Airsoft groups in CO?

[delta_echo]

Sooooo, I found out a month ago that I received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, starting June 30. I know I won't be playing much (if at all ) the first year, BUT I'd still like to get in contact with the groups up there. I know some of you have gone to games that draw people from all over the nation (ex. LC), and just was wondering if anyone met some cool guys/teams/groups from that area? I will definitely try to make a game or two when I'm back in AZ, though ! Thanks.

[RickEJ6]

Have you commited to the Academy?  I recieved one too, but after talking to many people that have gone there and people that have gone to regular ROTC units it was obvious which one was the better choice.  (I also ended up totally bailing on the AF and sticking to the Army, best choice ive ever made...)

[delta_echo]

Have you commited to the Academy?  I recieved one too, but after talking to many people that have gone there and people that have gone to regular ROTC units it was obvious which one was the better choice.  (I also ended up totally bailing on the AF and sticking to the Army, best choice ive ever made...)

Yep. I've gone through a year of ROTC, so I think I know more now about what I'm getting into. I guess it just depends on what you want out of college. Personally, I'm sick of the civilian world. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy my freedom (which is very limited anyways being an engineering major). I'm just tired of dealing with non-motivated, ungrateful people who believe that everything is "relative". They tend to be too stupid to realize what is "right" and too lazy to defend their own freedom from the government. Will people like that be in the AF? Sure, but from what I've seen, not nearly as many, especially with the latest cut-backs. Plus, you gotta admit that a resume with a service academy on it will land you most jobs down the rode, should I not make the AF a career.  
       So why not the other services. Well, my father was Navy attached to Marines (he was a chaplain) so I got to hang around both services. Just wasn't for me. As for Army - well, they have serious personnel problems in my opinion. Some of the stems from the absolutely enormous organization that they are. More than anything, though, I've met and have talked to alot of AF officers, and 99% of them are very successful - with their jobs and with their families.
 Give me four years and I'm sure I'll be sick of the cadet world too . END RANT HERE. AND PLEASE (EVERYONE) DON'T TURN THIS THREAD INTO A "WHICH SERVICE IS BETTER" THREAD . Rick, I would like to hear why you chose army, though.

[RickEJ6]

Haha I wasnt trying to get into a service arguement! Sorry it if came off that way.   Ill admit even though we have have the best ROTC unit in the state of AZ (its small, but we do a good job) it does become rather annoying most of the time.  Most notedly the guys who arent dedicated and dont show up to anything followed next by some of the power hungry dicks (who WILL make horrible officers despite what they think) who sometimes have leadership positions.  

My first decision was to abandon the Airforce and go with either Army or the Marines.  After looking at most of the jobs and checking out some local ROTC/Active duty units, I realized that unless you are a Pilot or have some SF type slot, its basicly a desk job complete w/ keyboard and cubicle.  That wasnt what I was looking for by any means.  I want to be out there bringing it to the enemy on the front lines (be it from a plane, helo, or behind and M4).  That narrowed it down to the Army, Marines, or West Point.  Almost every enlisted guy I had talked to that had delt w/ a West Point officer HATED them.  I can see what they meant, I have met some cool guys from there, but for the most part, they just dont produce effective leaders.

That left it with either a Army scholarship or Marine PLC scholarship.  I had no preference between the two, and well, the Army called first.

Ill admit it does get old sometimes, and I cant WAIT to go active duty (Infantry or SF with any luck) and get out of the crap we have to deal with here.  We do alot of field training, shooting, and with Ranger Challenge I am able to compete w/ the best cadets from our brigade and see how we stack up.  I will also be attending FTX Robin Sage this summer and working w/ the 1st Battalion 1st Special Forces Training Group (Airborne) which should be a heck of alot of fun!

Whatever you end up doing man, I wish you luck!

Rick

[Lightning_Man]

If you have a chance to go to the AF academy, take it. I had an appointment and didn't go, worst decision I ever made.

[RickEJ6]

Really? Why so? What did you end up doing?  I have a friend of my who spent 2 years at our AFROTC unit here and then went to the academy, and she would love to come back here because of how the academy is.

[Lightning_Man]

I guess that depends on what your goal is. As far as prepping people to be officers, the academy smokes any ROTC program. As far as the presitge and what that gets you down the road, the academy wins hands down. In most cases the quality of education is much better.

Now, if you want to get through school and into your life as quickly and painlessly as possible, don't go to the academy. It will be very difficult especially in the first year and there are a lot more expectations than you will face in a civillian university.

I can say this, having served under many officers, some from the point and some from ROTC programs, I have had much better experiences with academy officers, and have wanted to kill some of the ROTC guys that I have had.

[RickEJ6]

Really? Every guy I have talked to (Granted for the most part they are Army guys) has said the exact opposite.

