Social resiliency: Airmen Paintball in Colorado

130831-F-GZ967-079 Airman Siobhan Lynch, 90th Medical Group family health front desk clerk, stands in a dark room as she prepares to defend the building from the attacking “zombies.” Lynch was part of a group of Airman who spent the day paintballing in Northern Colorado. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle)

Social resiliency: Airmen Paintball in Colorado

130831-F-GZ967-028 Senior Airman David Marshall, 90th Medical Operations Squadron, advances toward cover while laying suppression fire during a capture-the-flag paintball match on Aug. 31, 2013. Marshall was part of a group of Airman who traveled to Northern Colorado to paintball at one of the fields in Dacono, Colo. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle)

Social resiliency: Airmen Paintball in Colorado

130831-F-GZ967-030 2nd Lt. Dan Cook, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, uses a barricade to protect himself and to prevent the enemy team from advancing down one side of the field during a paintball match Aug. 31, 2013. Cook was part of a group of Airmen who traveled to Northern Colorado to spend the day paintballing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle)

Social resiliency: Airmen Paintball in Colorado

Published Sept. 6, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- A group of Airmen from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., made a trip to Dacono, Colo. to spend the day paintballing at Blitz Paintball Aug. 31, 2013.

The group consisted of 13 Airmen from various career fields - medical, civil engineers and finance, to name a few.

"Getting everyone together and going out there was the best part," said Airman 1st Class Mathew Lennard, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron. "We had people from all over [F.E. Warren AFB]."

The trip was planned by Airman 1st Class Cameron Dooley, 90th Comptroller Squadron customer service technician. Dooley said he has set up numerous activities in the past and is setting up various activities for the future months.

"I plan these trips as a way to get people in the dorms to meet one another and do things beside sitting around," Dooley said. "Paintballing is a great way to have fun and get in a ton of exercise for the weekend."

Paintballing requires a lot of running and strategy in order to prevent yourself from being hit but at the same time trying to hit your opponents.

"Paintballing requires strategy to win," Dooley said. "You can't just go out and shoot. You have to make sure to stay in cover, advance when at the opportune moment, and work as a team to achieve victory. One man can't do it alone."

Teamwork and being a part of a community is one of the main concepts in the social pillar of resiliency.

"Paintballing is a great way to learn teamwork," Lennard said. "Most of the time you have to work with people who you don't see in your everyday life. Learning to work together as a team with everyone is a great experience."

The group spent from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. paintballing in different matches on the courses provided. The matches varied from capture-the-flag to defending a base to surviving a zombie-apocalypse.

After a full day of paintballing, the group hit their limit and called it a day.

"After six hours we were spent," Lennard said. "Half of the group had already left and went home, and those of us who were still around were too tired to continue."

The day came to a close with half the group going out to dinner with one-another.

"The dinner helped bring about the end of the day with each other," Dooley said. "After learning to work together all day, sitting down and relaxing was the best way to end the day."