SQA, Sept. 14th

[CLERIC]

All right , I will admit I made a mistake in shooting another player , while it was a cold field ! I am a human that makes mistakes, but evenmore I am a Rep/Admin. Which makes this even worse . We the Reps take safety very seriously and do not condone or allow this type of action. Some people have stated that they think the Reps are above the law or like to play mini gods. We don't and are not above the rules, but should be held to even higher standard than the average player, because we should and will set the example of what a AOSC Player should be . This is a serious matter that the Governing Council is taking serious. The rulles are ment for everyone's safety, and when rules are broken there are consequences. I as a Rep have failed to lead by example. As a Father, I try my best to never be a hypocrite, if I say it I try to live by it. I hope more than anything , even if you don't like me as a player or person , you at least respect me and do not think of me a hypocrite. That all being said after much lengthy talk with some of other Reps, I think to show how sserious this is and none of the reps , myself included are above the rules. Efective immediately, I am taking myself out of the next 3 games as a player. I still have a obligationas as a Rep/Admin to still come to games and be an game admin. So yes I will be at the games,but I will not be allowed to play or fire a single shot.I hope everyone understands the seriousness of this, we have rulers for everyones safety and protection.

[stuckmojo]

ok let me start out by saying that even though i didnt have a gun and actually play i had fun seeing old friend and meeting new players. im embaressed to admit this was my first time back at sqa since they did all the work on the field. mr escue was nice enough to drive me all over the field and show me all the work they have put in and i have to admit i didnt even recongize the field. Since i live so close to the sqa i used to play there alot back in the day when they had pick up games to introduce people to the sport of airsoft. those were fun days and the escues have done alot for the sport of airsoft and will forever have my graditude. i cant wait to see the field when its completely finished its going to be kick ass. this game was originally slated to be a pick up game but was changed at the last minute to a sanctioned game. with that being said korey i appreciated you letting me be a hvt in the second game and you have already stepped up and addmitted you could have done a better job so my hats off to you for addmitting where you went wrong. with the games that i watched i did see instances where the other admins could have stepped up and helped you out better and im sure that issue will be addressed amoung the reps. as far as the second game goes when i was the hvt...well lets just say i was a bb magnet but it was a blast. i had to lay down on the ground because i was caught in so much cross fire then it was bb's just wizzing over me and i was scared to stand up. but i got to see alot of good action during that game which is why i volunteered to do it. i will say (and im not trying to start a fight here) but i did see experience players (players that have been around the aosc since the beginning) not calling their hits. when i told them i saw a bb hit them they did put their dead rags on but come on man. i mean one player had 2 bb's hit him right in the goggles and you mean to tell me you didnt know you were hit....right. but that is the drawback of airsoft there will always be players that dont call their hits. any ways i had fun and look forward to the next game at sqa.

i want to address 2 issues i saw with the reps and again im not trying to start a fight here but i think it needs to be addressed:
issue one: when korey called safety breifing and was calling for all the players to come up there were 2 reps that just stood by their vehicle. korey said something to them and one of them walked over to the breifing and the other refuse to come over and stayed by his van. I dont care if as reps you guys have sat through a million breifings you are members of the governing counsil and you should set the example for the younger players and attend each safety breifing. i didnt even play and was in the briefing.

issue two: i have stated this earlier but kory was the only one coming up with game designs and admining by himself...as reps you should support each other and help out with ideas and help move the games along so everybody gets their moneys worth.

i know im probally going to take heat over this but these things needed to be said so if anybody gets butt hurt over what i said oh well it wont be the first time

[stuckmojo]

All right , I will admit I made a mistake in shooting another player , while it was a cold field ! I am a human that makes mistakes, but evenmore I am a Rep/Admin. Which makes this even worse . We the Reps take safety very seriously and do not condone or allow this type of action. Some people have stated that they think the Reps are above the law or like to play mini gods. We don't and are not above the rules, but should be held to even higher standard than the average player, because we should and will set the example of what a AOSC Player should be . This is a serious matter that the Governing Council is taking serious. The rulles are ment for everyone's safety, and when rules are broken there are consequences. I as a Rep have failed to lead by example. As a Father, I try my best to never be a hypocrite, if I say it I try to live by it. I hope more than anything , even if you don't like me as a player or person , you at least respect me and do not think of me a hypocrite. That all being said after much lengthy talk with some of other Reps, I think to show how sserious this is and none of the reps , myself included are above the rules. Efective immediately, I am taking myself out of the next 3 games as a player. I still have a obligationas as a Rep/Admin to still come to games and be an game admin. So yes I will be at the games,but I will not be allowed to play or fire a single shot.I hope everyone understands the seriousness of this, we have rulers for everyones safety and protection.

