Holy crap, keep your mask down.(Update)

Raider006

December 14, 2004 11:50

We recently had our Raider FTX for this semester and used paintball guns as our weapons. Our OPFOR was the local paintball team. After securing most of the complex that we raided, we entered the last building and were hit with 4 guys inside with some kind of automatic paintball guns. We just have the old, piece of crap ROTC guns. After entering the room one of our Raider's guns malfunctioned and he found cover to fix the problem. He lifted his mask about an inch or two to be able to see his gun and a paintball from one of the automatic guys came in right in the gap between his mask and face where he was looking, striking him in the right eye. Right now he has nerve damage but is slowly regaining sight in his eye. For the next week he has to be real careful not to lay down because the blood in his eye will move to the back and detach his retina. We still don't know if he will have permenant loss of vision in his eye, but this is a good example of why you wear the mask for the duration of the game, even if it fogs up or you can't see out of it.

Austin Raider
SFA ROTC Lumberjack Battalion
Raiders Lead The Way!

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  silver6

  December 14, 2004 21:36

  Raider I always preach use of protective gear in paintball for just this reason. I hate it when something like this happens in a game. Hope others can use this to educate themselves on the importance of proper use of facemasks in paintball. Keep it on no matter what! Thanks for the post raider. Hope your buddy makes a full recovery. Will put in a word with the big guy upstairs.
  
  If god meant for us to talk more than we listened he'd have given us one ear and two mouths- Vince Lombardi

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  ruger270man

  December 17, 2004 16:00

  also a reason to get good equipment, especially safety equipment, something that is comfortable and doesnt fog so easily
  

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  "I will no longer debate a liberal because I feel they are beneath contempt. Just communicating with one contaminates a person." - whiteclouder

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  Raider006

  December 17, 2004 21:02

  Our guy should make a full recovery. The doctors said that there was no nerve damage, but he does have a cataract in his eye. They will get that fixed though and it shouldn't be a problem. I told him about the post and responses and he said to thank you for the support Silver6.
  ruger270man: We have been asking for new equipment, like no fog and full coverage masks, for a while, but we keep being told that the budget for our ROTC department won't allow it right now. Our guns are so old that about 30% of them are non-functional and all of the masks are so scratched up from years of use that you can't see out of them even when they aren't foggy. Maybe this incedent will put a little bit of a fire under the issue though.
  
  Austin Raider
  SFA ROTC Lumberjack Battalion
  Raiders Lead The Way!
  

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  splatzone

  December 18, 2004 07:39

  I know how the buget if for ROTC i was in it during HS and same thing wouldn't afford anything new..
  
  Maybe now they will reliaze they need to buy new stuff.. it's not very exp a JT mask therm lense 40$
  
  Jess Carroll
  Splat Zone Paintball
  7610 West Nob Hill #99
  Yakima WA 98908
  509-574-5743
  http://www.splatzone.net
  http://paintballtourney.com

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  rassd71

  December 28, 2004 19:28

  I'm glad your teamate will be ok.
  
  Just a suggestion, have the ROTC members buy their own equipment? For less than a couple hundred dollars you could be outfitted and then if you don't want it when you graduate, sell it to a younger member.

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