I've been flipping a coin in my head for the last week whether to write this review and finally…read moremade a decision. I served 20 years in the US Army and was "boots on the ground" in two wars. During those 20 years I spent six of them on "jump status" that is I was a paratrooper. Military static line parachuting can be very hard on the body. In service to my country I broke my back once, my left leg once (in three places), and injured my left knee in jump school, which, as I got older forced me to wear a brace in order to walk without pain. Additionally I, and my fellow troops, had to carry rucksacks which weighed up to 100 pounds on missions. Like many veterans I have my good days and I have my bad days.
Due to my injuries my doctor has authorized me to obtain a handicap parking hanger from the Arizona Department of Transportation.
And now we come to the afternoon of last Friday, 25 September, 2026. I wanted to target shoot at Ben Avery however my back was acting up again so prior to departing for the range I literally got an adjustment from my chiropractor.
I arrived at the Ben Avery public range, parked in a handicap space, put my hanger from the rear view mirror, and walked to the entrance. I immediately noticed there were only two empty benches which were close by: bench number 30 and 31 that are designated as "handicapped" benches. The next closest empty bench was at least 12 benches down the line and frankly hauling gear back and forth that far would place a strain on my back (gone are the days when I could carry a ton of junk without consequence-now I have to make multiple trips carrying a lighter load). Now, for a guy like me, whose done the things that I've done and seen the things I've seen, reaching a point on the trail where I am "handicapped" is a bitter pill to swallow. But thats life and it is what it is.
Trying to make the best of the situation I pointed at one of the empty handicapped benches and asked the head rangemaster, "Could I have a cripple bench?". He looked at me and said, "No-you're not handicapped." I then turned around and pointed at my vehicle, parked in the handicap space, and said, "Yes-I am!" Again, he told me that I was not handicapped, and those spaces were only for people in wheelchairs. I was at a loss for words. I mean, there was no way I was going to reel out my entire medical history in front of him and four strangers explaining my medical issues. Moreover, by him telling me, I wasn't handicapped he was de facto stating publicly IN FRONT OF OTHERS that I was lying about obtaining a handicap tag and was a fraud.
Fortunately, for me, one of the junior range safety officers said "Look, go ahead, take that table" overriding the head Range Master's decision-which I did. I spent the next 90 minutes at the range 30 feet from the head range master wondering if he would come to his senses and apologize to me for what he said. But that wasn't the case. In fact, when I was exiting the range the subject came up again. This was his second chance to apologize to me for what he said in public. However, instead of an apology he doubled down on his previous comment-AGAIN IN FRONT OF MORE STRANGERS. Once more, he told me that I wasn't really handicapped and I did not deserve to shoot at that table. He was slandering my integrity and my honesty by stating this publicly.
At this juncture I'd had it. I had been sitting on the fence whether to elevate this issue higher and told him, "You just made my decision for me." What was his response? "That's fine". I went into the Ben Avery range office and I demanded to speak to his supervisor. I had my handicap parking tag with me. I told him what happened and how upset I was. This gentleman understood my concerns, told me the head Range Master was completely wrong, he should've never said what he did, and that by law they have to give those handicap benches to anybody who asks for them.
I have been going to Ben Avery Shooting Range beginning in 1972 when it was called "Black Canyon Shooting Range" so I kind of know my way around there. My concerns, (other than being publicly, humiliated and de facto labeled a fraud in public), is that this Range Master will continue to do this to other people, has previously done it to God knows how many other people before me, and just doesn't grasp what he's done. Now I'm not going to dox this guy in public as that's just not how I operate but his first name begins with the letter "R".
So, if you go to Ben Avery make sure to bring you guns, ammo, hearing protection and above all else your medical records. You certainly want to be ready if your physical abilities are challenged, doubts are aired about your integrity, and you are told by Rangemaster "R" (who I guess is a medical psychic) and judges that, "YOU AREN'T HANDICAPPED".
