Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

NRA Fights for Veterans Year-Round

Friday, November 13, 2015

NRA Fights for Veterans Year-Round

Veterans Day is an important opportunity to formally reflect on the freedoms we cherish and those whose service has made them possible. However, as has often been pointed out, a few moments on designated holidays are not enough to properly recognize the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Showing our appreciation is one of the reasons why NRA is engaged year-round on issues that uniquely effect veterans and our current fighting men and women.

In recent years, NRA’s most visible advocacy on behalf of veterans has been the effort to remedy the egregious abuses by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Justice that have resulted in over 100,000 veterans being erroneously listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as prohibited from possessing firearms.

The VA has a method for assigning a “fiduciary” to VA beneficiaries who might, for the sake of convenience or difficulty, need a little help managing their finances. The VA employees making this determination are not required to have evidence that the beneficiary is dangerous to himself or others. Further, once a VA employee determines that a beneficiary should be assigned a fiduciary, the burden falls upon the beneficiary to prove otherwise.

Federal law bars firearm possession by those who have been “adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution.” The VA insultingly contends that that the assignment of a fiduciary renders a beneficiary “adjudicated as a mental defective.” Having categorized the beneficiary in this manner, the VA forwards the beneficiary’s name to the FBI in order to be included among the convicted felons, drug users, and those dishonorably discharged, in NICS.

The VA and the DOJ do not care that there is no formal adjudication in this procedure, or that classifying these individuals as “mental defective” is inaccurate in any legitimate sense of the term. Admitting as much, the VA website makes clear “The determination that you are unable to manage your VA benefits does not affect your non-VA finances, or your right to vote or contract.” Not only does this practice offend the Second Amendment and the Fifth Amendment right to due process, it defies common sense, ignores statute, and is a smack in the face to those who have sacrificed so much for the liberties we all enjoy.

This is why NRA has worked with our friends in Congress to support the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, and more recently, the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act. This important legislation would halt VA’s practice of prohibiting beneficiaries merely assigned a fiduciary, and would create a legitimate procedure for those currently burdened by this status to appeal their prohibition. Under this legislation, a veteran would only be adjudicated as prohibited if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others, following a procedure in which the beneficiary has the opportunity to present evidence in their own defense.

NRA also recognizes that current and former members of our armed forces have overwhelmingly demonstrated that they have the competency and character sufficient to be trusted to provide for their own self-defense. Therefore, NRA has supported measures to make it easier for current and former military to exercise their Right-to-Carry.

In the case of veterans, NRA works to waive the typical training requirements often imposed on those seeking carry permits. As for current military, NRA has fought hazardous gun-free zone policies at military facilities. Most recently, following a heinous attack on two military installations in Chattanooga Tenn., NRA-ILA made clear that “Congress should pursue a legislative fix to ensure that our service men and women are allowed to defend themselves on U.S. soil.”

Other NRA efforts recognize the often transitory nature of military service, and the burdens this can place on gun ownership. NRA is constantly working to pass legislation that recognizes the unique strains placed on highly-mobile military families, and ensures that their right to purchase, possess, and carry firearms are respected no matter what state they are stationed in, or how temporary their assignment. Moreover, NRA has worked to enact important privacy provisions prohibiting the Secretary of Defense from collecting information “relating to the otherwise lawful acquisition, possession, ownership, carrying, or other use of a privately owned firearm, privately owned ammunition, or another privately owned weapon by a member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense.”

The efforts of our veterans and current servicemen and women afford us the opportunity to exercise the freedoms we enjoy. NRA’s continued legislative work to defend the rights of veterans and current service members here at home is the very least we can do to express our gratitude.

IN THIS ARTICLE
Veterans mental health
TRENDING NOW
First Affirmative Lawsuit in Support of Gun Owners Filed by Trump’s DOJ

News  

Monday, October 6, 2025

First Affirmative Lawsuit in Support of Gun Owners Filed by Trump’s DOJ

California officials’ egregious foot-dragging over the issuance of carry permits has finally attracted the ire of the federal Department of Justice (DOJ). 

California: Governor Newsom Signs Gun Control Bills Into Law

Monday, October 13, 2025

California: Governor Newsom Signs Gun Control Bills Into Law

For someone who has claimed to be"...deeply mindful and respectful of the Second Amendment and people’s Constitutional rights,” Governor Gavin Newsom has once again proven that actions speak louder than words.

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Last week the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

FBI Persists in Underreporting Armed Citizen Defensive Gun Use

News  

Monday, October 13, 2025

FBI Persists in Underreporting Armed Citizen Defensive Gun Use

Three years ago, Dr. John Lott of the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC), writing for RealClearInvestigations, described how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was vastly undercounting, “by an order of more than three the number of instances in ...

NRA Files Another Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Thursday, October 9, 2025

NRA Files Another Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Today, the National Rifle Association—along with the American Suppressor Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, and Second Amendment Foundation—announced the filing of another lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA).

Firearm Prohibition Advocates Mute on Jay Jones “Two Bullets to the Head” Scandal

News  

Monday, October 13, 2025

Firearm Prohibition Advocates Mute on Jay Jones “Two Bullets to the Head” Scandal

Democrat Jay Jones, candidate for Virginia attorney general, still has not suspended his campaign, even as pressure mounts over disclosures that should disqualify, to put it mildly, any individual from serving as the chief law ...

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging California’s Glock Ban

Monday, October 13, 2025

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging California’s Glock Ban

Today, the National Rifle Association—along with Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Poway Weapons & Gear, and two NRA members—filed a lawsuit challenging California’s Glock ban.

Canada’s Public Safety Minister on Gun Ban & Confiscation: “Don’t Ask Me to Explain the Logic”

News  

Monday, September 29, 2025

Canada’s Public Safety Minister on Gun Ban & Confiscation: “Don’t Ask Me to Explain the Logic”

There have been multiple developments on the Canadian gun grab and ban in the last few days, but the most astounding has got to be a leaked bombshell recording of the Liberal Public Safety Minister, ...

Rehearing En Banc Sought in NRA-Supported Challenge to New Jersey’s Carry Restrictions

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Rehearing En Banc Sought in NRA-Supported Challenge to New Jersey’s Carry Restrictions

Today, the National Rifle Association announced the filing of a petition for rehearing en banc in Siegel v. Platkin, a challenge to New Jersey’s carry restrictions.

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.