NRAblog is excited to introduce Jessica Blanks, a new member of the NRA Headquarters Shooting Range staff. As the Range's new "Customer Service Specialist,” she's responsible for a variety of tasks. Her main focus is on customer service, keeping the lines of communication open between the Range and its customers.

Blanks assists NRA Range Manager Greg Wodack and his staff of 33 Range Safety Officers, providing administrative support. She's also responsible for cash receipts, inventory management and electronically filing and maintaining the customer the data base.

"I think Jessica's a perfect fit for the Range," Wodack told NRAblog. "I'm looking forward to our continued growth and success, and we welcome her to our team."

Blanks was born in Louisiana and grew up in a military family. At one time she lived in Texas – and she's still a big Dallas Cowboys fan.

Blanks says she grew up shooting guns and hunting with her father. She attributes her love for the outdoors to her father, a retired Army Colonel. Blanks has always admired the NRA and its fight to defend the Second Amendment. "It's a privilege to work for the NRA,” Blanks told NRAblog. In addition to firearms, she enjoys cooking, painting, drawing, and music. She holds a second degree black belt Tae Kwon Do.

Blanks received her Associates degree from Northern Virginia Community College and is working on her bachelors degree. She plans to continue her education with a post graduate degree in Art Therapy.

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One of the best things about recreational shooting is that people of almost any background can enjoy it—young or old, there’s something for everyone. Jim Templeman, who was born without arms and uses his feet to operate firearms, is no different, and he finds shooting both fun and challenging: “I find it interesting to figure out the best pistols to shoot with my feet and the best way for me to hold and fire them.”

When asked how he first became interested in shooting, Jim explained, “Since I was born without arms, I naturally developed dexterity with my feet. I've loved shooting as long as I can remember, be it with a dart gun, BB gun, or pellet pistol.”

Jim is no stranger to the D.C. area, having earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D from George Washington University. A highly accomplished professional in the information technology field, he develops user interface at the Naval Research Lab, which involves using virtual simulation and modeling to help U.S. Marines train safely and cost-effectively.

Jim explained that for the Marines involved, the experience is a bit like the movie Avatar, except, “In Avatar they were controlling real bodies in the real world, but the Marines are controlling their avatar bodies in the virtual world.” Naturally, there is a strong link between developing military training techniques and shooting for recreational purposes, and Jim enjoys exploring the connection. More...

The NRA Headquarters Range is once again welcoming customers. The state of the art indoor shooting range has undergone intense renovations. Read Range Manager Greg Wodack’s detailed account here.

The Range, located at the NRA’s Headquarters building in Fairfax, VA, has more than 60,000 visits annually with 10,000 new customers each year.  

Make note of its weekly hours:

Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Tuesday Closed 
Wednesday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Thursday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 
Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 
Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Wodack was on hand Sunday, July 11 for the re-opening. “The customers were amazed at the changes,” he said. “Sunday was an extremely busy day, but it went perfectly.”

Something shooters should notice right away is the new target retrieval system -- complete with brand new controls which boast a touch screen user interface. “The movers are intuitive. The whole system ‘talks’ to insure accuracy,” Wodack said, noting the techonology is among the newest in the field.

Customers should also notice the resurfaced floor and an improved air flow, which Wodack considers “the best system we’ve ever seen.”

	After a tour of the NRA National Firearms Museum, the 45 students participating in the 2010 Youth Education Summit, or YES, headed to the NRA Headquarters Range. At left, students enjoyed photographing the Museum's varied exhibits.

Today was a busy day, and we're told it's going to be one heck of a week. "We head to the Pentagon for a tour on Wednesday, and the U.S. Capitol on Thursday," event organizer Nicole McMahon told NRAblog.

But today was all about NRA Headquarters. The Range, with its exciting new renovations, marked the first time a few of these students had handled firearms. "I can't believe how fun that was," a student told us after shooting a .22 caliber pistol for the first time in her life. 

Stick around for more Youth Education Summit photos!

