10-27-2014, 07:52 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-27-2014, 07:59 AM by Dutz.)
Since it was our first time we did almost everything. The first night was the Banquet and auction. We probably wouldn't do that again. It was a expensive and we could not afford to complete in the auctions. We did buy a raffle ticket. On that note they have raffles all the time including the wall of guns where they draw a new winner every time they sell 100 tickets at $25 a pop. So if you want to donate a lot of money to the NRA that is the place to do it. You might win something.
Friday day was the Leadership forum which was 4 hours of a dozen or so speeches. You can come and go as you please. That is where the Sheriff of Milwaukee county (not the Chief of Police, BTW) spoke. There was also Mark Levin, Mitch McConnell, etc. We actually sat through all of it.
Other than Wayne Lapierre and Chris Cox, Levin got the biggest applause.
Fri night was the country Jam which we did not do.
Sat day was the Annual Meeting. They did the actually business, etc. There were some speeches too. If you are a lifetime member (and some other criteria I don't remember) you can vote but we were not at this meeting. Everyone who follows the NRA knows about Chris Cox and Wayne Lapierre (both of whom were greeted like rock stars every time they came up), but it was my first exposure to the president Jim Porter. I found him interesting.
Sat night was the Stand and Fight Ralley. Sarah Palin spoke, but not very long. Then Alabama put on a concert, that was cool.
Sun morning we went to the prayer breakfast and Franklin Graham spoke (the son of Billy Graham for those who didn't know). On the walk over we ran into guy who invited us to sit at his company table. It turned out he was a major sponsor (some gold and coin company) and we sat right up front.
These were the major events. There were also smaller seminars you could go to. We saw Kyle Lamb (Delta Force sergeant who was at Black Hawk down) and Col David Grossman. Both were supposed to be an hour, but Grossman actually did his 3 hour version of the Bullet Proof Mind. That was cool.
You would think all that was enough to keep you busy, but you also have the exhibit hall. There were 400 tables and everyone who is anyone was there. All the major firearm manufacturers will all their guns. Literally every Springfield, Glock, S&W, Remington, Mossberg, etc. made was there. Everyone who makes an AR or parts for it was there. There were Henry rifles, Sharps rifles, etc. All the accessory manufacturers, every safe, laser, bag, target, flashlight, etc. made was there. If you want to see and hold anything you've wanted it is there.
Between the events we went to there was not enough time in three days to see the entire exhibit floor except to just walk by some. It was almost too much.
The floor and many of the events are free to NRA members, so if you can swing the travel, hotel, and food costs, the rest does not have to be expensive. The floor itself could be worth the trip.
The experience really gets you pumped up. Each meeting was started with the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, and a prayer. You don't see that everywhere.
Friday day was the Leadership forum which was 4 hours of a dozen or so speeches. You can come and go as you please. That is where the Sheriff of Milwaukee county (not the Chief of Police, BTW) spoke. There was also Mark Levin, Mitch McConnell, etc. We actually sat through all of it.
Other than Wayne Lapierre and Chris Cox, Levin got the biggest applause.
Fri night was the country Jam which we did not do.
Sat day was the Annual Meeting. They did the actually business, etc. There were some speeches too. If you are a lifetime member (and some other criteria I don't remember) you can vote but we were not at this meeting. Everyone who follows the NRA knows about Chris Cox and Wayne Lapierre (both of whom were greeted like rock stars every time they came up), but it was my first exposure to the president Jim Porter. I found him interesting.
Sat night was the Stand and Fight Ralley. Sarah Palin spoke, but not very long. Then Alabama put on a concert, that was cool.
Sun morning we went to the prayer breakfast and Franklin Graham spoke (the son of Billy Graham for those who didn't know). On the walk over we ran into guy who invited us to sit at his company table. It turned out he was a major sponsor (some gold and coin company) and we sat right up front.
These were the major events. There were also smaller seminars you could go to. We saw Kyle Lamb (Delta Force sergeant who was at Black Hawk down) and Col David Grossman. Both were supposed to be an hour, but Grossman actually did his 3 hour version of the Bullet Proof Mind. That was cool.
You would think all that was enough to keep you busy, but you also have the exhibit hall. There were 400 tables and everyone who is anyone was there. All the major firearm manufacturers will all their guns. Literally every Springfield, Glock, S&W, Remington, Mossberg, etc. made was there. Everyone who makes an AR or parts for it was there. There were Henry rifles, Sharps rifles, etc. All the accessory manufacturers, every safe, laser, bag, target, flashlight, etc. made was there. If you want to see and hold anything you've wanted it is there.
Between the events we went to there was not enough time in three days to see the entire exhibit floor except to just walk by some. It was almost too much.
The floor and many of the events are free to NRA members, so if you can swing the travel, hotel, and food costs, the rest does not have to be expensive. The floor itself could be worth the trip.
The experience really gets you pumped up. Each meeting was started with the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, and a prayer. You don't see that everywhere.
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