[delta_echo]

Rick, my comment wasn't directed towards you, just to the guys who like to turn opinions into long, meaningless drawn-out arguments. Now, I've seen outstanding officers on both sides, ROTC and the academy. I've been under some of those in ROTC, and I know quite a few academy grads from church stuff. I am definitely not leaving ROTC because of the people there. The academy just offers more of what I want as far as programs, training, and schooling. I know what you mean about AF be desk jockey's, but, although I don't want to be a pilot, I doubt I'll be behind a desk to often with the specialty I want: EOD (explosive ordnance disposal). Especially with the type of war we're fighting now, this job takes on new importance with the detection and elimination of IED's. If and when I'm deployed, I imagine I might very well be up in the "front" (if such a thing exists anymore). Heck, I know a guy who was a meterological specialty who is driving convoys through fallujah right now! Job descriptions are changing alot due to this war.

[andyhinds]

A lot of the artillery guys (reserve) in AZ are/were training to be MP's for Iraq, guess you MOS changes based on the needs of the military.

[azsarge]

Shit Jeff, I had an appointment to a couple academies and turned them down as well.

I ENLISTED in the Army, best decision I ever made.  

I can't imagine being an officer (Warrant or Commisioned) without being enlisted first.  It's a whole other world in the enlisted ranks, and you'll be missing out on all of it when you get a straight commission.

I'm not telling any of you what to do with your life, but ask around and I'm sure you will find that in addition to having more respect from those under his command, an officer that was prior enlisted is also more professional and competent in his duties.

[delta_echo]

s*** Jeff, I had an appointment to a couple academies and turned them down as well.

I ENLISTED in the Army, best decision I ever made.  

I can't imagine being an officer (Warrant or Commisioned) without being enlisted first.  It's a whole other world in the enlisted ranks, and you'll be missing out on all of it when you get a straight commission.

I'm not telling any of you what to do with your life, but ask around and I'm sure you will find that in addition to having more respect from those under his command, an officer that was prior enlisted is also more professional and competent in his duties.

Yeah, I thought long and hard about enlisting, but in the end decided I'd probably go insane. The amount of complete BS I can tolerate is directly proportional to the size of the goal at the end of the road. I have two buddies - one enlisted in the army as arty and the other as a groundpounder in the Marines - as well as a cousin serving in the Marines as infantry in Iraq. Additionally, as I said before, my father was Navy and then Navy attached to the Marines. He saw alot of crap go on that was very detrimental to the mission, and alot of it was the immaturity of the enlisted folks. This was by no means all of them, just far more than the officer corps. As an officer, I feel that I could much better address these issues on a broader range.  I won't deny that many others have had an influence, particularly vets. I talked to a few that knew me really well about possibly enlisting, they flat out told me its a bad idea and that I have the ability to be a very competent officer. I'm not here to toot my own horn, but I very much considered that a compliment. I could write alot more, but short of sitting down and getting to know me, its pretty hard to advise me. I appreciate your input, though. Sarge, did you get your Bachelor's before enlisting?

By the way, I know that if I refuse the Academy and don't at least try it, I'd regret it for the rest of my life :? .

[RickEJ6]

Yeah, I REALLY wanted to enlist in the Army (heck..I still fight the urge) but my parents would be PISSED they keep saying in need college degree or something like that....haha

And immaturity does occur w/ enlisted troops because alot of the PVT2/PFCs arent much older than 18! Its just like any group of people that age, it cant be avoided.  

But talking to guys that have done both (enlisted/officer) enlisted guys have WAY more fun.  I personally hate paperwork...which is ALOT of the duties of an officer.

Rick

[delta_echo]

Yeah, I REALLY wanted to enlist in the Army (heck..I still fight the urge) but my parents would be PISSED they keep saying in need college degree or something like that....haha

But talking to guys that have done both (enlisted/officer) enlisted guys have WAY more fun.  I personally hate paperwork...which is ALOT of the duties of an officer.

Rick

For me, its also planning for the future. I do not know for a hard fact that I will want to make the military a career 8, 10, 15 years down the road. Having a college degree is usually very important. For me, I see education as a way to broaden my horizon and give me more possibilities in life. Also, the AF is by far the most family friendly service. Being an officer has its responsibilities and its benefits. Pay is one of them. It'd be very hard to raise a full family on lower enlisted pay. I'm don't even have a signifacant other, never really have, but I want to the keep the possibility of a good life open. Besides, I firmly believe that a man who is 110% at work and only 25% (and I don't neccesarily mean time-wise) at home has failed his family, his community, and his country miserably . The next generation is just as important as the current, my my priorities will always be in the order of God, family, country.

[Anubis]

Yeah there are plenty of teams up here in CO. We have about 4 8-man teams in Colorado Springs and about 4 8-man teams in Denver who play every weekend along with about 15 other players who come out to the games. We would love to have more people come out and play so if you can sign up on our forums: http://airsoftcolo.suddenlaunch3.com/index.cgi