Legalize Concealed Carry for Soldiers on Military Installations

[newracer]

Military bases are not any more subject to shootings or crime than any other city. There are just as many people on a military base that I don't want armed with an assault rifle as there are civilians who I don't want to see armed with an assault rifle. If the shooter at Ft. Hood this past week had his M4, the situation would have been even worse.

So you are in favor of an "assault riffle" ban? Are you sure you are on the correct forum? Secondly who said anything about arming everyone with rifles?

[davsel]

... he was no different from some gangster or redneck ...

Rednecks are criminally equivalent to gangsters?
Am I reading this wrong?

[HoneyBadger]

Thinking about it a little more, all us enlisted always had extra duty to pull; Doobie Driver, CQ for the barracks rats, etc.

Wouldn't it be fairly simple to assign x number of key personnel per day to be armed protectors while they're performing their regular duties?

As far as I know, there are several Air Force installations in CONUS that do this or something very similar.

[275RLTW]

As per base commander's policy- every unit arms room had to have a basic loadout (2 magazines full) for 4 soldiers to pull guard duty in the event of power outage, emergency, or terrorist activity in the area. That was Ft. Drum, 2010.

That was a good laugh...we all know how available the arms room guys are.

[brutal]

That was a good laugh...we all know how available the arms room guys are.

ROFL.

Ah, good times. Looking for the arms room guy when he's supposed to be issuing weapons for a SCHEDULED QUAL...

[brutal]

As per base commander's policy- every unit arms room had to have a basic loadout (2 magazines full) for 4 soldiers to pull guard duty in the event of power outage, emergency, or terrorist activity in the area. That was Ft. Drum, 2010.

Huh?

Since when is a basic M4 load not 210 rounds?

In 198x we only had steel 20 rd mags and IIRC, it was a 240rd loadout.

[Mick-Boy]

Let's not fool ourselves. The US Military is institutionally afraid of weapons. The (overwhelming) majority of US bases I've been on in Iraq and Afghanistan have clearing barrels at the gates. Service members in combat theaters are often required to walk around with cleared weapons because loaded guns are scary. How do you think that Afghan AF officer was able to kill 8 NATO troops (and a contractor) in 2011? Those poor bastards had empty weapons. I have to carry a letter signed by an 0-8 equivalent that says I don't need to download my weapons coming onto bases.... in Afghanistan..... Most soldiers don't have that letter. Wrap your brain around that.

Here's the underlying problem. For the last decade or so the US military has developed a culture of risk aversion. Officers and senior NCOs are often afraid to make a call because a bad call means the end of their career.

Last year I had to sign a letter exempting an O-6 from responsibility before he would let me leave the base to do my damn job. Mind you, I didn't work for this man, but he was so concerned that he'd get blamed if something happened to my team that he wouldn't tell the guys at the gate that we could leave until he covered his ass.

Any base commander that allowed service members to carry on base (outside of official duties) has to be willing to accept that any incident means the end of their career. I don't see that happening. Ever.

And that's not even addressing the piss-poor small arms training most service members have.

[C Ward]

My view on this from the eye's of a late 80's 11b are I can see both sides of this .

While I think that we should have been trusted to do the right thing at the time it could have gone very bad .

There is not much more dangerous than a bored infantryman . There were numerous cases of world class irresponsibility and stupidity . There were people I served with that would get in a pissing contest in a heartbeat and would have easily escalated if the possibility would have been there .

[HoneyBadger]

Let's not fool ourselves. The US Military is institutionally afraid of weapons. The (overwhelming) majority of US bases I've been on in Iraq and Afghanistan have clearing barrels at the gates. Service members in combat theaters are often required to walk around with cleared weapons because loaded guns are scary. How do you think that Afghan AF officer was able to kill 8 NATO troops (and a contractor) in 2011? Those poor bastards had empty weapons. I have to carry a letter signed by an 0-8 equivalent that says I don't need to download my weapons coming onto bases.... in Afghanistan..... Most soldiers don't have that letter. Wrap your brain around that.

Here's the underlying problem. For the last decade or so the US military has developed a culture of risk aversion. Officers and senior NCOs are often afraid to make a call because a bad call means the end of their career.

Last year I had to sign a letter exempting an O-6 from responsibility before he would let me leave the base to do my damn job. Mind you, I didn't work for this man, but he was so concerned that he'd get blamed if something happened to my team that he wouldn't tell the guys at the gate that we could leave until he covered his ass.

Any base commander that allowed service members to carry on base (outside of official duties) has to be willing to accept that any incident means the end of their career. I don't see that happening. Ever.

And that's not even addressing the piss-poor small arms training most service members have.

Nail, meet your hammer.

[Sharpienads]

I'm surprised some people are against this. The way I read the petition, all it's saying is if I can carry on the outside of the installation gate, I should be able to carry on the inside. Obviously the gun free policy doesn't work. So not only can I not defend myself with a firearm while on post, I can't from the time I leave my house for the day until the time I get home since you can't even bring a gun on base (with certain very limited exceptions). The no guns policy is bullshit. I realize Joe can be dumb, I work with him everyday. Sometimes I even participate in Joe's shenanigans. But I'd rather take my chances being armed.

When I was stationed at Hood, I went through SRP about a month or two before Maj Fuckstick shot it up. I was TDY to Hood about 3 weeks ago. I could have easily been a target in either of the shootings. Chances are I wouldn't have been involved in either incident, and even if I was may or may not have been able to do anything, but again I'd rather take my chances with the means to defend myself.

This idea doesn't solve all the issues, but it's a step in the right direction. If I have a permit to carry concealed in CO, I should be able to carry on Carson or Pete or any other base/post.