NRA RCO Renewal Changes

[phaedra1106uk]

Evening all,

 

Just had an email from the NRA to say that currently qualified RCO's can no longer do the online RCO renewal test without completing the online RSO test first.

So now you need to have an in-date RSO qualification which allows you to run civian ranges before you can have an RCO to run civilian shoots on MOD ranges even though the RCO covers everything the RSO does.

 

Obviously this is the NRA making the world safer and not just a money grabbing exercise to get an extra £53 out of each RCO on top of the usual £10 charge for the RCO test.

Bloody disgrace.

[Popsbengo]

11 hours ago, phaedra1106uk said:

......

 

Obviously this is the NRA making the world safer and not just a money grabbing exercise to get an extra £53 out of each RCO on top of the usual £10 charge for the RCO test.

Bloody disgrace.

The RCO on-line renewal was £46 (RCO renewed at our club last October).  It would appear the new fees are £53 so that's plus £7 if I understand the new structure.

[phaedra1106uk]

Plus the addional £10 for the RCO test so £63

Just had our first RCO do the RSO test, £53 + £9.50 for a laminated badge!!!!!!

[Popsbengo]

1 hour ago, phaedra1106uk said:

Plus the addional £10 for the RCO test so £63

Just had our first RCO do the RSO test, £53 + £9.50 for a laminated badge!!!!!!

I was quoting NRA member rates.  £48 RSO + £5 RCO

Not sure what the problem is?  I don't think it's extortionate at all.   Laminated badge is an option not a requirement

[Roy W]

It says online that it is valid for 6years?

If that is the case, then anyone who thinks that approx £10 a year is too much is probably in the wrong Hobby. 

There are far too many shooters continually bashing the NRA instead of recognising that they facilitate the use of MOD ranges around the country, whilst having to pay staff costs, employment costs and all the other costs yet still manageto keep the charges down to such low levels.

A simple First Aid certificate will cost more and only last for 3 years.

It's all about perspectives

 

[phaedra1106uk]

My point is that the NRA have added an addional cost by requiring a qualified RCO to also have the RSO qualification, there's no need for it as it adds nothing to the RCO qualification.

 

 

[Roy W]

17 minutes ago, phaedra1106uk said:

My point is that the NRA have added an addional cost by requiring a qualified RCO to also have the RSO qualification, there's no need for it as it adds nothing to the RCO qualification.

 

 

Have you asked them why? There might be an explanation other than being a 'money grabbing exercise' as you claim.

If they are 'Grabbing your Money' then they aren't very good at it, for only a tenner a year!

[Popsbengo]

1 hour ago, phaedra1106uk said:

My point is that the NRA have added an addional cost by requiring a qualified RCO to also have the RSO qualification, there's no need for it as it adds nothing to the RCO qualification.

 

 

It does make sense to me as a large percentage of clubs do not use military ranges or officiate at Bisley.  The RSO course is much more 'approachable' than the RCO training and probably quite a relief to some candidates.  The RCO course is a "bolt on" to the RSO and it does make more sense when seen in the round.

Roy W has hit the nail on the head above - it's not an unreasonable cost.

[martin_b]

I've just done the RCO course at Bisley having previously done the RSO course and there was no overlap in sylabus between them.

RSO 2 days classroom and practical, obviously all about how to be safe.

RCO 1 day. all classroom primarily about how to fill in forms and keep the MOD happy with a bit of HME stuff included,

So to a newbie having to do the RSO renewal makes sense.

 

 

[Popsbengo]

I've just finished doing both on-line assessments,  the questions were quite different (and RCO was hard!)

[martin_b]

7 minutes ago, Popsbengo said:

I've just finished doing both on-line assessments,  the questions were quite different (and RCO was hard!)

Thats interesting.. On the RCO course I did ( Oct 22) the first thing we were told was to relax, you're all RSO's so you've done the hard bit.

(given the option I would take a classroom test over on-line any day!) 

[Popsbengo]

15 minutes ago, martin_b said:

Thats interesting.. On the RCO course I did ( Oct 22) the first thing we were told was to relax, you're all RSO's so you've done the hard bit.

(given the option I would take a classroom test over on-line any day!) 

I guess my experience meant I could pretty much fly through the RSO as it's meat and drink to any Range Officer however for the RCO I had to mine answers from the handbook as some questions were subtly different and on the face of it had two or more seemingly reasonable choices - just not necessarily the precise book answers required.

[firedoc]

Me and the wife both renewed our RCO qualifications this week. Did the RSO test followed by the RCO one, no problems providing you read the manuals first. Appears we have two cards, one for RSO and another for RCO 

[Popsbengo]

1 hour ago, firedoc said:

Me and the wife both renewed our RCO qualifications this week. Did the RSO test followed by the RCO one, no problems providing you read the manuals first. Appears we have two cards, one for RSO and another for RCO 

Yes, seems a bit of a waste as RCO must incorporate RSO.  I also completed both yesterday and passed both