PLI International Prospective Member Information Package

This packet contains information on the Paintball Light Infantry International family of scenario paintball teams.  This information is intended to provide your team all the necessary considerations prior to joining the organization.  Please review it carefully.  Additional information is available on our website at www.PaintballLightInfantry.com.  Comments, suggestions and questions may be forwarded to PLIHeadquarters@aol.com.  Thanks for your Interest!

Last Updated 11-11-2000

Greetings fellow Paintballers!

We are the Paintball Light Infantry, The Paintball Warriors, an organization dedicated to forming and representing recball and scenario teams across the Nation and indeed, the world.  We currently have a large number of Detachments across the US, UK, Canada, Greece, Norway, and more and we are growing weekly.  We are actively seeking like minded teams to join the PLI family of scenario teams.

The PLI provides you with a framework of tactics, operating procedures, radio codes, SOP’s and more that will allow your scenario/recball team, no matter its size, to seamlessly coordinate with other PLI family teams at events held nationwide allowing even small detachments the ability to 'fall in' with each other to form a large scenario team.  We  also sponsor annual National Level Events for our member teams to come together as a huge team (the next is June 23,24 of 2001).  We have a number of published 'Field Manuals' that can help you put your team together, train them, and become a successful scenario/recball team.  These manuals are can be purchased at cost in the PLI store, but are also available as downloads online (be wary, the big one is 16 meg and over 300 pages!).  The PLI is more than an online club, milsim group, scenario, or recball team, we are the foremost MEGA-TEAM in the paintball world.

There is no rank in the PLI.  Members are all equal in the organization.  The leadership is entrusted to an Overrall Coordinator (OC), an Executive Coordinator of each Division and the Brigade Captain’s Council (BCC).  The OC position is elected by the current EC’s to serve for two years.  The EC is appointed from member teams based on a six month rotation and is not elected.  Your team will eventually hold this position.  This EC’s job is basically that of communicator and facilitator.  The EC cannot hold a field command while serving (this prevents a conflict of interest).  The BCC makes the decisions that drive the organization and is made up of representatives chosen by your team (usually this is the team captain, but we do not require that).

The PLI Maintains an 'Event Kit' which allows your member team to fly our colors, use our banners, posters, cards, field manuals, and more at events you choose to attend.  This allows people to see you as representatives of the PLI.  Even small detachments can make a BIG impression by flying our colors and using the professional event kit we have put together.

The PLI requires only that you abide by our Core Values and basic rules of safety.  These values are basically the sense of fair play that many paintballers already share.  We do not tell you how to run your team, who your leaders are, what paint to buy, what uniform to wear, or what gun to carry, and we do not exist to take over your team.  The PLI concept will enhance your scenario abilities, not take control of your team.  Persons who violate the PLI Core Values and safety rules can be disciPLIned via the Organizational By-Laws.  The punishments range from a verbal reprimand to expulsion from the PLI and mandatory return of PLI patches and merchandise.  We know it sounds harsh, but we expect members of the PLI to be held to and abide by a Higher Standard! 

All PLI Staffers serve in voluntary positions and are not now nor will they ever be paid one dime. 

The PLI does not accept direct sponsorships from companies because we feel it is more important to make decisions about what is best for the players, not what is best for the sponsors.  Any money made goes directly back into the organization (a realization you will get when you see our event kit!).  Member teams are free to accept sponsorships, but not based on their status as members of the PLI.  Several businesses do give PLI members a discount because they support our ideals, however, they do not sponsor the organization.

The PLI is an officially recognized not-for-profit entity by the United Stated Internal Revenue Service.  We maintain bank accounts and have a strict open-books policy (members are able to audit these accounts bi-monthly).  Our By Laws are included in this package, and we recommend you give them a thorough look.  In addition, we have a number of on-line resources to help you form and train your team.  We answer all questions truthfully and believe that Honor and Integrity are more than words!

Membership in the PLI is five dollars (US) per team member.  This five dollars pays for your organization patch and is an investment in the organization and future of paintball.  We feel that by requiring a small investment on your part, you will realize there is more to the PLI than just another online club.  There are no dues or additional fees required.  This fee can be paid online through the PLI Store, or mailed in to PLI Headquarters.