wow cleric i have to admitt that i choked on my drink when i read this...WELL DONE....my hats off to you for your statement here. its nice to see a rep stand up and take responsiblity.. whatever respect you have lost from me in the past you just gained it back. THANK YOU

[D.Smitty]

On a more lighthearted note, I would like to extend my official thanks to star folder for setting me up without realizing it.



REBEL!!!

[DEA7H]

It was definitely an awesome day. Other than my gun malfunctioning in the earlier part of the day. I had a blast. Can't wait for the next one.

[Dominum]

There are a few things to mention, some very important. I'll use "***" to divide subject matter.

***Well, at least it's a great thing that being an AOSC game automatically raises expectations. In fact, we are working on improving upon that as we speak, we need to continue to improve on a lot of the things we have been working on. One of those the things you will see a noticeable difference in is safety rule enforcement.

***

As Dominum said earlier, I was creeping around the back edge of the trenches when all of a sudden I see his cute little head pop up over a pile of brush, so I sent one flying. I saw him tinkering around for a minute after I thought I had hit him in the head, but I didn't see a deadrag. So I sent another one at him. Well come to find out I just didn't see him pull out his deadrag the first time, (which he did). So I ended up shooting him in the head twice. Sorry Dominum.

No man, I would have done the same thing! It's my own fault I took another one to the head, I should have spent less time digging in my pocket and feeling sorry for myself lol.


***

with the games that i watched i did see instances where the other admins could have stepped up and helped you out better and im sure that issue will be addressed amoung the reps.

Multiple times throughout the day I both tried to prompt action, and also directly requested what I could do to help. Kory has already noted the issues he dealt with that caused some lag (you'll notice that the first game in the morning was started by other Reps down on the field trying to help get things started, i.e. doing what you say we ought to have). When I got down there I offered to help as well, and Kory said to stand by for a minute, then he had me take the team I was on to our start point, etc. Later on when I arrived on the field late after lunch, I tried to prompt some action a few times but Kory was in the middle of trying to get those props together, and sending people to place flags, so I waited patiently as I was supposed to. I'd like to know what more you think I and the other Reps should have done in addition to directly asking how we could be of service? Also, though it was not in any way my game and I had nothing to do with running it, since I noticed Kory had a lot on his hands I kept my radio on channel 1 the entire day SPECIFICALLY so I could be of service immediately if I was needed by anyone, anywhere, at any time. I did everything short of trying to take over a game that wasn't mine, which would be totally uncalled for. The only issue I ever had reported to me by someone else was a hit calling issue, and I observed the only people that were specifically pointed out to me to that end, albeit to no avail. So again, what would you have preferred I do instead? (also, weren't you only out on the field for about an hour or so anyway?)

as far as the second game goes when i was the hvt...well lets just say i was a bb magnet but it was a blast. i had to lay down on the ground because i was caught in so much cross fire then it was bb's just wizzing over me and i was scared to stand up. but i got to see alot of good action during that game which is why i volunteered to do it. i will say (and im not trying to start a fight here) but i did see experience players (players that have been around the aosc since the beginning) not calling their hits. when i told them i saw a bb hit them they did put their dead rags on but come on man. i mean one player had 2 bb's hit him right in the goggles and you mean to tell me you didnt know you were hit....right. but that is the drawback of airsoft there will always be players that dont call their hits. any ways i had fun and look forward to the next game at sqa.

Did you immediately report these incidents to the Host?

i want to address 2 issues i saw with the reps and again im not trying to start a fight here but i think it needs to be addressed:
issue one: when korey called safety breifing and was calling for all the players to come up there were 2 reps that just stood by their vehicle. korey said something to them and one of them walked over to the breifing and the other refuse to come over and stayed by his van. I dont care if as reps you guys have sat through a million breifings you are members of the governing counsil and you should set the example for the younger players and attend each safety breifing. i didnt even play and was in the briefing.