The 45 students chosen to attend the Youth Education Summit this week have arrived at NRA Headquarters. Most flew into the Washington DC area yesterday. At 8 a.m. today, they stepped off their charter bus and into NRA Headquarters, as our slideshow at right illustrates.

And what a day we have planned for these young people! First, they will hear from the folks at NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, the NRA-ILA, on the fine points of public speaking. Debates and speeches are a theme throughout the week, with participants sharpening their skills on a wide variety of public policy issues.

Next, they’ll learn about the exciting programs offered by NRA Women's Program staff and Youth Program staff. They will also hear from Eddie Eagle Program Coordinator Jon Draper on how they can bring the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program to their communities.

They’ll eat lunch in the NRA Cafe and participate in a “mock Friends of NRA” banquet. To round out the day, the group will split in half and rotate between the NRA National Firearms Museum and the NRA HQ Range, where many of them will fire their first shot at a target.

NRAblog will be following the action of this group as they experience all the Washington D.C. area – and the NRA – have to offer.

Just heard from Greg Wodack of the NRA Headquarters Range. (You may recall that it’s been under construction since late June.)

“The NRA Range will be open at 8:30 am, Sunday July 11th for normal business hours,” says Greg.

As promised, here's another update from NRA HQ Range Manager Greg Wodack:

"There are three main projects taking place: a new air ventilation system, a new target retrieval system, and a new floor," he begins. 

"This is the last phase of an on going upgrade to our air ventilation system. The system currently being installed at the NRA Headquarters Range is the only air ventilation system approved by the United States Navy to be installed in their government ranges all over the world."

Carey's Small Arms Range Ventilation of Chicago, IL, is handling the project. Company president William Provencher has over 250 range installations worldwide to his credit. Through the use of radial diffuser technology a wall of smooth consistent air ( laminar flow ) moves downrange at a specified cubic feet per minute. The technology used to achieve the laminar flow eliminates the effects of turbulence commonly referred to as "eddies'" created by other systems making the NRA Range a cleaner and safer place to shoot. This system has a three tier filtration system which includes the use of medical grade HEPA filters commonly used in operating rooms. " The air actually goes back in to the environment cleaner than we brought it in," Wodack says. "This technology not only meets but exceeds all OSHA, NIOSH and EPA standards." More...

The nation's busiest range, NRA’s Headquarters Range here in Fairfax, Virginia, is currently closed as it undergoes important renovations.

Renovations began in late June. Range Manager Greg Wodack said the range will be operational again on Thursday, July 8. “We’ve scheduled everything down to the hour so that we can be done on schedule,” he said.

Although the range’s overhaul is an almost non-stop, two-week process, the renovation will definitely be worth the wait.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth update on the construction from Wodack and his crew.

Coach Hardy of the Robinson Rifle Team recently sent his team a message. In addition to detailing the team's preparation for the upcoming CMP/USA Air Rifle National Championship July 8-10, he had a few kind words to say about the NRA:

Robinson Rifle Team family--shooters, coaches, parents, and school administrators--I hope you realize how fortunate your are to be associated with one of the best high school rifle teams in the country, the winner of four NRA Junior Sectional National Championships in 2010.  As just one of the coaches, I can tell you how privileged, and what a thrill I get out of being around, and working with you great Robinson students and accomplished shooters. 

Most important to our successes are our loyal and supportive friends of the National Rifle Association--Greg Wodack and the Range Staff; Andy Rayland, our Saturday RSO and his co-RSOs; and the NRA top management and leadership, who have so generously accommodated this team since September 11, 2001, when the Army Range at Fort Belvoir was closed to us.  We had no place to go, and the NRA took us in and have provided Robinson a home for the past nine years. 

So, when you see NRA Staff, tell them thanks, that they made Robinson's successes possible.

Thank you, Coach Hardy, for your dedication to the future of the shooting sports! 

We last heard from Hardy here -- and stay tuned for more on this talented young group  

Adam Benson, a Life Member of the NRA, first shot competitively for his high school rifle team. Classified as an expert shot during his tenure with the U.S. Marines, he was active on the USPSA pistol and three-gun circuit from 1995 to 2002. Since then, this architectural engineer has been more focused on the challenges of bow hunting and fatherhood.