The PLI is first and foremost a family of like minded scenario teams.  It is our goal to represent players, not fields, stores, distributors, or companies.  We are dedicated to making recreational paintball be all it can be.  Currently we have two major divisions.  The 1st PLI is centered in North America, and the 2nd PLI is now forming in Europe!  We are very excited about our healthy growth, and hope you will consider joining our family of teams.

Please feel free to ask any questions you wish.  We will answer it.  We are always looking for good constructive criticism to make our organization better.  Please take a look at our homepage and see if you like what you see.  Forward this package to your friends and fellow players.


Table Of Contents:

 Mission of the PLI6
 The Founding of the PLI7
 Goals of the PLI9
 Vision of the PLI10
 Core Values of the PLI12
 We Will Provide13
 Articles of Incorporation14
 By Laws of the PLI17
 FAQs28
 PLI Member Types and Responsibilities 29
 PLI Organization Types30
 Contacts33
 Membership Form34

The Mission of the Paintball Light Infantry

It is the mission of the 1st Paintball Light Infantry Battalion to enhance the paintball experience for like minded players by providing a framework of tactics and standardization of communications and command and operating procedures to fulfill the scenario and big game fantasy of the members and to provide each member with the opportunity to lead and follow in a paintball scenario game situation.  This mission will be accomPLIshed with integrity and honor by all members who shall place these values above victory!

Founding of the Paintball Light Infantry

Rusty Myers, 1st EC of the PLI

I remember my first game of paintball.  It was just me and my buddy Carl, out in the woods near some railroad tracks in Hanahan, South Carolina.  We both sported brand new Splatmasters, the latest and fastest shooting pistol then available.  We faced off for the better part of three hours during which time we fired maybe fifty rounds.  We each got one another at least once and had a blast.  From this humble beginning my paintball career (some would say craze) started. 

Perhaps you to remember those days of oil based paintballs, Splatmasters, and shop goggles.  If so you may remember firing one hundred rounds for the first time and thinking 'Wow, I shot a lot of paint'.  Paintball has always been fun, but from the first day I went to a field to play I found myself disappointed.  The fields were so small that games always erupted in a huge paint fest seconds after the whistle blew.  There was no stealth, no room to flank, and no organization anyway.  'The other guys are there, let’s go get them'  formed the basis of the tactics used.  I understood field owners needed to sell paint to live, but it was not as much fun. 

In college at The Citadel, I had the chance to command a platoon sized group of organized paintballers.  As five man teams in tourneys we always lost because we were broke, but when we played scenario based 24 hour games we excelled!  Why?  Because even massive Angel firepower cannot overcome organized movement by players who know what they are doing.  Alas, I finally graduated and entered the real world.  I hooked up with a local semi-pro team for a few years, but found myself disillusioned by the tournament scene.  Before long I found myself making excuses to miss practice, and finally I left.  I sold my gear for a song, got married, and moved on.

A year later I discovered Civil War Reenacting.  Here was a chance to do something cool and organized.  It was more expensive then paintball, but was a blast.  I served from the rank of private to Colonel, and even managed to 'shell' Charleston, South Carolina as a Commodore in command of two gunboats.  It was fun and I loved it...but my wife didn't.  It took too much time away from home.  I sold my reenacting gear, with my wife's promise to play Paintball with me, and bought some Tippmans.  We had a blast, but secretely I still knew that there was something more that was missing from the game.

I was at a Wayne Dollack big game in Florida having a blast when the thought occurred again, what if we were organized before we showed up?  One of my old reenacting buddies and I had discussed it over a campfire at Olustee, Florida a few years ago.  Now back in paintball I found the stalking I had missed, but still saw the disorder created when five man teams set off to accomPLIsh a platoon, company, or battalion level objective.  I thought back to my reenacting days and the 135th Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle Of Antietam.  I remember the 17,000 or more men who came together to make that happen.  They studied the tactics, the orders, and the formations.  And then they put it all together.  Then we had an epiphany. 

What would happen if Paintballers were organized the way reenactors were?

