Here at NROI, we all too frequently have complaints about ROs come our way; generally they are not formal RO Incident Form type complaints but more along the lines of “I had a bad RO at xyz match last weekend.” There is usually an implied “NROI needs to do something!”
[Read more…] about The Cultured ClubFree Advice
Getting your foot in the door
In the RO seminar we stress that working major matches is a great way to get experience as a new RO. You not only get to see all the competitors in the match shoot the stage you are working (which can be interesting), but you also get teamed up with experienced match staff who can mentor you and help refine your RO skills. But how do you get on the staff list for a major match?
[Read more…] about Getting your foot in the doorAre you a consumer or a producer?
While this topic is more of a club and competitor culture topic, it often gets brought up in seminars and at matches and occasionally to the rules email. There are a lot of clubs out there that are struggling to find help when it comes to running matches. Which is why I am asking: are you a consumer of matches, or do you help produce matches?
[Read more…] about Are you a consumer or a producer?But I don’t want to be the bad guy
Being a Range Officer has a responsibility associated with it, namely enforcing the rules. Which not only requires knowledge of the rules, but also the guts to apply the rules. Applying the rules is often what some ROs struggle with so let’s discuss why that is and why we should not be afraid to apply the rules when needed.
[Read more…] about But I don’t want to be the bad guyCertified Ammunition
With the 2024 shooting season coming to a close, and the 2025 season not warming up yet (see, because it’s winter, and cold, “not warming up yet”), I thought it might be helpful in planning to publish some information on USPSA’s Certified Ammunition Program.
[Read more…] about Certified AmmunitionIt’s only $35!
It’s time for another reminder that magazine gauges are a cheap investment to ensure you have legal equipment and don’t end up shooting for no score or in Open Division with a non-Open gun at a major match. Let’s talk about magazine lengths and how to make sure your equipment is in compliance.
[Read more…] about It’s only $35!Notes from Nationals
I am writing this post as I sit in the airport waiting for my connecting flight on my way home from the 2024 Open and PCC Nationals. It has been awhile since I worked a stage instead of serving as Range Master and in addition to getting 21,000 steps each day, I also made some observations on a few things competitors can do to help ensure nationals is a good experience for fellow competitors and the staff.
[Read more…] about Notes from NationalsExam Time!
Do you know the ins and outs of the NROI re-certification policies? Here are a few pointers to help enlighten you.
First, always remember that help (no, not that kind of help) is always an email away. Second, yes the test availability will time out after 30 days or so–procrastinators beware! But, no worries, an email to dnroi@uspsa.org will get your test reset for another 30 days. Once you begin the exam, there is no time limit, so you can answer a few questions and walk away for a bit, then return when it’s convenient for you. Third, you can print the exam and do it on paper, if you prefer analog test taking. I am a pencil and paper guy myself, so I understand. But, you must hit the “print” button before you begin the exam digitally, or else the print function is lost.
The USPSA database will send a reminder out when you have a test available, normally 30 days prior to your NROI certification expiration date. On rare occasions, this doesn’t happen, or it goes to spam or somewhere into the ether. Don’t panic! If you miss the reminder, or simply forget, or life gets in the way and you don’t recertify prior to your expiration date, NROI policy allows for up to 6 months to recertify by taking the short, 20 question exam. After 6 months, the system will revert to the long, 50 question exam, and after a year has passed, will tell you that you must attend a seminar to become recertified. If you think you have an exam due, but didn’t see a reminder, you can check by going to https://uspsa.org/exam. If you have one due, it will be available.
And, we don’t really consider you “expired” as a range official until that year has passed. Even so, if you have been active as an RO within that time period, but just didn’t take the test, we do give a little leeway. Entering the Level II or III matches you worked during that time aids in gaining a little more time on being able to test to recertify rather than attend a seminar.
While taking the exam digitally, note that each question has instructions on how to enter and format the rules citations correctly, and that punctuation counts. The exam is digitally scored, and the system doesn’t overlook a misplaced period or misused comma, dash, or slash. Some machines, (the one I’m on does it), will enter an extra period if you hit the space bar at the end of a rule number. For example, I enter 1.1.5, then hit the space bar, and get 1.1.5., which will be marked incorrect. Again, all is not lost when the computer tells you you failed. Email dnroi@uspsa.org and I can take a look at your exam and manually grade it. If that’s the problem, then no problem. You will be marked as passed and recertified for another year.
Each question also notes what rules should be used, such as USPSA Competition, or SCSA, or Multigun. A lot of the email I get stating that the rule cited was correct and the computer marked it wrong falls under the “wrong rule set” heading, so be careful. If you are currently USPSA NROI certified and hold an SCSA endorsement, your exam will have 25 questions on it: 20 USPSA and 5 SCSA, and the SCSA will always be the last 5. Same for MG endorsed range officers. Be careful when answering these questions that you are in the right rule book.
Finally, everyone gets three initial attempts at the exam before it’s not available any more. If that happens, email me, dnroi@uspsa.org, and I will reset the exam for another 3 attempts. If you are having trouble finding answers or rules, email me or rules@uspsa.org, and we will point you in the right direction, but we won’t give you the answer. If you are word searching the digital rule book, go to every rule that the system finds, not just the first one with that word in it. Depending on what the question is asking you, the right rule may not be the first rule you find.
The goal of NROI is to certify and retain certified range officials, so we will do everything we can to make that happen. We want you to pass, and won’t set you up for failure. Help is just an email away.