On Sunday, however, Benson returns to the competitive shooting arena to face off against 15 other shooters when the History Channel debuts its newest series, TOP SHOT. Tune in at 10 p.m. Sunday to watch.

“16 people compete; one will make history,” the History Channel says of the show.

Benson, who has been a loyal patron of the NRA’s Headquarters Range since it was constructed in Fairfax, VA, in 1995, said he immediately felt this show was the right opportunity for him.

“I’ve always had a thing for guns,” Benson says enthusiastically. “When I started competing in IPSC, I was good. But I never really felt I applied myself fully… Maybe I could have been something.”

“When I heard this thing come around, and they were looking for shooters with big personalities, I thought ‘this is my shot,’” he said.

“I’m playful and fun. [TOP SHOT] is my last chance to give it a shot, and I put everything toward it,” said Benson, who can’t release details of the show until the season concludes.

Benson says the NRA’s Headquarters Range was a life saver because the time he set aside to practice, March and April of 2010, were plagued with snowstorms. "Between my local range and the NRA Range, I averaged 1000 rounds a week. Outdoor ranges were impossible due to the blizzards," he said.

Range Manager Greg Wodack used to compete with Benson in regional IPSC matches. “He really is just an ordinary guy who happens to have an exceptional degree of talent on the range,” Wodack said.

Colby Donaldson, the host of the series, has this to say about the challenges of TOP SHOT: "You've gotta be able to pick up any weapon and be damn good with it." Will Benson's skills make the cut? We'll have to wait with the rest of the nation to find out.

NRA News is pleased to welcome Benson as a guest at 10:40 pm Friday, June 4, to discuss his participation in the series. 

Tune into the History Channel to watch as the season unfolds. Sixteen contestants from across the United States will live and shoot alongside one another until one is crowned the first-ever History Channel TOP SHOT.

Sylvia Schneider of the NRA Headquarters Range brings NRAblog the following update:

Due to the Easter holiday, the Range be closed all day on Sunday, April 4.

As a reminder, if you're unsure of the Range's hours and are away from your computer, check their voicemail -- 703-267-1402 . Schneider updates it accordingly. 

The NRA's state-of-the-art indoor shooting range is normally open to the public from 5 to 10 pm on Thursdays.

After a few days of closing due to inclement weather, the range is set to open today. That's good news in store for any of you local residents itching to break the Cabin Fever with some target practice. The roads here in Fairfax, VA are looking better, and the sun is helping to melt some of the snow piles. 

"We'll be open tomorrow as well, as scheduled, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., so stop on by," Range Manager Greg Wodack said. Stay tuned to NRAblog for information, which we'll post as we receive. 

Sylvia Schneider of the NRA's Headquarters Range brings NRAblog the following:

Due to inclement weather, the Range will remain closed tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 7.

The Range's voicemail -- 703-267-1402 --  will be updated accordingly. 

Sylvia Schneider of the NRA's Headquarters Range called NRAblog with an important -- and rare -- announcement:

"We're closing early today," she said.

Due to threats of inclement weather, the Range will shut its doors at 3 p.m. today, Friday, Feb. 5, and remain closed tomorrow.

"We're scheduled to open at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, just like any other day," Schneider said, "but range patrons are encouraged to call 703-267-1402 to confirm."

The Range's voicemail will be updated accordingly. 

Did you know the NRA Headquarters Range is one of the top-ranked NRA Independent Recruiters in the nation? 

Congratulations to the following Independent Recruiters for an outstanding 2009:

1. Eagle Publishing - 7,804
2. Shooting USA - 6,505
3. Intermarkets, Inc. - 2,386
4. NRA Catalog - 1,806
5. Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Radio - 1,210
6. The NRA Range - 1,218
7. AR15.com - 1,012
8. Marketshare Publications - 587
9. Gunbroker.com - 555
10. I156, Inc. - 497