Mr. Marauder and I stood quietly by my van (gearing up), which was 50 feet away from the man yelling the briefing at us. What Kory said was "where are all the Reps, raise your hands so everyone knows who you are", he did not ask us to walk over because he knew we could hear every word he said. Kory never asked either of us to come closer, he asked for us to raise our hands so people knew who we were. Don't make up stories just so you have something to complain about. We did as he asked, and then Marauder walked closer because he had to announce something. I didn't "refuse to come over" because I was never asked to come over. The fact that three or four times I reminded or clarified something during the briefing is clear evidence that I heard every single word of it. I parked in that spot because it is immediately adjacent to the briefing area, and I am often still gearing up during the briefing for obvious reasons. At an average game, how many people do you see walk over to my van beforehand to: ask a question, ask to borrow something, have a quick diagnosis on a gun done, buy something, etc.? This is why I intentionally park in an area where I can hear clearly while still gearing up, and being close enough to speak up when something needs to be clarified. I not only didn't "refuse to come over" as you claim, based on Kory saying something he never did, but I also was listening to every word during the entire briefing. I'm sorry you were so offended that I was an extra 20ft away than other players that you had to make up something to complain about, but I assure you it's not necessary.

issue two: i have stated this earlier but kory was the only one coming up with game designs and admining by himself...as reps you should support each other and help out with ideas and help move the games along so everybody gets their moneys worth.

I'm sorry... Kory was the only one coming up with game ideas and admining? Yeah... that's how games work. Running a skirmish does not require a production crew, and we were all right there to help him whenever he needed. He didn't ask me to come up with ideas, and he didn't ask me to admin anything (there were no game mechanics that needed supervision anway). Yes, Kory admitted he was a little ill-prepared and had some technical difficulties, but it was a skirmish and he didn't do as bad of a job as some people think. I seem to remember playing some really fun games most of the day, in fact; and it was thanks to Kory. Did you want one of the other Reps to arbitrarily decide that Kory wasn't doing what they wanted, and just take over and start calling the shots? We not only helped in ways you never saw (obviously, based on your diatribe), but we were available to help any time he asked. So I'll ask again, what precisely do you think we other Reps should have done?

i know im probally going to take heat over this but these things needed to be said so if anybody gets butt hurt over what i said oh well it wont be the first time

I generally give people some heat when they falsely accuse me of something and then make paragraphs of absurd assertions... but maybe that's just me. If you think that's "getting butthurt" then... have fun with that.

***In my opinion, smoking on the field is up to the Host and the field owner. At my games I have never had any complaints. I, personally, can't stand cigarette smoke (it gives me an instant headache) and when people do it I ask them to step away from me, and they do. It's the outdoors, so I figure there's enough room to share.

***The issue that skywalker and crossfire876 raised is indeed a serious one. I did not have time to address it on the forums last night (worked 10 hours, came home to clean the house for a showing until midnight), but I was informed via txt and I immediately got on the phone with skywalker, crossfire876, some other Reps, and of course Cleric. Even though we don't have specific procedures for "internal investigations", we generally consider that to fall under the purview of the Executive Director; as such, I try to contact all parties involved directly and as quickly as possible when incidents occur. After hearing about the incident from the parties involved, I discussed it with Cleric and several Reps had discussions with both me and Cleric. As Cleric said, this is a serious issue and is simply not something we can abide. As such, he was taken it upon himself to incur a more severe repercussion than would have been meted out to any other player at the time. It is important to convey not only sincerity and remorse, but also the fact that our intentions are sincere and we mean to improve on these safety problems immediately. I promise you will notice the difference at the next game. As Cleric stated, he will not be shirking his duties as a Rep for the next three games. He will still be spending his time present and actively assisting to further this sport. However, he has chosen to preclude himself from actually playing at any of the next three games. It is our hope that this result is satisfactory to all players and that everyone is fully satisfied that it has been addressed, and will be improved upon.

***I'll take this opportunity to remind players that the absolute best way to address almost every issue is to confront the offender directly and inform them of the rule(s) they are breaking and that they need to comply. Short of that, immediately finding a Rep or calling on channel 1 for the Host is the thing to do. I'm not calling anyone out and saying that no one did that (I know that was done by some people, and is stated by them in this thread), all I am trying to do is offer every player the best possible method to help me and all the other Reps curtail any and all problems at games.