But there was one major problem.  Reenactors have the resource books available so that when they show up, they already know how they communicate.  A reenactor from California could easily command one from south Florida because they were on the same sheet of music.  Paintball had no such system of standard tactics and communication.  Military tactics didn’t quite fit.  So each small team developed their own.  The result is hundreds of tactics, essentially similar, but handled differently by every team.  How do we remedy that?

Write the book.  I went back to the tactics we had used in college.  They were formed around letters of the alphabet that the maneuver resembled to allow players to learn and remember the tactics at a glance.  For example, a FOXTROT formation can be viewed as an 'F' laying on its back.  The lines coming up representing the flank on which the attack is based.  These were simple tactics, not designed to win tournaments, but to allow coordination on the field.  We had combined this with simple American Sign Language to come up with a way to communicate silently, and verbally.  Yelling 'flank them on the left' is considerably more noticeable to the enemy than is 'FOXTROT LIMA'.  In addition the commands could be given easily with two quick ASL signs.  These were the tactics that led us to victory in scenario games in college and form the backbone of those used in FM 1-1 Paintball Light Infantry Operations.

So from October 1998 to January 2000 we wrote it.  With input from my wife, team members, other players, and internet buddies.  In addition to set tactics, we needed immediate action drills so each member of a squad would know what to do and where to go when something happened.  We needed to standardize communications gear with inexpensive radios, and miraculously the Motorola Talkabouts appeared.  Some of my teammates laughed when I insisted on including an immediate action drill for coming under artillery fire, then Tippmann Ordnance came out with their mortar and subsequently their M2000 Howitzer!

Only one thing was missing.  How were we going to govern this organization?  The easiest suggestion was basically a dictatorship, but this always led to problems in the reenacting community and usually resulted in a sPLIt of the organization.  We studied the by laws of some of the best reenacting organizations out there and finally decided on one vital point: the organizational command and the field command should be separate and should rotate democratically through all those teams in the organization.  Thus the position of  Executive Coordinator was created instead of Colonel or commander.  The position would rotate every six months from team to team and the person serving could not command a field event while acting as Executive Coordinator (EC).  This keeps conflict of interest problems to a minimum.  Each team would receive a vote on the Organization Captains Council.  They would govern the organization.  Furthermore, we would allow each team to select by any method they chose their BCC representative. 

Paintballers are very individualistic, and we recognized that.  The Paintball Light Infantry (PLI) does not intrude itself in how a team is run.  We only impose those ideals that are common among players already.  That is, no cheating, honor above all, and safe handling of paintball guns.

Finally we set about bringing the organization into existence.  In January of 2000 we began recruiting persons to serve as Acting Detachment Commanders across the United States and Canada.  Their primary job would be to recruit members and spread the word that a new organization with a new philosophy was around.  So far it appears to be getting a good start.  There will be problems, and we will have beefs, but hopefully we can work together to bring about a sea change in the way paintball is played.  We believe that one day, events will be sponsored not by fields and stores, but by Mega-Team on Mega-Team matches, where true strategy comes into play, not crude mass attacks. 

On June 6, 2000 the fifteen detachments voted to Ratify the by laws of the organization and we became 'official'.  We received our Non-profit status and IRS numbers.

As reenacting started out small, it has grown into a huge hobby, but there are already more paintballers in the United States than there are reenactors!  We need to grow beyond the 5 man team.  Reenacting has at its core small units all over the country that 'fall in' together to form Battalions, Divisions, and Armies.  It is for this reason that the PLI was formed.  Your organization is the small core one that can study here and learn to lead organizations of many sizes!  Even small teams will figure into the command rotation and will get the opportunity to command National Level Events.   This keeps us away from a dictatorship type organization where the many serve as cannon fodder for the commander’s team, and allows everyone the chance to lead. 

Reenacting has a great system, and one that has taken years to evolve, but Paintball has the advantage of being able to use the experience gained by reenactors to further our own hobby.

Imagine one day, 10,000 Paintballers formed into Organizations going at it on the field in true paintball fashion, with mortars, grenades, squad automatic weapons, grenadier squads, paintball assault weapons, mines, tanks, armoured personnel carriers, role players of every type and a standard system of tactics, communication, and organization.  It is up to us to bring it about.  The PLI is not a milsim team, but we do recognize that significant lessons can be learned from the military.  We are at the core a family of like-minded teams looking to play ball.


Goals of the PLI:

  1. Provide the best tools possible for the enjoyment and success of our members and provide for the success of the organization a stable democratic government system designed to grow and change with the game to make the PLI the pre-eminent recreational player organization in the World.
  2. Provide the opportunity for each member to experience leadership in the organization and in the field.
  3. Participate as a organization in three big scenario games a year and host one.
  4. Host an annual PLI training camp/conference.
  5. Establish a foundation of safety, training, leadership, tactics, and communications.
  6. Actively recruit like minded players, teams, and groups without taking over their team identity.
  7. Encourage growth of the sport by teaching new players, not berating or belittling them.
  8. Spread the concept of honorable fair play at all events where members participate.
  9. Educate the public about the sport of paintball.
  10. Enjoy ourselves immensely win, lose, or draw.
  11. Become the Leading Recreational Player Organization in the World.

Our Vision:

The vision of the Paintball Light Infantry, The Paintball Warriors, is to be the pre-eminent Recreational Paintball Player Organization in the World.

We will do this by INSISTING on Honor and Integrity from all of our members, establishing the highest standards of fair play, safety, event rules, and organizational procedures and we will disciPLIne members who violate in letter OR spirit the core values of the PLI.

We will PROVIDE a structured democratic organizational government answerable to the members and the industry that will lead the way in self regulating our members. We will be the players’ voice in the world of recreational paintball.

We will provide a tactical and operational framework that will allow each and every member to integrate with other members on the paintball field without interfering with the individual governing of member teams.

We will HOLD ourselves to a higher standard in all areas of paintball, and will expect excellence from our members. New players shall always be treated with dignity and respect.

We will not accept direct sponsorships to the organization to avoid any possible conflicts of interest between what is good for the organization and what is good for the sponsor.

We will always strive to represent our members and the Recreational Paintball Community in the best possible light and shall exist to enhance the paintball experience.

  1. Honor. Not just a word, but a way of life.
  2. Integrity.  Toward our members, supporters, and the sport.
  3. Accountability.  Holding ourselves to the highest standards.
  4. Personal Responsibility.  We do what is right.
  5. Embrace Change for the Better.  Recognize that we are not perfect and accept all criticisms.
  6. Quality.  Be the best.
  7. Growth. Slow and healthy growth to become the pre-eminent player organization in the world, never sacrificing our values for a few new members.

We Will Provide

  1. A Stable Organizational Government
  2. One Voice for Rec-Ball Players
  3. Standard Operating Procedures and immediate action drills
  4. Hand Signals
  5. Code Language
  6. 5-Man Team Tactics
  7. 20-Man Organization Tactics
  8. 80-Man Organization Tactics
  9. 462-Man Organization Tactics
  10. Radio Procedures
  11. Defined and Legal DisciPLIne System
  12. Safety Rules
  13. Open, Forthright Communication
  14. A 'Culture' of Honor, integrity, and disciPLIned play.

Articles of Incorporation

Articles of Incorporation of the undersigned, all of whom are citizens of the United States, desiring to form a Non-Profit Corporation under the Non-Profit Law of South Carolina, do hereby certify:

First:

The name of the Corporation shall be Paintball Light Infantry International, here in after referred to as PLI.

Second:

The place in this state where the principle office of the corporation is to be located is the city of Hanahan, South Carolina, Berkeley County.

Third:

Said corporation is organized exclusively for educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify under section 501c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Fourth:

The names and addresses of the persons who are the initial trustees of the corporation are as follows:

Fifth:

No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article Third hereof.  No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of  statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for the public office.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code or (b) by a corporation, contributions which are deductible under section 1 70 c (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Sixth:

Upon dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal Government, or to a state or local government for a public purpose.  Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principle office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.


