My NWFA Expo: Why Debbie Hit Me & Anita Talked About Guns

My beloved wife and I took off from San Francisco to St. Louis, Mo. (I know, a risky idea). We were looking forward to seeing some old friends, making new ones and being around floors guys. Well, maybe it was just me looking forward to the being around floor guys. We had two very special speakers this year who took the stage on the first day: Gary Sinise with the Gary Sinise Foundation and coach Bill Courtney—two unique men who took the time to help others in need: Gary helping veterans find their way home and Bill helping young men in his community.

Though the Expo started on Tuesday, most of the NWFA staff were there (as usual) days before. As your dedicated board member, I was there, too. We attended a reception with Gary Sinise on Monday night. Gary Sinise is mostly known for playing Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. Personally, all I remember about Forrest Gump is that it took the Oscar away from Pulp Fiction that year. The place was getting busier as more NWFA crowd joined in. You can imagine what it’s like when there’s a celebrity around, I’m sure. Gary Sinise was taking pictures with anyone who asked. His team of at least 10 men and women surrounded him, I guess to make sure he had his space.

Me and Marine Nick Kimmel.As I looked around I noticed a young man sitting on the couch. He was missing two legs and an arm. That was Nick Kimmel, a combat engineer who stepped on an IED. He wore a suit and tie holding a drink I did not recognize (well, it wasn’t wine, that’s all I knew). Switching from standing to sitting to standing as the crowd politely asked for photos to be taken. I kneeled and introduced myself. He didn’t look me in the eyes until I mentioned I was a tank gunner and talked about my active duty cousin who was closer to his age of 25 and my other cousin who died in Iraq. I showed him a few pictures on my phone of my tank and my friends. The look in his eyes changed a little, I wasn’t sure if he acknowledged that I was the real deal or I drank a little too much already. Anyhow, he started telling me how it all happened. As someone who had done that before, I could clearly see the picture in my head: the soldiers, the formation, the terrain, the gear they were carrying … everything.  The only words that came out of my mouth were not PG rated to say the least, a very different Avi than the one my little boys know. I stayed there a few more minutes as we exchanged combat stories. I had to yell because his hearing was badly damaged.

Not wanting to take too much of his time and energy, I got up and joined my wife, who was surrounded by floor guys. I quickly came to her rescue, as Lenny Hall was walking her through every floor picture on his phone. As I started walking back through the crowd, Anita grabbed my arm. “I saw you talking to Nick over there, wanna tell me about it or is that a secret?” I love it when Anita asks and answers her own questions. “No, it’s not a secret,” I smiled. Debbie Edgar, who was a step away, joined the conversation. “Avi, how are you?” she asked. She grabbed my arm and immediately added, “Wow, you have some guns!” Anita looked at her like only Anita can and said: “Of course he has guns, he is a floor guy!!! They ALL have guns!!” 

Hilarious, that’s all I can say.

By Tuesday night the downtown area was flooded with floor people.

By Tuesday night the downtown area was flooded with floor people.

It was finally time for the opening session. After a short introduction, Michael Martin asked us all to join him in thanking Gary Sinise for his work, and then later in thanking the combat veterans who were part of his group, Nick Kimmel was one of them. So I’m sitting with my wife to my right, Debbie Edgar to my left and Anita Howard right next to Debbie (Anita cries more than me, by the way, and I’m a crybaby). Next thing you know Michael Martin asked the NWFA members who were veterans to stand up. As a few men and women stood up I felt a swift motion to my left. “Avi!” Debbie (God bless her violent heart) punched me on my left leg. I knew she wanted me to stand up. After getting over the pain and being afraid for my life (funny that as a combat veteran, the only true fearful moments in my life were in the presence of women), I stood up. A round of applause took over the building and show went on.

This was by far the best convention I attended. The NWFA had put so much work into making this event a success. I couldn’t find enough time to do everything I planned. That’s how busy it was. If you weren’t there, you missed a lot. You cannot YouTube or Google the things you get out of being at the Expo. Make a point to be there next year.

I could walk you through the technical side of Expo, the new products, the classes and seminars, the demo theater, the meetings and shows, the prizes and deals. Instead, I chose to show you a few more personal moments I would cherish for a long time. Take that one to heart.