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 Annual Meeting
Highlights
The Association’s annual meeting
was held October 20, 2002 at The Willows in Dunellen, New Jersey. With the start of the
Association’s 2002-2003 fiscal year, Robert E. Esch will serve as
ANJRPC President, succeeding Cal Ellis, who passed away in April 2002 at
the NRA convention.
Competitions
Carl Leisinger, Captain High Power (center, above), presented
sweatshirts from the 2002 High Power Team at Camp Perry to incoming
ANJRPC President, Bob Esch (left) and outgoing Acting President, Allan
Johnson (right). Carl also highlighted the accomplishments of the High
Power team. High Power - Camp Perry
Mike Bodner reported for Summer Biathlon Chair Ian Hill on the results of this
year’s competitions. The biathlon continues to grow in popularity.
This year 200 people participated in the competitions. Summer Biathlon
Mandy Otero reported on the
continued accomplishments of our junior and smallbore shooters. New
Jersey’s young shooters continue to excel in national and
international competition. Frank
Sevean gave the results of this year’s High Power League at Cherry
Ridge High Power League.
Pistol Results from John Gemmill were reported previously. See Pistol - Camp Perry
and State Pistol Championships
The Road Ahead
In addressing the Association for the first time as president,
Bob Esch recognized the efforts of Allan Johnson in the months
following Cal’s death. “Allan acted to make sure that the
Association did not falter without Cal’s hand. This took diplomacy,
skill and countless long hours. These months also required a great
tactician. Courage was another thing Allan had in abundance. There were
some tough things that had to be done and said but he never shrank.”
“Cal was smart, dedicated and spent most of every day, along with his
wife Lyn, on Association business. He was truly unique and cannot be
replaced. Now we face a period of rebuilding. We hope it will be a short
one,” Bob said.
In outlining the work that has to be done, Bob emphasized the need for
more members. “More members means more people speaking out, more
political clout in Trenton and more money that can be used to strengthen
our outreach programs and our legal actions,” he said. “We need leaders with drive and dedication and organizing ability.
There’s plenty for them to do.”
Training and Outreach
It was another blockbuster year with a sold-out training event taking
place literally every month. Mike Bodner reported that the training
program has branched out beyond Cherry Ridge to include classes at
Tenafly Rifle and Pistol Club, Somerset County Fish & Game
Protective Association, Old Bridge Rifle and Pistol Club and Ridgefield
Pistol Club.
Firearms
Training Classes
Special Events Chair Peggy Hodgkiss reported on the continued success of
our major outreach efforts, including YouthFest, Women’s Day, and
Minorities’ Day. “More people than ever before are being introduced
to the shooting sports and the word continues to spread,” she said. YouthFest 2002,
Women's Day 2002,
Minorities' Day 2002
Legislative and Legal Activity
Legal Affairs Chair Scott
Bach reported that the NRA has taken note of the training and outreach
activities in New Jersey and may use ANJRPC as a national model. NRA
Directors Visit Women's Day at the Range. He also
reported on the ongoing lawsuit that ANJRPC filed against the Montclair
Board of Education. The suit charges that the Montclair Board violated
the First and Fourteenth Amendments when it sent an anti-gun flyer home
with students without allowing a pro-gun group to send its flyer. The
case is of national significance.
Spokeswoman Nancy Ross, Legislative Agent Carol Katona and Legislative
Affairs Chair Robert Viden reported on the progression of the “smart
gun” legislation. See Senate
Passes Assembly Version of Smart
Gun Bill Nancy also discussed the ballistic fingerprinting bill currently in the
state legislature (since passed by the Assembly on November 18 and
headed for the Senate).
In his presentation, Carl Leisinger pointed out the many flaws of
ballistic fingerprinting. Until his recent retirement, Leisinger was a
Major in the New Jersey State Police, where he was in charge of the
police forensics lab. He has an extensive background in ballistics and
has published numerous articles. He explained that the same gun fired in
the factory and later on the street would not necessarily “match”
itself, because use and misuse alter the internal dynamics of firearms.
Furthermore, it takes a skilled microscopist three to five years to
develop expertise to match a shell or bullet to a particular gun. Even
then, the success rate is low. “There is a tremendous gap between what
is being hyped in the media and what is reality, “ he said.
Keynote Address
The keynote speaker, Major John Drummond of the US Air Force, is currently completing his doctoral studies at Princeton
University. His reported on his research, which includes retaliatory
force. His remarks to the Association were as a citizen and did
not reflect any position of the US Air Force or the government. Keynote Address
Scholarship Awards
Larry Braico, Scholarship
Committee Chair, announced the winners of the ANJRPC fifth annual Junior
Scholarship Awards. Kara Strawn, daughter of Margaret and Dean Strawn of
Long Valley and John G. Bilby, Son of Pat and Joseph Bilby of Wall
Township. Each winner was presented with a check for $1,500 and an
awards trophy at the meeting. Scholarship Awards
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