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Frequently Asked Questions About the PLI

Frequently Asked Questions About the PLI

Q.Is the PLI a MilSim Team?
A.No! The PLI is a paintball mega-team organization dedicated to recreational paintball. We play scenarios, role playing, and occasionally a military style game. There is MUCH MUCH MORE to the PLI than "MilSim"
  
Q.Does the PLI use Army ranks?
A.No, within the organization members can advance by tiers based on their longevity and dedication to the unit. The only "ranks" we have are Executive Coordinator, Council representative, Detachment Liaison, and member. At events the appropriate leadership structure will be used based on the event and within the scenario guidelines. (And no saluting is necessary, all members and non members are to be treated with respect at all times).
  
Q.Do I have to buy Advantage Camouflage and gear?
A.No, the PLI does not require the use of Advantage or similar camouflage; however, we do ASK all members try to get a set of Advantage or realtree hunting camouflage to serve as their "team PLI" uniform. This will give us a better appearrance of uniformity, confuse the other team as to numbers, and allow our players to have a PLI specific dress that meets PLI requirements and still have their own individual uniforms for regular play.
  
Q.What are the dues?
A.At this time there are no dues. The BCC can vote to have them, but we do not feel we should impose them at this point as they are unnecessary. The annual renewal is $10 per TEAM to pay for publications et al.
  
Q.My team is under 18, can we still join?
A.Yes! It just requires a guardians signature.
  
Q.How do you get the Battalion together for events?
A.Walk, run, drive, rent a bus, fill a van. Whatever it takes to get there.
  
Q.How much does it cost to join the PLI?
A.$10 for your TEAM's registration. You can purchase copies of FM 1-1, FM 1-2 and FM 1-3 for each team member or download/copy them. Patches are an encouraged purchase at $5 each.
  
Q.Why are the tactics so basic? My team uses a much more complex system.
A.KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid. Reality dictates that the PLI will have few chances to practice, therefore it is better to be good at simple things. A small team can be highly organized, but it is still a small team. The PLI is a Mega Team. Coordination is the key. Most 5 man teams will be able to fit their tactics into the PLI framework to aid in coordination and communication. We know they are simple, we intended it that way.
  
Q.Why does the apPLIcation process have to be so comPLIcated?
A.It's not. It is one form and a couple of bucks!
  
Q.Why are the by laws so comPLIcated?
A.Because they needed to be all-inclusive. The PLI is not intended to provide cannon-fodder for the PLI Staff, indeed, the EC cannot lead a field event when in office, therefor it was necessary to establish a strong and definitive form of government for the unit. The format we used is from an old and proven reenacting unit known for its incredible portrayal AND governing structure.
  
Q.Why is the PLI "Light" Infantry? Isn't heavy infantry better?
A.Excellent question. In medieval times, light infantry were troops armed with a sword or pike, small shield, and no more armor than a lightweight chain mail shirt. Today, the concept is markedly different. Light Infantry was an idea fomented by the US Army in the 1980's when the concept of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) was conceived. The idea was to use a "Light" infantry division as a stop gap easily deployable unit that could hold out until the heavy armor could relieve them. Thus the "Light" infantry was called light because it was rapidly deployable (usually by air), not lightly armed. Indeed, light infantrymen were expected to be able to withstand attack by any type of enemy unit. As such they were armed with a multitude of light weight mortars, pack howitzers, light artillery pieces, mines, grenades, and rocket launchers (sound familiar?). The result was a "heavy" weapons load that would enable them to face enemy armor and mechanized divisions for at least that amount of time necessary to deploy our armor and mechanized ("heavy" infantry) divisions.

The PLI Member is also expected to carry all those weapons necessary to meet all the challenges he or she may face on the field.

The "Light" Infantry means we walk, as opposed to "Heavy" Mechanized Infantry. They get to ride. For more information see the article "Why we are Light Infantry" in the PLI articles section of the homepage.
  
Q.Do we have to use Advantage Camouflage?
A.NO, NO, NO. The PLI only RECOMMENDS the use of Advantage type camouflage because it works well at close range and keeps the PLI from looking like and being mistaken for the real military. At this time NO mandatory uniform is required by the unit. That decision would ultimately rest in the hands of the BCC. We do ask that you where the PLI patch on your left sleeve and the appropriate PLI Tier and either the Paintball Warrior Patch or you home team patch on the right sleeve.
  
