Paintball MB...

[West]

Here is a good seqestion Paintball Merit badge
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Michael
Troop 92

since paintball as an activity is out, I don't see that happening.

[wagionvigil]

please read the Guide to Safe Scouting

[t305spl]

Yes, Paintball is a banned activity. If its banned im sure there wont be a merit badge anytime soon. My troop always wants to go Paintballing as a troop. I always say no of course, and then they get mad that I wont let them go so I tell them ok its not up to me contact the National Council and ask them if we can go. I am sure they havent tho.

[RWSmith]

I split the "official vs. unofficial" activity posts off to a new thread...

Click here to get there, if you like... Offical vs. Unofficial (Banned in G2SS) Activity....

[t305spl]

Good Idea!

[West]

The name change for this one is nice too.

[hacimsaalk]

is it ok for an adventure patrol to do it?

[wagionvigil]

Micah
G2SS strictly prohibits it

[BM_Crawford]

is it ok for an adventure patrol to do it?

Dout it, Venture is a BSA organization.

[riverwalk]

.....means no. It's like riding in a pick up truck bed.....if someone does this, they are outside National Policies and on their own, yikes!

[BM_Crawford]

I'm not saying anything against the game of paintball. I have many friends who play the game and it sounds like alot of fun!

However, speaking on behalf of the BSA I believe that they would consider shooting any sort of gun at another person a morality issue, not only a danger issue.

[West]

That and an effort to avoid inconsistancy in the teaching. We teach kids you can't point a BB gun at people. You can't point a sling shot at people. As far as teaching an 11 year old kid goes a paintball isn't much diffrent.

[BM_Crawford]

Yes it is in the fact that paint ball is a gaim geared at aiming at people.

[t305spl]

Yes I do agree that they are similar to some extent. But you really cant compare a BB gun and a paintball gun. BB guns if close enough and if shot in the right spot can seriously injure or even kill someone. Paintballing is a sport of hitting another person. While I completely agree with why we do not allow it in the BSA and why we teach not to point anything at someone it is still a sport. Lets stop comparing to different sports one is target shooting(BB) and one is a shooting game(paintball).

[West]

I enjoy paintball and I hate to break it to you, but close enough and in the right spot a paintball gun can injure or kill someone too. It's a small chance, but it can happen. That's a big reason for all the protective gear. But we don't want to send the message that it's ok to shoot at each other if you wear enough protective gear.

[riverwalk]

True, BB's, paintball, throwing rocks, or using a sling are more alike than different. They can all be dangerous activities. Paintballing isn't prohibited because it's more dangerous than Rifle/Shotgun/BB activities in Scouting. Speaking as a medic, all of these can be harmful. But the organized activity (like Scouting examples) provide a controlled learning environment with proper guidance. If the way we did paintball was to offer didactic presentation, followed by safe Range practice, all firing down to a target line, then we would probably have Scouting paintball. But paintball is a combat thingy. And we don't do that anymore. Thank goodness when the Scout pulled a bayonet on me (Summer Camp), my SPL (hero) came from his blind-spot and took him down. Gee I'm glad we didn't have bayonet sparring sessions, or I might not have lived to be a Scouter, haha.

[Scouting179]

I enjoy paintball and I hate to break it to you, but close enough and in the right spot a paintball gun can injure or kill someone too. It's a small chance, but it can happen. That's a big reason for all the protective gear. But we don't want to send the message that it's ok to shoot at each other if you wear enough protective gear.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. It's probably more likely to get killed by a paintball than a BB as it has more mass. If BSA lists it as a banned activity, no BSA organization should be participating in it as a unit function.

[Lynda J]

I have a real problem with any activity where scouts point guns at each other and shoot. Just sends the wrong message as far as I am concerned.

Have a dear friend who's son lost an eye to paint ball. Also have a neighbor what had to have white vinyl siding replaced because someone went down the street shooting hot pink at houses. Got my car but luck for me had just had it waxed. And we found it before the sun got to it. She had 4-5 big spots on the side of her house.

[t305spl]

See buts thats stupidity and vandalism. Paintball just like anyother shooting sport can be fine with proper equiptment and use. I do agree that it should be a banned activity and I do agree that units should have no part in it but we can't base it on the facts that someone didnt use the correct equiptment and someone used it to vandalize. The BSA has many other equiptment that could do the same. But yes I do agree with it being a banned activity.

[Guest]

ok i actually play the sport of paintball
I know it is banned from scouting and i have no problem with that AT ALL. It does get the wrong message across to younger scouts.
however paintball is safer the b.b guns. and im notgoing to get into it.
BUt On last weekends camp out I noticed another troop playign the great american pass time. baseball. Now wait. I thought baseball bats were can be used in vandalism. You could hit a car, or a person with the bat. now how isnt that a banable activity?
just my .02