EDITORIAL

Wounded Warrior Program Shoots Self in Foot

David A. Lombardo

It may be much ado about nothing but time will tell. Earlier this week Tom Gresham, of Tom Gresham's Gun Talk radio show, invited a representative of the Wounded Warriors Project to be a guest on his show.

The mission of the WWP is to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members; Help injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.

Gresham wanted to give some publicity, and generate donations, to what is commonly considered to be a worthwhile program. How much more patriotic can you get than helping America's heroes deal with having paid a steep price while serving their country? What happened next is a public relations disaster.

In response to his invitation to be on the show, a WWP spokesperson turned him down. Gresham responded by asking if he understood correctly that WWP was not willing to be on his radio show and received the following email response.

Good afternoon -

While we appreciate your interest in Wounded Warrior Project you are correct that we decline the media opportunity. Please note the following notice that appears on our website which also applies to WWP public awareness policy and inquiries from media outlets.

WWP does not co-brand, create cause marketing campaigns or receive a percentage or a portion of proceeds from companies in which the product or message is sexual, political or religious in nature, or from alcohol or firearms companies (Editor's Note: See Select a Committee and Type of Event paragraph).

Thank you for your inquiry.

Leslie A. Colement, Public Relations Director

Rightfully, Gresham was surprised to learn the organization that has literally accepted millions of dollars in donations from shooting sports enthusiasts would have an anti-firearm policy.

Gresham responded, "I'm stunned at your email saying that the WWP doesn't participate in an interview or activity related to firearms. Inasmuch as there are 90 million gun owners and most of them support wounded veterans, I think they would be shocked to hear that they are, by way of their hobbies, somehow not worthy of helping with the Wounded Warriors Project. Does your policy apply also to police agencies and the military, since they are 'related to firearms?" It didn't take long for Internet sharks to get a whiff of the blood in the water.

Gunssavelife.com started digging around and discovered Steven Nardizzi, CEO of Wounded Warrior Project, has an annual salary of allegedly $319,692. Other research turned up the organization's 2011 fiscal year income was about $74 million against expenses exceeding $57.7 million with no payments made to its affiliates. It's pretty easy to dislike an organization that pays its head guy that much money, reaps that much in donations, and doesn't give any money to its affiliates (NB: the term "affiliates" was not defined).

So that great body-collective rumor mill known as the Internet has blown this up to larger than life. The last thing I read before giving up in disgust somehow attributed WWP's position to George Soros, extraterrestrial aliens and Shamwow.

Ayla Hay, WWP executive vice president for communications, responded to inquiries by Examiner.com saying WWP has conducted more than a hundred hunting or shooting activities for disabled veterans. "WWP is not anti-gun," she assured the Examiner.

Since that exchange Nardizzi has agreed to be a guest on Gresham's show this Sunday. If, in fact, WWP is not anti-second amendment all the Internet rumors can have a devastating long term effect on a great organization. If the organization turns out to really be anti-second amendment there's plenty of time to sound the alarm and find a better alternative. However for now, rather than forwarding countless rumor mill emails to everyone on the face of the Earth how about we just chill for a few days and find out what the man has to say. Until then, if I were Nardizzi, I'd can the idiot who rejected the interview out of hand. Clearly this is someone who hasn't a clue about public relations.

OCAT Introduces Advanced

Laser Training System

 

There are many types of laser training units on the market but simply displaying a red dot on a target does not tell the entire story. Shooters can now get superior feedback about each fired shot and gain valuable insights to improving their marksmanship with the Optical Computer-Aided Training System (OCAT). Using the firing pin activated Laser with the OCAT system allows shooters to show and track hits on a computer view of the target just as if you fired live ammunition. A camera sends the images to the computer screen and not only will the hits show up but line tracings of each shot will also appear showing the shooter the direction of movement of the firearm as it was fired. This is unique precise movement tracking feedback that no other Laser, live fire or personal trainer can offer. Once you see your movement during a shot you can diagnose problems and gain insight to better accuracy. The basic kit includes software which can be converted to live fire, camera and mount, and target package. MSRP $495.00