Q.Isn't MilSim dangerous to paintball?
A.The truth is, beyond the name there is as little resemblance between the PLI members and real soldiers as there is between regular paintballers and soldiers. The unit is run democratically by the Brigade Captains' Council (BCC). The Executive Coordinator (EC) is the voice of the unit, but cannot even hold a field command during his term of office (this is why we chose to call the position "executive coordinator" instead of Colonel or General.) The ultimate power rests in the BCC. The EC does not even have a vote on the BCC and cannot be his teams BCC representative, that position must be held by another member of the EC's team.
  
Q.How is the EC chosen? Is it a dictatorship that never changes?
A.The EC changes every six months based on a rotation of the member units (this rotation is based on the date of the member units' entry into the PLI). The EC position is assigned to the next unit in rotation. That unit then appoints or elects at their discretion a member to serve as the EC (the PLI does not interfere in individual units' governments).
  
Q.How are Battalion Captains' Council Representatives Chosen? Can they hold rank at events?
A. They are chosen by their member teams to serve as long as the team desires. They lose no membership privileges (unlike the EC) and can lead field events, and serve as staff members to the EC. They speak for their team at all official unit meetings and cast the votes.
  
Q.Why doesn't the PLI accept sponsors?
A. The PLI doesn't accept direct sponsorships because we feel that decisions made by the BCC and EC should reflect those best FOR THE UNIT and not for a sponsor. Some businesses serve as Detachment Headquarters because they support the PLI in spirit and want to help it grow, but they are not "sponsors" and do not contribute funds to the unit for advertising purposes. Other companies offer discounts to members, again this is to support the unit and get them some business. We feel that the heavy sponsorships offered by some suppliers are what turned tournament paintball into the aggressive, cheat filled overshoot that much of it is today. To play for a trophy should be (and in many local tournaments is) enough. (This doesn't mean all tournaments are bad. All paintball is good, some is just better than others). The PLI has enough members to order items in bulk at lower cost to save members some money.
  
Q.Does the PLI have tanks and APCs?
A. Not at this time, none have joined. We do have some basic operating/cooperating plans in FM 1-1 which basically cover safety and define Armor/Mech units. If you have a Paintball Armored Vehicle and would like to join, contact PLI HQ.
  
Q.I'm a member, and I see us getting called names and stuff on forums by people, can I respond?
A.Only the EC speaks for the entire unit. As a member we encourage you to display your views BUT, we must "turn the other cheek". Do not use foul language or resort to the name calling that often occurs on online forums. Egregious attacks should be reported to PLI HQ so the EC can officially answer the charge. For example, the PLI was referred to as a bunch of Fascists on a major board. A member reported this to the EC who responded by answering the accusations made (whoever posted it did not read much before making gross misstatements about the structure and purpose of the unit) and demanded an apology for being likened to Fascists (re: Nazi's). Every bit of information we could think of is on the homepage, at last look about 24 MEG worth. Encourage the detractors to study the stuff, but know it yourself so you can respond AND ALWAYS REMAIN PROFESSIONAL IN YOUR DEALING WITH DETRACTORS. They are free to express their opinions, and all press is good press. The PLI has a policy of answering all questions as truthfully as possible.

PLI Member Types and Responsibilities

Individual members:

  1. May join the organization at $5 registration fee which INCLUDES the PLI Patch.
  2. May add team members later as they recruit. Each team member must register and pay $5 to join.
  3. Do not receive a vote on the BCC until they register at least five members (a 'team').
  4. May serve as 'Acting' Detachment Commanders within their geographic region.
  5. 'Acting' Status may be upgraded at the EC's discretion once recruiting has begun.
  6. To join an existing detachment, contact the detachment commander with your contact information. Then mail or email your membership form and fee to PLI HQ. PLI HQ will notify your Detcom that you have registered.
  7. To start a new Detachment, contact PLI HQ, email or mail your registration. Each member should fill out a membership form. Send form and fee to PLI HQ. The Detachment does not officially exist until the registration is recieved.

