FAQs regarding the Gunnery Sergeant Organization!

I own a gun. Why do folks ask me: "Who is your GunnerySergeant?"

By asking this question your friends are suggesting that you seriously consider enlisting as a member of this web site. The benefits for members are outlined here. For gun owners (such as yourself) to enlist has minimal requirements including:

• A sponsor (perhaps the friend who prompted you with the question).
• Some information about your new gun.
• Your zip code.

Disclosing personal information (such as your name) is not necessary.

Why should I (or anyone else) enlist as a member of the Gunnery Sergeant Organization web site?

Unlike some organizations whose membership consists primarily of gun owners, the plurality of our members do not own guns. Our membership consists of:

• Sponsors - folks who know and can vouch for gun owners (typically a friend or relative).
• Donors - boosters who advocate finding a way around stubborn, entrenched and emotionally wrought opinions that divide some gun owners and some gun control advocates. These folks are willing to donate whatever resources will help mitigate this divide.
• Collaborators - boosters who staff the web site or volunteer to bring along it's mission: we do our part to respect the Second Amendment while, at the same time, periodically remind gun owners about the responsibilities that they bear (while keeping and bearing arms).
• Privates - responsible gun owners who welcome the free usage of a tracking system in case their gun is lost or stolen. Other benefits are enumerated in a separate FAQ.
• Gunnery Sergeants - responsible gun owners or others that volunteer time to coordinate communication periodically with privates. The purpose and nature of communication is discussed in a separate FAQ.

In addition to the above persons this site welcomes guests (non-enlistees). We provide basic FAQs (these pages) for guests, solicit feedback, etc.

Is this web site (gunnerySergeant.org) sponsored by the government (local, state or federal)?

No. After the development phase is completed (we're in so-called 'beta' mode as the badge indicates), we do intend to formally become a nonprofit that supports a careful balance acknowledging gun owner rights and respecting frustrated concerns that others have about firearms. We manage this primarily through educating various parties and urging them to adopt our notion: we do our part!

I need to know more about this 'periodic communication'. How is this done, by newsletter or what?

Starting with 'smoke signals' there exists many ways to communicate. We don't use smoke signals (or gunsmoke signals for that matter). However, we do introduce a unique mechanism to communicate confidentially with one another. Some sites use so-called forums, chat rooms, etc. These traditional mechanisms have a purpose and we plan to use them along with traditional email, phone calls and even snail mail. What we do that is unique is avoid personal salutations of any kind! We avoid something like: "Hello Tom, this is Dick how are you?" That's too hairy for us (and not confidential at all). As we mentioned in a prior FAQ: "Disclosing personal information (such as your name) is not necessary." So there can never be a Tom talking to Dick! Private enlistees are simply asked to specify some imaginative and made up 'name'. A pseudonym if you will. Generally it needn't be a single word. These three words: BillyTheKid would be fine. Since other members (specifically Gunnery Sergeants) also have a masked name (we call it a handle) any private that is asked the proverbial question posed in the first FAQ above would respond with that person's handle. No one ever knows a name when communicating! The Gunnery Sergeant (aka GS) simply knows the Private's handle. The GS knows the private has a sponsor (but does not know that person's name either).

Privacy is necessary and appreciated, but this 'handle' indirection seems cumbersome. Any more to add about what a handle is?

Yes. There are two use cases and a few rules. The first use case is to uniquely (but anonymously) identify all important enlistees. The system rigorously enforces unique handles, nevertheless there actually could be thousands of handles such as the aforementioned BillyTheKid. We agree that using handles in everyday conversation can get tiresome. So the second use case we informally call a 'knob'. The knob turns the handle into whatever part is desired when conversing. When addressing BillyTheKid one would say "do you prefer to be called Billy, TheKid or what?" Most people that have a first name, middle name and last name prefer some shortened knob when being addressed.

The system suggests a certain level of civilty regarding handle selections. We ask enlistees to select from one to five words (a memorable phrase), numbers are not allowed, nor distasteful phrases.

What does it cost to join and what benefits do enlistees get?

Enlistment is free! The most obvious benefit consists of the sites ability to aid in tracking a member's gun in case it gets lost or stolen. However there are more:

• By providing tracking support we help reduce risk. This should lower insurance against theft, etc. We expect properly credentialed members to be offered reduced insurance costs by insurance providers.
• Certain members can save on land-line phone costs. We also are partnering with phone vendors who will commit to absolutely zero service monthly fees! (To acquire such a phone we are developing a special rebate program).
• The most important benefit, we'd like to think, are bragging rights. Our members are, in effect, proud enlistees of a 'groundswell' regulated and modern day militia!