Northern Tool & Equipment to

Acquire Sportsman's Guide

The Sportsman's Guide, which hawks anything even loosely related to the outdoors at a discount price, has been bought by Northern Tool & Equipment. The South St. Paul-based supplier of outdoor goods, which it sells via catalogs and online at SportsmansGuide.com, BoatingSavings.com, and WorkWearSavings.com, has 650 employees. The $215 million acquisition from parent company Redcats USA also included The Golf Warehouse based in Wichita, Kan.-based employing 250. Pending regulatory approvals, the acquisitions will give Northern Tool approximately $1.5 billion in annual sales. Northern Tool said both companies will be integrated into its existing operations to take advantage of economies of scale. According to a spokesman for Northern Tool & Equipment, it will take advantage of their considerable brand equity but they will continue to operate them as stand-alone brands. "Northern Tool does not plan to cut any jobs at those businesses and it may add positions as the operations merge," the spokesman said. "We are very bullish about this milestone acquisition - it builds on our operational strength and synergies," Northern Tool president Chuck Albrecht said in a statement. "Furthermore, we were drawn to both companies being family-run institutions with strong management."

GunBroker.com Hits $2 Billion in Sales

GunBroker.com, the world's largest Internet auction site for firearms and accessories, announced it reached $2 billion in cumulative merchandise sales on Nov. 10th. A testament to the company's popularity among loyal users and casual visitors alike, the site first reached $1 billion in sales 10 years after launch, rapidly growing to $2 billion in less than three years after achieving the 10-digit threshold. "This is an incredible day for the entire GunBroker.com team," says Steve Urvan, CEO of GunBroker.com. "Doubling sales in less than three years to reach the $2 billion mark is an incredible accomplishment and one that we are extremely proud of. We have made significant enhancements to the site over the past couple of years that are proving to be a catalyst for continued success." The popular auction site has steadily grown by more 265,000 new users per year the last several years, cementing its position as the 646th largest U.S. website according to Quantcast (Nov. 10, 2012) and the third largest 'Shopping and Classifieds - Auctions' site, behind eBay and eBay Motors, on Hitwise's rankings.

NASGW Names 2012 Top Manufacturers

Sturm, Ruger & Company has been presented with the Firearms Manufacturer of the Year award by the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers for the sixth consecutive year. The presentation was made during the Association's 39th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The NASGW Awards recognize top manufacturers who best demonstrate a commitment to two-step distribution and who provide outstanding value and service. The award was presented to Ruger vice president of Sales and Marketing Chris Killoy by NASGW chairman of the Board Jack Baumler of W.L. Baumler Company. "We are extremely pleased and grateful to receive this award once again," said Killoy. "We continue to strive to meet the needs of independent wholesalers and the demands of their customers, the retailers and consumers, through development and timely delivery of innovative new products. We thank NASGW members for their continued business and support," Killoy concluded. NASGW also named Hornady Manufacturing as the 2012 Ammunition Manufacturer of the Year. It is the third year in a row that Hornady has been chosen for the award.

SCI & Boy Scouts of America Inaugural Shoot

Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) and the Boy Scouts of America Foundation (BSAF) are proud to announce the Inaugural Sporting Clays Shoot in Reno, Nevada on January 22, 2013 at Sage Hill Clay Sports. All proceeds will go to support the mission programs for SCI Foundation and BSAF. "Our inaugural sporting clays shoot is a wonderful opportunity to highlight our vital missions of youth leadership and sustainable-use conservation," said SCI Foundation President Joe Hosmer. "We know that the sporting clays course will also be a star-studded event with Olympic medalists and avid clay shooters." The Boy Scouts serve nearly three million youth annually and award more than 200,000 shooting sports achievements yearly. The SCI Foundation promotes education, wildlife conservation and humanitarian services worldwide. SCI Foundation has donated well over $50 million in support of its vital projects and programs since 2000. "As hunters and conservationists, we know that educating the next generation of outdoorsmen is vital," said SCI Foundation Vice President Roman Deville. "Our partnership with BSAF will make a positive step forward to bring together our two great organizations."