2. Five Man or Small Teams:

  1. May join the organization with all rights and privileges as defined in the by-laws for $5 per player registration fee which includes 5 'splatted one' patches.
  2. May add or delete members as necessary, but must maintain at least five members to retain BCC seat and vote.
  3. Enter the National Event Command Rotation
  4. Team Captain or rep may serve as 'Acting' Detachment Commanders within their geographic region.
  5. 'Acting' status may be upgraded at the EC's discretion once recruiting has begun.

3. Fifteen Man+ Big Teams or established RecBall Teams

  1. May join the organization with all rights and privileges as defined in the by-laws for $5 per man.
  2. May add or delete members as necessary.
  3. Enter the National Event Command Rotation.
  4. May be appointed Detachment Commanders based on the EC's discretion.
  5. Recieve one vote per five members


PLI Organizations:


1. Paintball Light Infantry International (Headquarters)
a. Coordinates the PLI, sponsors PLI International Level Events, Supports National, State and Local events, and serves as an information clearinghouse for all PLI members via the PLI Website.
b. Consists of the Organizational Command: Overall Coordinator, Clerk, Quartermaster, Treasurer and answers directly to the current EC’s.

2.     PLI Divisions

PLI Divisions represent the PLI for a large geographic region.  Formation of a new division must be approved by the OC and current serving EC’s.  Currently the PLI has two divisions.  The 1st PLI in North America and the 2nd PLI in Europe.

a. Coordinates the PLI division over which it exerts control, supports other PLI Divisions, sponsors National, Regional,  State and Local events, and serves as an information clearinghouse for all PLI members.
b. Consists of the Organizational Command: Executive Coordinator, Clerk, Quartermaster, Treasurer and the Battalion Captain's Council.

3.     PLI Special Corps

The PLI Special Corps must be authorized through PLI International HQ.  They exist not as independent organization, but are inter-organizational groups to which detachments can choose to belong.  Detachments may be members of more than one Special Corps.  Currently only two Special Corps are authorized, the PLI Armoured Corps and PLI Field Artillery Corps.  Requirements for a detachment to join a Special Corps vary by group, but are listed on the Corps website.  This PLI Organization is meant to be an enhancement to existing detachments and not a new group.


4. PLI Detachments
a. Coordinates PLI State, Local, and Protocol events within their designated geographic area (usually a state, province, or major metropolitan center).   Answers to the PLI Division to which it is assigned as well as its member teams. 
b. Member Teams may choose an appropriate Detachment Name and Motto. For Example:
3rd Texas Detachment, 'The Wiley Cowboys', 1st PLI.  This name may be the same as the founding team or different.
c. May design a Detachment Homepage that links to PLI HQ and and individual teams in the detachment.   May link to any or all PLI pages and receives the rights to use PLI Logos and resources.
d. May use PLI designs in advertisements/flyers/recruiting/event planning documents.
e. May design a Detachment Flag to be flown alongside the PLI Flag at State and Local PLI Events.
f. May design a Detachment T-Shirt (or several).
g. May Sponsor State, Local, or Protocol PLI Events.
h. Serve as the recruiters for the PLI in their area.
i. Detachments receive no vote or seat on the BCC. Individual teams in the detachment maintain their seat on BCC and vote. Detachments are not intended to be a single large team, but a group of PLI member teams.


5.     PLI Member Teams

The backbone of the PLI is the member teams.  Small teams may join an existing detachment or form one of their own.  Larger member teams may join as a full detachment.  The basic difference is one of voting power.  Each team of five or more in a detachment may exercise its vote as it sees fit.  There is no limit to team or Detachment size, and a Detachment may elect not to receive other teams under its umbrella.


View a list of our current detachments at: /detachmenthomepages.html

We sincerely thank you for your interest!  We are always looking for good constructive criticism, so whatever your team’s decision, we would like to know why you chose to join us or not.

Sincerely, 

Rusty Myers

Overrall Coordinator

PLI International

Executive Coordinator

1st PLI, The Paintball Warriors

Arnstein Tranoy

Executive Coordinator

2nd PLI, The European Brigade

Take a step with us, The Paintball Light Infantry, the Next Step in Paintball Evolution.