Posted on 07/22/2015 6:08:31 PM PDT by markomalley
The Army has warned its recruiters to treat the gun-toting civilians gathering at centers across the country in the wake of the Chattanooga, Tenn., shooting as a security threat.
Soldiers should avoid anyone standing outside the recruiting centers attempting to offer protection and report them to local law enforcement and the command if they feel threatened, according to a U.S. Army Recruiting Command policy letter issued Monday.
Armed citizens — some associated with activist groups and militias — were standing vigil outside recruiting centers in Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee, Idaho and elsewhere this week, saying they want to provide protection to servicemembers barred from carrying firearms on duty. Four Marines and a sailor were killed by Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old Kuwait-born native of Tennessee, during an attack Thursday on a strip mall recruiting center and a Navy facility that is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Abdulazeez fired into the front of the recruiting station but there were no casualties. The five servicemembers were killed during an attack on the Navy Operational Support Center. A Navy officer and a Marine reportedly fired at the gunman, although it is unclear why they were armed. It is against Defense Department policy for anyone other than military police or law enforcement to carry weapons on federal property.
“I’m sure the citizens mean well, but we cannot assume this in every case and we do not want to advocate this behavior,” according to the Army Command Operations Center-Security Division letter, which was authenticated by the service.
Recruiters were ordered not to interact or acknowledge the armed civilians, who have been greeted by a mix of concern, indifference and gratitude by the public.
“If questioned by these alleged concerned citizens, be polite, professional and terminate the conversation immediately and report the incident to local law enforcement …,” the command advised.
As the incidents crop up around the country, police could be asked to confront the civilians with guns on the Army’s behalf.
“Ensure your recruiters clearly articulate to local police the civilian may be armed and in possession of a conceal/carry permit,” it told the centers.
The command said recruiters should also immediately fill out an Army security report.
Kelli Bland, a spokeswoman for Army Recruiting Command, said the service has been increasing vigilance following the Chattanooga shooting and that local residents can help in other ways.
“Local communities can support our security by reporting suspicious activity, particularly around recruiting centers,” Bland wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes.
Concerned citizens began gathering at the centers shortly after the shooting in Tennessee, and governors in some states ordered recruiters to armories or to be armed for protection against potential terrorist attacks. Congress has also pushed for the Defense Department to lift its current policy.
The founder and president of Oath Keepers, a Constitution activist group based in Las Vegas, issued a national call Tuesday to guard centers, while members were already guarding centers in Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma, president Stewart Rhodes told the Associated Press.
Rhodes told the news service it’s “absolutely insane” that recruiters aren’t allowed to be armed.
“They’re sitting ducks,” Rhodes said Tuesday. “They’d be better off if they were walking down the streets of Baghdad, because at least in Baghdad, they could move. Here, they’re stationary.”
In Lewiston, Idaho, three men with a group known as “3 percenters” — a national alliance with members who prepare “for any situation, man-made or natural” — were standing watch outside a recruiting office this week, the TNS wire service reported.
“They supported us, and now we’re here showing them that we support them,” said Matt Dillard, of Clarkston, Idaho, who was among the men.
The military protects the civilian population from foreign threats. Seem that now the civilian population must protect the military from domestic threats ... and the military brass have their heads up their brass.
This government’s response to We The People protecting our own is to consider US the threat.............
Never thought I’d see what I see today
Further legitimacy loss from this gov’t infected with marxist muzzie rabble.
“Army Command Operations Center-Security Division”
From where do they get their orders?
Follow the chain of command....
All y’all, need info on this dept /section of the military/etc
Tactically speaking, they shouldn’t be standing out in front of the recruiting station. Instead they should be a discreet distance away, with a concealed carry weapon, and immediate cover and hopefully concealment from any return fire.
If needed, their first shots should be stabilized, and the downrange from their shots checked ahead of time.
Finally, beware of car bombs.
It makes perfect sense if you consider it from the viewpoint of the government.
What is the greatest threat to the government? ISIS? no. Individual terrorists killing a few citizens or even a few soldiers? Of course not. What the government fears is the armed citizen who can resist the armed thugs of the government. YOU are what the government fears.
The army is part of the government, so naturally they view armed citizens as a threat.
Our masters do not want us armed.
Interesting points.
It holds illogical, we must change the mindset, for the enemy is not at the gates, he is inside the walls and we have invited him in, believing his taqqiyah, his lies, his peaceful overtures, whilst secreting daggers in hidden hand.
Those that are not of the warrior caste give succor and solace to those willing to behead and bomb, but all are practicing jihad.
What’s to prevent a muzzie terrorist from pretending to be standing guard only to turn the weapons on the recruiters? This isn’t completely unreasonable IMHO.
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That occurred to me too. The most effective and simplest thing to do is to arm the recruiters but that won’t happen as long as zero is in the white hut.
If I was going to volunteer to pull guard duty at my local recruitment office, I wouldn’t be standing outside the front door. As long as it was legal to have a weapon with me, I would be in my vehicle so I could observe and also be able to act as a quick reaction force in case of attack. And as most offices are in congested areas you must try to find a clear field of fire. I wouldn’t want to put the recruiters on the spot. They have to take orders from the remfs back in Arlington. I am there to watch over them, not make trouble for them. I would stay low profile and keep my weapon discreet.
Ah, great minds....
I’m glad that the Army Recruiting Command is on the ball, ordering security for recruiting station. Seemed they missed the Little Rock, Ark. killing/wounding of two soldiers by a black American who was radicalized on the internet about 4 years ago), and something that happened a week ago in Chattanooga.
Gee, these guys are on the ball, the 8 BALL.
New Army recruiting slogans.
“Be all you can be, unarmed and a human target”.
“An Army for none”.
“It takes an Army to protect a recruiting station”.
“The US Army, make in 1776, destroyed in 2015”.
“The US Army Command - We don’t give a f*ck about you maggots”.
“Guns, you don’t need no stinkin’ guns”.
“Safe defense is for sissies”.
“Hey, they are doing this for Allah, so stand still”.
“TF” is that people chose to support/elect people vowing as a campaign promise to work with Barry.
Now thanks to their depraved indifference to anything but their desires, there is no one in power to oppose him is this.
Way to go lesser evil voters. Winning!
Like FBI middle management getting their talking points (the shooter was a “homegrown extremist”), ambitious junior officers are following orders from above, filtering all the way down from Obama’s senior adviser, Jar Jar Binks.
Pure David Hackworth term...
True American patriot...
The Iowa governor has instructed the Iowa National Guard recruiters to be armed.
Between that and some of the actions by other states, it will be an interesting situation. The US Military has said in theory that Guard units are not under their command. This hasn’t been the case since around WWII in practice. If an Army officer orders a Guard recruiter to disarm, I am not sure how the order will be received.
Basically the Obama regime is telling the IS to attack us
Traditionally, Military and Police officers do not like armed civilians. Which is one of the reasons for the 2nd amendment.
So we cannot stop them from coming here, cannot deny them weapons, must allow them to build mosques and we must not defend our military installations. Looks like the DC Cartel has already surrendered.
And the GOP is fine with it.
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