Shooting incidents in the news.

[NEPAKevin]

The odd thought occured to me... could armed "civilians" have stood guard over a recruitment center? The optics of it and subsequent fallout would be truly bizarre to see, but what is there (legally) to stop .civ's from volunteering to do so?

Hiram residents hold watch at recruitment center.

[Totem Polar]

That would be a truly bizarre turn of events: I'm imagining vegetarian restaurant owners, classical music professors, stay at home moms, realtors, and retired Army SF (to name just a few in my own training circle) taking turns standing volunteer sentry duty over offices recruiting embassy guards. Only in America.

[hufnagel]

Hiram residents hold watch at recruitment center.

good.
i'm glad to see i'm not the only one who had the thought. too bad i'm in nazi jermany here and can't do something similar. of course we could do an 'unarmed' guard with empty holsters. but that would probably go wrong.

[hufnagel]

That would be a truly bizarre turn of events: I'm imagining vegetarian restaurant owners, classical music professors, stay at home moms, realtors, and retired Army SF (to name just a few in my own training circle) taking turns standing volunteer sentry duty over offices recruiting embassy guards. Only in America.

I think the dichotomy of it would be absolutely stellar. If we could get the right people to run with it it could be a good thing in the long run for the country. I mean, we're the only (?) country in the world where this could happen; civilian populace PROTECTING our military through force of arms. The mere thought of it makes me chuckle, shake my head, smirk, and think "Only in America!"

[ADKilla]

On post concealed carry?
Never happen.
Even if Congress authorized it.

Here is why:

“Carrying concealed deadly weapons by USARAK Soldiers represents a significant risk to the safety and welfare of this command. Accordingly, all Soldiers assigned or attached to USARAK are prohibited from carrying a concealed deadly weapon in public places off of all USARAK posts. All persons are prohibited from carrying concealed deadly weapons on USARAK posts IAW [in accordance with] USARAK Regulation 190-1.”

Source.

Yes audience, that is an order banning OFF BASE concealed carry.General Jacoby is not the only one in the DoD who'd do such a thing. The groupthink officer corps today wouldnt dare authorize members to carry , because they'd lose their chance at a Pentagon office if Airman Schmuckatelli shoots a hole in a wall. Fixing this would mean attaching promotion to unit small arms competency , which is about as likely to happen as Michelle Jenneke asking me out.

General Jacoby's policy was rescinded after he changed command. That's not to say others don't share his views, hence my previous comments about risk aversion within the military's senior leaders.

[s0nspark]

hence my previous comments about risk aversion

I view risk aversion like political correctness - in the right dose it can be a good thing but, all too often, it gets way out of control and becomes harmful.

Life is risk and pretending otherwise is very... foolish.

[Drang]

Two things that popped up, and I posted on the blog:

This is, of course, the front window of the Marine Corps Recruiting station at which four Marines were murdered yesterday by a member of the Religion Of Peace.
"FEDERAL INSTALLATION
"FIREARMS ARE PROHIBITED IN THIS FACILITY"

Also, the AP Tweeted this:

BREAKING: FBI: Man who attacked military sites in Tennessee purchased some of his guns illegally.

[Drang]

Hiram residents hold watch at recruitment center.

Looks like a movement: Man with AR-15 stands guard at Va. military recruiting offices - DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG

[idahojess]

One thing that is particularly awful in this event is that, (it appears to me in my reading of these stories), the four marines weren't killed at the shooting at the recruiting center in the strip-mall, but rather in a gated training and support facility that included an armory. Which really begs the question of why they couldn't be armed. (not that they shouldn't be armed at the strip mall as well).
http://abcnews.go.com/US/chattanooga...ry?id=32516133
The second shooting scene was the Naval Operational Support Center and Marine Reserve Center on Amnicola Highway. The complex contains facilities for the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve, including their armory.

Abdulazeez ran his car through a security gate, entered the building and killed four Marines, officials said.

[fixer]

It has been said before...but I am astonished at the utter irony that the US Marines are the most vulnerable here at home due to gun restrictions set forth by Federal gov't. I mean it is a truly bizarre and painfully stupid world we live in when armed citizens have to protect Marines.