Submitted by Tim Drewry on 1 March 2010 - 9:53pm
Posted in
The Airfield Shooting Club (ASC) currently operates on the Honor System for its members to use the ranges. The ASC Board requires that all of our members follow and obey each of the Range Rules and Regulations (Rules) as set by the ASC Board. In our Rules, each member is required to act as the Range Safety Officer (RSO) at appropriate times and to control the use by all members and to ensure safety and compliance with the Rules. The RSO and all members on the range are entrusted to immediately correct any member committing a Rule violation. If the corrected member fails to comply or repeatedly violates ASC Rules, then the RSO or ASC Member observing the violation must report to the ASC Board the violation observed. We are a “self-policing” club.
As you all should be aware now, we have a new range wall dividing the 50 yard and 100 meter ranges. Our new rule clearly states that if you observe any member or guest shoot the new wall, then they will suffer expulsion from the Club. It is the duty of all of the ASC members to report this violation to the ASC Board immediately. I also want to encourage you to report to the ASC Board other violations that you as members observe on the range that cause damage to any of the ASC assets, including target frames, benches, tables, the new 12 ft. lateral indicator post (red post with white arrow), porta-john, ASC shed, shooting pavilions, etc. The ASC Board wishes to take swift action against members that abuse ASC property. An example of one of these violations would be observing a member place target items (onions, shot shells, cartridge cases, apples, etc.) on the bottom cross beam of the target frames. When a member tries to shoot at these items, then the likelihood of shooting the target frame is great. Damage to target frames is costly and time consuming to repair for our Club. When we have to pay for new target frames so often, then important ASC funds are being diverted from the other goals that we have planned for the benefit of our members such as running water and “real” restroom facilities.
Safety of those using the range and those in the vicinity of the range is priority number one for the ASC Board. It is therefore important that all serious and/or repeated safety violations observed should be reported to the ASC Board. You might be thinking: Do I have to report all safety violations that I observe? The answer is “No.” You can exercise some commonsense. When you observe someone not wearing hearing/eye protection, then you should remind them that it is for their own safety, but the ASC Board does not need to know about it. If you observe a member hanging objects under the target frames and shooting at them so that the rounds fired do not impact the lower portion of the berm, then politely correct them and ask them to comply with the Rules. If that violating member refuses to comply or gives you a hard time about it or complies but continues to violate other range rules repeatedly, then you should inform the ASC Board of the situation by noting the violating member’s Club number and the date and time of the infraction(s). If rounds are exiting the range or going over the berm, and a member refuses correction, then the ASC Board definitely wants to know which member it is so that appropriate action can be taken. All members need to remember that we share the range with the 4-H Center and that the range is located on the 4-H Center property. There may be 4-H guests that are hiking in the woods around our range. If one round exits the range and causes injury to a person, then I can almost guarantee that the ASC range will be closed and all of our time and investment in the range will be for nothing!
If there is ever any doubt whether you should report Rule violations observed to the ASC Board, then I think you should err on the side of caution and let us know by e-mailing any of the ASC Board members or logging on to our website at www.airfieldshootingclub.org and clicking on the “Contact ASC” tab at the top. As I stated above, we are a “self-policing” club. If you fail as members to properly monitor the range and report Rule violations, then the ASC Board will have to take other action. The ASC Board has discussed in the past the possibility of installing video equipment in the pavilions to monitor the members. I personally do not want to see this happen. I have concerns about the ASC Board becoming “Big Brother.” I do not want anyone constantly looking over my shoulder as I use the range. The money spent on video equipment would be costly, and I would rather see that money put into range improvements such as running water and “real” restroom facilities. I think that most of you would agree with me. So I ask each of you to do your part in monitoring the range, report Rule violations, and keep the “Honor” in our Honor System.
I look forward to seeing you SAFELY using the range!
Tim Drewry
ASC President
HELP US HIT THE BULLSEYE! The ASC Board is here to serve the ASC members. Your comments and thoughts are always welcome whether about the matters discussed above or other important matters concerning the range. Just log on to airfieldshootingclub.org and send your comments to us via the “Contact ASC” tab at the top.