***Also remember that our first priority is to listen to you. The Governing Council is a group of volunteers whose primary purpose is to improve your enjoyment of the sport in this great state. The best way for us to properly represent your interests is for you to tell us what they are. Some of that has happened in this very thread, and that's what we need. If you ever have anything you think needs to be discussed, asked, complained about, etc. you can text or call me 24/7 on my personal cell at (803) six zero nine - 7 6 8 1. Often being able to have a conversation in real time is very conducive to mutual understanding and progress; and sometimes you may want to speak directly to someone rather than navigating a wall of text. If I'm not available, I will always return your text or voicemail ASAP.

[Felix]

***In my opinion, smoking on the field is up to the Host and the field owner. At my games I have never had any complaints. I, personally, can't stand cigarette smoke (it gives me an instant headache) and when people do it I ask them to step away from me, and they do. It's the outdoors, so I figure there's enough room to share.

As a smoker of cigarettes and pipes, on and off the field, this is a common thing. People get headaches and are generally displeased with smoke. Does that mean I should stop smoking? No. Does that mean I should respect that person and back away? Yes. That's the reason there are smoke zones around buildings for smokers to congregate away from the general public. Now let me also say that if you have a problem with it, either speak up or walk away. If you walk away and complain about it then you have the problem. Almost all smokers will respect your wishes, because they have been taught to do so with zones and so on. Don't ban, or talk of banning smoking over a half cocked notion that everyone hates it like you do.

But that aside, relax everyone. Its only a game.

[Skywalker]

Well, you're all welcome for the show of drama this week. I'm glad you've all been understanding and a bit more professional and courteous than I. Sorry about that.

What I'm really frustrated at is the community as a whole, rather than individuals. It just gets people to pay a lot more attention when you call someone out.

If we are all out there to play airsoft, lets make sure not to get in our own way by taking 2 hour lunch breaks (which I was nearly guilty of on Saturday), chatting away while we are trying to get games going, and disrespecting the safety rules. Sometimes we need a refresher. Lately, its been a steep slope sliding away from getting the most out of a day of airsoft for me.

I also continuously feel bad for the younger crowd, or the crowd that comes to games but isn't online... because while we may all be chatting away with our friends about airsoft topics, they are stuck sitting there, waiting to be told that they can play. Once the game is started, I don't think anyone cares if you step aside and chat with someone.

[Felix]

Honestly thats what I hate about AOSCsoft. Breaks, lates, and quitters. Don't forget whiners, criers, and technicality.

[marpat96]

This is the easiest group to troll on the internet besides Georgia Airsoft.

If you did not like the game, well there's something called football.

I did not go, so I have no say so on the matter. I only hope the group will move on as a whole.

Cleric, thank you for apologizing, for whatever you did to Gerb. You apologized, no one died, lesson learned.

Won't see you guys till Fulda.

[GARRETT]

Good post Marpat.... I agree 100%. This is airsoft not a beauty pageant

[Cannon Fodder]

On another note, I do not smoke, therefore I do not think it fair for anyone to smoke in a large crowd of people, in scenario, or around anyone else not wishing to smoke. I left the "meet-and-greet" early and headed back to the vehicles because I simply could not get anywhere around the players without breathing second-hand smoke.

When I do smoke, I try my best to move away from the group. I actually quit a few days ago. If I was the one bugging you I really do apologize because I can understand as a non-smoker (and a smoker for that matter) that cigarettes are disgusting and people generally hate the smell of them. But you have to understand that some people do smoke, it is their choice, and if it bugs you simply ask them to move away. I personally have been asked by Kory, Henry(Dominum) and a few others to move away while I smoke, and I never mind because I completely understand that it does bug people and that it is a habit that other people don't need to suffer because of.

[Achilles1]

I missed it. I wa workin a USC game. But you come here to run through the woods and get dirty. I've been shot PURPOSELY by teammates from close distances, shot in the head while dead (Dominum (accident though)) which gae me welts, cuts, bruises, and a lot of bleeding. AND I HAVE NEVER BITCHED ABOUT IT! Grow some balls and play the game. I didn't say grow some boobs because the few females that have come to play don't complain about ANYTHING!!