Cadets from the ROTC program used paintballing to practice training techniques at Fly’n Colors Paintball despite cold temperatures, wind and rain on Thursday.  

Groups of cadets were brought out by shuttle to Fly’n Colors, and played out scenario situations both on the outdoor and indoor parts of the course.

John Schield, a freshman physics major, said the cadets have been training last year and throughout the spring.

“We’ve been learning how to cover each other,” he said. “Plus it’s the day before spring break, so it has a fun element too.”

Schield said his instructors told the cadets to use as much of their training as they could in the paintball exercise.

Cadets could be heard calling out phrases such as “contact left, 35 meters” and “cover fire.”

“These are all tactics that we use throughout the semester,” Schield said. “It’s paintball, we’re having fun with it but trying to make it as tactical as we can.”

Tony Shriver, who works at Fly’n Colors, said this is the third season ROTC has been sending cadets out to the facilities and that other military branches such as the National Guard and the Air Force also send people out to play paintball and practice.

ROTC cadets teamed up in friendly competitions with members of the Charleston and Mattoon Fire Departments, who were also out at the facilities to play.  

They created possible scenarios and played games such as capture the flag.

Nick Dano, a senior philosophy major, said playing paintball was a great way to get freshmen and the younger students in leadership roles and show them the ropes of ROTC.

“Above all, this is a way to get people excited about ROTC,” he said.  

Dano said he saw paintball as a great way to give cadets hands-on training instead of just learning about techniques.

“For this, we actually get to use some of those techniques,” he said. “It gives the younger kids motivation to be here.”

Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].