[oneolcop]

I'm willing to bet that Sergeant Munley, a Department of Defense civilian law enforcement officer, was carrying a 9mm loaded with military ball ammunition. Ball ammo has great penetrating power but little stopping power. Likewise I suspect that the Major was carrying ball ammo. I wouldn't speculate on the caliber of his weapon(s) other that to say that it is likely it/they were loaded with high-capacity magazines.

On another thread folks with no knowledge of US Army policy regarding the carry and use of firearms on military facilities have speculated as to how it was unbelievable that a single shooter, an out of shape doctor with little or no firearms training could have done what he did without help. Here are some facts: The possession of a firearm by a member of the military while on a military facility is strictly prohibited. It is a court martial offense since it is a direct violation of a direct order by a superior officer (the facility commander). All weapons owned by the Army are locked in an arms room and secured by a variety of security devices i.e. chains and padlocks, locked vault doors etc. Even weapons that are carried by soldiers during training are never loaded except on live fire ranges. All ammo is accounted for by a senior NCO and or officer and signed in and out.

Military policemen and DOD police who provide law enforcement and security on Army posts are the exception. Even they, however, are prohibited from carrying weapons unless they are on duty.

How do I know this? I spent five years in the US Army as a military policeman, two years in the US Air Force as a security policeman and more than 30 years as a cop.

The military (at least the Army) is paranoid about some 18 year old with a grudge going after his fellow soldiers with a military weapon. Consequently, they lock up the weapons. (You can't very well lock up the soldiers)

Now, as to the scene of the shooting on Ft. Hood: Imagine a crowded room, something like 300 people standing in line, standing at tables and sitting in chairs waiting for their number to be called; picture perhaps a hospital waiting room or the lobby of a hotel at a convention. Hundreds of people in a relatively small space. All unarmed; all thinking that the last thing they have to worry about is getting shot by a fellow soldier. Imagine a man in uniform walking in with brief case. He is a guy wearing the rank of Major, o boss, so to speak. He goes to a corner of the room or behind a counter and pulls out one or two guns and fires into the crowd. Some men rush him and get shot in doing so. Some dive for cover, some run for the doors. But remember he is shooting into a mass of people. He virtually can't miss. He shoots into the backs of those trying to flee. The bullets, in some cases pass through one person and into a second. He keeps shooting and reloading, one gun always loaded to hold off people while he reloads another. That he only killed 12 is miraculous. This takes less than three minutes. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, a cop shows up and engages the Major. He is now concentrating on the cop and is shot four times. He still manages to wound the cop before either being unable to shoot because of his injuries or because he is unable to reload or he is out of ammunition.

I urge all of you armchair generals; swaggerstick and your compatriots to stop and think about this. You serve no valid purpose by speculating when you weren't there, don't know the facts and have a paranoid view of the world. Stop and let the truth come out. Ultimately, it will. Just wait. PLEASE

[Braak]

Pretty good description of what happened...I’ve been in one of those places when I got my ROTC physical, and yes, it is that crowded during the week, a guy with two hi-cap pistols would have a damn field day. Ft. Hood is also a huge base to cover, so even if you had enough cops..everybody’s in ACUs and the cops probably spent time trying to figure out WHO to engage. Under the circumstances, the only proper response by us is: “Well Done SGT Mulney.”

[A Texan]

Very well said. Thank you.

[oneolcop]

OK, a follow-up: Hasan was reported to have been armed with a FN five-seven pistol. The Five-Seven magazine holds 20 rounds. Tha pretty well answers the question as to how he was able to shoot so many people.

Here is some information on the FN Five-Seven and its ammunition:

The Five-Seven (marketed as "Five-seveN"[7]) is a semi-automatic pistol in 5.7x28mm caliber manufactured by FN Herstal.[11] The weapon's name refers to its 5.7 mm caliber. The 5.7x28mm cartridge was originally created by FN in the early 1990s for use in the FN P90 personal defense weapon.[3][4][5] The Five-Seven pistol was subsequently created by FN in the late 1990s as a side arm using the same cartridge Particularly significant to the design of the Five-Seven is the 5.7x28mm cartridge created by FN for use in it. This cartridge weighs roughly half as much as a typical 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge[19][20], allowing extra ammunition to be carried more easily. It also produces roughly 30% less recoil[16][20], improving controllability. The Five-Seven is supplied with 20 round magazines, or 10 round magazines where restricted by law.[7] A 30 round magazine (or 10 round magazine extension) is also available. (Copied from Wikipedia)

[ottbmare]

I'm willing to bet that Sergeant Munley, a Department of Defense civilian law enforcement officer, was carrying a 9mm loaded with military ball ammunition. Ball ammo has great penetrating power but little stopping power.

This is what I have heard and why I'm planning to add something like a .357 to my own 9. I'm not sure how this is being an armchair quarterback; the observation that 9s may not stop a perp was not intended as a criticism of the brave policewoman.