Lynda J]

Have a dear friend who's son is deaf in one ear because of a paintball hit.

BSA is unlikly to ever approve a merit badge where the focus is pointing a weapon at another living person and firing that weapon.

KEvin went for his first time two months ago and said he will never go again. He came back with bruises all over his arms.

[scubascout]

Lynda J, its the same thing with climbing, you can come back with bruises from banging against the wall. Do you have the requirments you want to submit iammjordon04407, and may i see them

[scouter01]

im sayign the mb could be just aim safety and no ral shooting and then, everyone goes home and then goes back for some really paintballing :p

w/e I don't paintball but it seems fun. lynda, many sprots give bruses: football,hokcey, soccer can, basketball can,track falls, getting hit with a golf ball the lsit goes on.

[616kayak]

Hunting merit badge doesn’t require scouts to actually shoot an animal take a look at that for some ideas.

[Hubert]

Now that I htink about it, it wouldnt be a bad idea to teach the fundementals (sp) of the sport, and maybe shooting at targets. You could teach how to get into a bunker or get behind a barrier. But you dont HAVE to shoot at people, they can just shoot at targets. Teaching saftey is cool as well, think about it, a paintball gun is still a gun right? Then, it should be taught as so. Eventhough you are shooting it at people for fun, it can still hurt. Knowing the saftey of the guns may help reduce the number of horrid injuries.


Personal note: I play Air Soft, which is sometimes called Paintball for...well...cats. We use plastic pellets the size of BBs and some use air, some use CO2, some use a gas called Green Gas. I use a few electric and a bunch of hand pumps. They are a fun alternative, they sting and do leave welts, but not as bad as paintball.

[scouter01]

Now that I htink about it, it wouldnt be a bad idea to teach the fundementals (sp) of the sport, and maybe shooting at targets. You could teach how to get into a bunker or get behind a barrier. But you dont HAVE to shoot at people, they can just shoot at targets. Teaching saftey is cool as well, think about it, a paintball gun is still a gun right? Then, it should be taught as so. Eventhough you are shooting it at people for fun, it can still hurt. Knowing the saftey of the guns may help reduce the number of horrid injuries.


Personal note: I play Air Soft, which is sometimes called Paintball for...well...cats. We use plastic pellets the size of BBs and some use air, some use CO2, some use a gas called Green Gas. I use a few electric and a bunch of hand pumps. They are a fun alternative, they sting and do leave welts, but not as bad as paintball.

thats what I said lol.

airsofting just doesn't really seam like mb material. imo

[Quailman]

w/e I don't paintball but it seems fun. lynda, many sprots give bruses: football,hokcey, soccer can, basketball can,track falls, getting hit with a golf ball the lsit goes on.

Yes, you may suffer injuries participating in those sports, but the goal is not to inflict injuries on your opponent. My son played paintball with adult supervision fairly regularly at his school. He came out bruised every time, including one on his tricep that was visible four weeks later.

Good luck getting this one approved.

[Lynda J]

I understand that you can get injured in any sport. I grew up breaking and training horses. Have been banged up many many times. But in paintball the goal of the sport is to put our opponent out of the game. In order to do this you must physically hit them with the paintball. Thus pointing a weapon at another person and firing that weapon.

I think that teaching safety would be a good thing. But I doubt that many boys would want to earn a paintball badge it they don't get to shoot.
MHO.

And Quailman is right. Kevin had one bruise on his upper front shoulder that lasted almost 3 weeks.