by While I am waiting for the full list of who is assigned to what NRA committee, here are my committee assignments for 2026-2027.
- Audit (elected as previously noted)
- Membership
- Legislative Policy
- State and Local Subcommittee of Legislative Policy
- Hunting and Wildlife Conservation
I served on all of these committees in the previous year and had requested to serve on them again. Of course, the Audit Committee is elected by the Board of Directors and is not merely an appointment by the President.
I have talked with some other directors who did not get all their requested committees. I think one reason I was able to get everything I requested is that I am retired and have the time to devote to serving on them. Not everyone has this sort of flexibility.
I see a direct correlation between what we do in the Legislative Policy and Hunting & Wildlife Conservation Committees and in building or rebuilding our membership.
When the full list of all committee assignments is released, I will post it. I don’t think it will be marked Privileged and Confidential.
Looks like a good match for your interests and skill set.
Would be really interested in your experiences with the membership committee – obviously not confidential business, but just theories, thoughts, and concepts. NRA’s woes have obviously been a challenge but that only adds to the cultural decline of “joining” anything. Anyway, as you go, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts and perspectives. Thanks!
Based upon both last year and this year so far, I would say our two greatest concerns on the Membership Committee are a) stopping the decline that began with the Wayne years and b) giving people a reason to join the NRA. On the latter, we are working with those in industry to develop benefits that go with membership. For example, you might get a 10-20% discount on a sight that more than pays for your membership. Stopping the decline is a much more difficult issue. Many former members feel, rightly so, that they got burned by the excesses of the Wayne years. Whether it was suits, private jets, and just shoveling money to the Brewer firm they feel their membership dues and/or donations were wasted. Trust, once lost, is very hard to regain and that is what we are trying to do across the NRA. In some areas were are doing better than others. For example, financially we have a balanced budget and we had a clean audit even with special examinations in 20+ areas.
And I will say this in defense of the reformers actually working to fix things – NRA has staff who for some reason the top won’t deal with who are actively working against Board efforts. There’s no attempt to even hide the venom in statements made publicly by some departments about the Board implementing more policies that members want or benefit members.
Even ones that aren’t as public about it are still playing games to try and make efforts of the Board on membership & engagement look bad. They smile for the committee, but just looking at the implementation, it’s clear there’s one of two things happening: 1) true, epic incompetence with bad judgement on how to do what they’ve been asked to do, or 2) fake half-assed passive aggressive “attempts” that are being done with an intent to fail because if they worked, it will be more work for them and they don’t want to do it.
So even if the new Board manages to roll out some great idea that gun folks would truly find valuable and bring things back, you need staff willing to actually do the work. Some departments have that, some don’t. I wrote a short thread the other day about the mindset of hiring that I know firsthand several higher ups in departments have that are deliberately toxic because they don’t want the mental effort of a bigger or more successful program.
I cannot disagree with your assessment of the staff situation. Any large organization has a bureaucracy and the NRA is no different.
I remember some public administration books I read years (and years!) ago. The basis of the argument was that officially non-policy making managers actually did make policy by how they implemented a program.
“I remember some public administration books I read years (and years!) ago. The basis of the argument was that officially non-policy making managers actually did make policy by how they implemented a program.”
100% – spot on.
My X thread actually noted that one common thread I’ve seen in some (not all) of these folks are status as retired government/military. They already have retirement income, so this is just extra. Longterm growth isn’t something they want to give the time to because this was supposed to be a job they coast in, nor is it something they care enough about to build because they won’t see the long term investment.
It happens in many cultures and organizations, but even the gun culture. Even just at the club level, there are folks who speak out to complain who don’t want to hear about long term plans they won’t be around to see because they don’t care about the club after they are gone. I don’t play nicely with those types, I admit. I cannot fathom that kind of selfishness when it comes to our rights.
WOW! Just saw on NRA’s employment sire that they have posted the Secretary position for outside individuals! This is supposed to be an elected position. NRA 2.O is really screwing the pooch on this one. Guess they will take a page from the Foundations playback and make a bylaw amendment. UNREAL! Who’s running the asylum???
Definitely right up your alley!
WOW! Just saw on NRA’s employment sire that they have posted the Secretary position for outside individuals! This is supposed to be an elected position. NRA 2.O is really screwing the pooch on this one. Guess they will take a page from the Foundations playback and make a bylaw amendment. UNREAL! Who’s running the asylum???
Mr. Richardson, why won’t you let my comments post? It is truth that The Secretary position which is an elected position from yr to yf is posted on the NRA’s open job posting site. One would think this important info that your readers would like to know wouldn’t they?
As I noted at NRA In Danger, I was out of the country starting on May 20th. I arrived home this afternoon and one of the first things I did was approved your comment.
Comments never automatically post given the amount of spam I get from Russian, China, and the like.