It is my honor to address my fellow NRA members, instructors and supporters as we begin our journey in making NRA General Operations the best it can be. In this inaugural issue of my monthly update from General Operations, I’ve chosen to recognize the professional and unwavering contributions of our NRA-certified instructors. There is no more cherished NRA tradition than marksmanship skills and firearm safety instruction for American citizens. For 750,000 students each year, the instructor in the classroom and on the range is the NRA. Recall how Olympians and national shooting sports champions often attribute their first firearm experience to an NRA-sponsored program. The men and women largely responsible for that introduction were NRA instructors. Few may appreciate the investment in time and resources made by these loyal members who unselfishly commit to the rigors of becoming an NRA-certified instructor and furthering the nation’s highest standards in firearm safety.
Despite program changes and technical evolution in the classroom, our instructors soldier on to support citizens looking for instruction in safe gun ownership; to preserve their Second Amendment rights; for personal protection; or because of their passion for the shooting sports. We are pleased to announce that NRA’s newest course—NRA CCW—has been incorporated into the NRA Instructor curriculum. Learn the details at americanrifleman.org/nraccw or sign up at nrainstructors.org.
As changes in the national landscape influence our priorities and decisions, the personal touch in the classroom and mentoring on the range have been preserved, thanks to our dedicated instructors. As a firearms instructor, I’ve personally witnessed the devotion of fellow teachers who patiently provide equipment to that student who forgot to bring ear protection, calm someone who may be nervous because of having no prior experience with firearms, or expertly guide the class through NRA’s safe gun-handling rules developed over the past 148 years.
I ask all of you—members, officers, Board members and staff—to acknowledge the sacrifices and accomplishments made each week by these talented, loyal members of the NRA team. If you see the coveted instructor’s patch proudly displayed on a jacket or vest, please introduce yourself and shake that member’s hand with gratitude for their invaluable contributions.
We learn from experience. General Operations is no exception to this tenet, and we are working to integrate those lessons learned into our plans, with our instructors prominently accredited in those training programs. Stay tuned. The future is bright.
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