New NRA Instructors - Receive Credentials Yet?

[dogflight]

I took the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting instructors class in mid-April. While I was able to sign onto the instructors website within a couple of weeks, I still have not received any sort of "credentials" from NRA in the mail. I've been waiting to send in my renewal CHL-90 until I have them, under the assumption that it would be better than the simple form letter and temporary card from my instructor.

If you're a newly minted NRA instructor, have you received your credentials yet, and if so how long after your class did you receive them?

(I know they're swamped. Their website says they are just today processing new instructors from the middle of May.)

[sjfcontrol]

I took the class in late feb. but I received mine a while back. DPS accepts the instructor-signed class completion form. My advice-- send it in.

[jmain]

Took mine in late feb too.

Took about 10-11 weeks.

[sjfcontrol]

Actually, when I sent mine in, I included a screen shot of the NRA screen showing that I had the proper certs from them. Figured it couldn't hurt.

[jsjc458]

Hello all I have been on the forum for a while but have never posted just reading and learning.

I contacted the NRA about my instructor credentials and they replied to me and I am posting the email they sent me. I have since received my credentials but I kept the email just for situations like this. So here is the email the NRA sent to me and what they supposedly have told DPS.

Hello Joe,

You do not have to wait, at all. Here’s the email I send about the process. Perhaps this will help (please take notice of the note at the end, as well!):

We are currently in the course of implementing a way to allow for MUCH quicker processing. In essence, the course report submitted online by the TC will give a temporary (1 year day from the date of the course report) approval for the rating immediately, PROVIDED you have an existing NRA or Instructor non-member number to be put on the report. Without that, there is nothing to which we can attach the rating until Credentials gets to the application by hand (8+ weeks). The payment will then be submitted/processed during that 1 year period (currently running 8+ weeks after receiving the paperwork from the TC or CRSO). Certificates and cards are printed after the paper application and payment are processed (about 8 weeks after we receive the applications). Yours is in the mix with this. Here’s the official announcement from our Facebook page, hope it helps:

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL INSTRUCTOR TRAINER ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE:

ATTENTION TRAINING COUNSELORS – and recent NRA Instructor Course Graduates!

Effective immediately – when the NRA Training Counselor appropriately reports the successful completion of the NRA Instructor course, successful NRA Member candidates will be “certified” for a period of 1 year within one day of receipt of the course report (it’s electronic). During this 1 year period, new instructors may register at http://www.nrainstructors.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, advertise training, and order restricted course materials in the discipline for which they will be certified. Once the actual application and certification fees are processed at NRA Training Department, the 1 year expiration date will change to the appropriate expiration date! This is GREAT news, and a big thanks goes to our Training Counselor Program Coordinator, Andy Lander, for presenting this suggestion, and your NRA Training Team for putting together a package that made enough sense to get implemented!! The future is bright! Congrats to all the new instructor candidates out there that have joined our team, and thank you to all the Training Counselors that are following the appropriate procedures to get your new candidates credentialed!

IMPORTANT NOTES: BE AWARE THAT WITH CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES ALL AGENCIES HAVE SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS PERTAINING TO FIREARMS AND INSTRUCTION! THEY ARE VERY HARD WORKING, BUT CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH! YOU MUST HAVE PATIENCE WITH THE INEVITABLE AVALANCHE OF APPLICATIONS THEY ARE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH. DO NOT SCHEDULE ANY CLASSES OR MAKE ANY PROMISES OF AVAILABILITY UNTIL YOU ARE COMPLETELY DONE WITH THEIR AND OUR PROCESS.

For anything pertaining to verification for a law enforcement agency or other organization (ranges, clubs, BSA, etc.), they are to use the http://www.nra.org/training" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; site for proof of certification. YOU should print out a screen shot of the page showing your certifications, name, address, and instructor number and send that with whatever other documentation they need. We have been telling ALL official agencies that are trying to confirm someone’s status to go there. This is the comment I send to them in the explanation (please feel free to pass this on, as well as my contact information, to any agency or body that you may run into that uses the old way):

All agencies or organizations, both government and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), trying to verify someone as an NRA Trainer or Range Safety Officer, please use the http://www.nra.org/training" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; site for verification, NOT the card or certificate (This will not work for NRA Law Enforcement trainers). This is because a trainer or RSO could be revoked the next day but still be walking around with a “valid” card. The website is updated every 24 hours. You will need the NRA or Trainer number and the last name of the individual to be verified.

Currently, Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, Virginia, Connecticut, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Massachusetts, BSA, and a few others have been told personally by me of this and are using this method.

Hope this helps.


Sincerely,

Sean Thornton
Senior Training Program Coordinator
National Rifle Association
Education & Training Division
(703) 267-1496

[dogflight]

Fantastic information, jsjc458! Thank you very much for that. Now, I wonder why the NRA didn't simply post that information on nrainstructors.org?

[tonzofphun]

Thanks for the info. I just wish I had read this earlier as I sent in my paperwork last week with only a photocopy of the class completion card I received from the last day of the instructor class. I'm only hoping that they accept it but if not... I know where to go now!

[sjfcontrol]

Thanks for the info. I just wish I had read this earlier as I sent in my paperwork last week with only a photocopy of the class completion card I received from the last day of the instructor class. I'm only hoping that they accept it but if not... I know where to go now!

That should be acceptable.

[kg5ie]

Thanks for the info. I just wish I had read this earlier as I sent in my paperwork last week with only a photocopy of the class completion card I received from the last day of the instructor class. I'm only hoping that they accept it but if not... I know where to go now!

That is all I sent in March and it was acceptable. I finally got my official certifications in June, NRA training was in Feb.

[tonzofphun]

Good stuff. I just need to play the waiting game now. Will they contact me by phone, email, or snail mail?

[kg5ie]

Good stuff. I just need to play the waiting game now. Will they contact me by phone, email, or snail mail?

When your name comes up, Sherrie Zgabay will contact you by email and offer you a spot.

[kjolly]

Yes, however it took quite a while. I submitted my signed class completion card and they accepted it.