Gov. Sarah Palin Exercises Common Sense Again: Says Troops Should Be Armed On Bases

[NoNukes]

And she is right again calling out a bad policy implemented by a democrat president. In Israel, ALL military are armed, off and on base..should be the same here..but of course the US has become wussified, especially under our latest putative president who is Constitutionally ineligible to hold the office. We wouldn't be having all these problems on U.S. bases if Palin was president. If she was she would revert back to the days when our military could carry sidearms on bases and defend themselves.



Sarah Palin: Allow troops to be armed on base - Lucy McCalmont - POLITICO.com

Bush senior was a Democrat????

 

[SmedlyButler]

I think LOTS of people in the news read this board. Just yesterday in the Shooting Ft Hood thread, I was informing y'all I had no clue that military bases do not have armed soldiers. Even my husband did not know that. So a few folks informed me that no....military bases have their arms locked up and have to call the local cops, sheriff, chp, etc. I thought that just stupid.

Late last night, on the news, they were commenting on military bases having to rely on chp, sheriff, cops...and most did not know military bases were weaponless. Same this morning.

If you read the directive that clarified the implementation of 5210.56, Army Regulation 190-14 (which did go into effect in 1993 under Clinton) the designation of who can and who cannot "carry" on base seems based on common sense. It also gives a lot of freedom to base Commanders to be actively involved in these descisions. Logically the hope would be the brass would make descisions in the best interest of their soldiers.
e.g.( From the document) A. "The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans will establish policy covering the carrying of firearms and the use of force by personnel performing law enforcement and security duties."
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I'll quote a bit more of the document to give an idea of the tone and desired effect of the rules;

2-2. Authority to carry firearms
a. Due to the serious responsibility imposed on persons authorized to bear or use firearms, such persons must be selected with care.
b. Authorization to carry a firearm includes the authority to permit or require the firearm to be loaded. Unless otherwise specified by local policy, authority to carry a loaded firearm will be implied by issuance of ammunition with the firearm.

c. Authorization to carry firearms may be granted to personnel authorized to —

(1) Conduct law enforcement activities including cases or investigations of espionage, sabotage, and other serious crimes in which DA programs, personnel, or property are involved and investigations conducted in hazardous areas or under hazardous circumstances.

(2) Protect classified information, systems, or equipment.

(3) Protect the President of the United States, high ranking Government officials, DOD personnel, or foreign dignitaries.

(4) Protect DOD assets and personnel.

(5) Guard prisoners.

d. DA military and civilian personnel may be authorized to carry firearms for personal protection when the responsible intelligence center identifies a credible and specific threat against DA personnel in that regional area. Firearms will not be issued indiscriminately for that purpose. Before individuals are authorized to carry a firearm for personal protection under this regulation, the authorizing official must evaluate —

(1) The probability of the threat in a particular location.
(2) The adequacy of support by DA or DOD protective personnel
(3) The adequacy of protection by U.S. or host nation authorities.
(4) The effectiveness of other means to avoid personal attacks
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And who should not be allowed to "carry"?

"2±7. Persons prohibited from carrying firearms
a. The following persons are not authorized to carry firearms:

(1) Those exhibiting unsuitable behavior as defined in AR 50±6, AR 190±56, or AR 380±67.

(2) Those with medical conditions, traits or behavioral character-istics are defined as disqualifying factors in AR 50±6, AR 190±56, or AR 380±67.

(3) Those whose security clearance has been revoked or denied under AR 50±6, AR 190±56, or AR 380±67.

(4) Those taking prescription drugs or other medications that may produce drowsiness or impair reaction or judgment.

b. Personnel authorized to carry firearms are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages 8 hours prior to carrying a firearm. An officer in the chain of command or supervisory chain in the grade of at least colonel may grant an exception to this provision for USACIDC special agents and supervisors, military police investiga-tors, and DA civilian investigators operating in a covert role."

This quote from Steven Bucci, a military expert for the not-so-liberal Heritage Foundation who served 28 years in the Army and retired in 2005 with the rank of colonel may add a little enlightenment. He said "Clinton is not to blame".

“I think you are barking up the wrong tree if you are looking to put blame on someone for disarming the military,” said Bucci, when asked if Clinton was responsible. “I think that’s kind of a bogus story.”

“We have never had our soldiers walking around with weapons all the time, other than in combat zones,” he added, noting only Military Police have had that authority.
LINK:No "Blame Game" here