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Yesterday the acting secretary of our shooting club called me nice and early. She had a couple items to take care of at the Battalion HQ where all things firearm related have to be taken care of. We've a new guy in charge and she asked him about my case. He said, "Have him come down personally and I'll see what I can do."

Being it was our "Pico y Placa" day in the car (one day a week we can't drive our vehicles, depending on one of the numbers on the license plate - don't get me started), there's no parking at the HQ for civilian vehicles and my darling wife doesn't pilot my RE Rumbler, we hopped on her little Honda Wave 110 and scooted into town. Pulling up at the entrance I hopped off, she scooted forward and took off and I walked up to where I could see the First Sergeant in charge talking with some folks. When he finished I introduced myself and he waved me into the office to see what we could figure out.

A. Yesterday was the first day on the new platform.
B. It's supposed to be up "sometime today".
C. My account appeared to be set up (I'd managed to stumble onto that during my investigations)
D. At least we don't have to pay to get an appointment now.

After walking me through what he assumes is the way things will go I thanked him and headed home to get the required documents and stuff ready to upload when the time comes.

Copy of my carry license - check
Two rubbings of the serial number on tape stuck to white paper - check
Four pictures of the firearm showing in turn serial number, caliber and model, manufacturer and full length side shot - check
Psychological/medical exam showing cleared to carry - check
ID Card, both sides - check

So now we wait. In the meantime I dug around what little I could and found that I could request that my account be activated. (Huh? I'd already done that - I thought) A few hours later I go back and Voilá! now there's a new option!!! So I request that my firearms be "synchronized". The kicker being that the only place in the country that can do that is - Bogotá, HQ for the nation. So I put in for that as well on the assumption that once they DO get my firearm "synchronized" to my account that finally I'll be able to file for renewal. But at this point it's all just a guessing game. The worst part is - I'm the first one in the club to get the joy of playing this new game.

No joy so far this morning. And now we wait.

This new platform is "interesting", to say the least. There is no true automation, you'd think they'd have set it up so that as each person set up an account that their ID would automatically propagate their account with pertinent firearms and licenses. But that would be too easy. Apparently each and every step has to be followed by some computer jockey who eventually gets the round tuit and manually does whatever they apparently believe they have to do. We're on the fourth or fifth step so far, and no joy as to uploading the paperwork necessary to start the renewal process. Yes, I'm highly entertained!

..

Stay frosty!

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops