Posted on 01/27/2016 12:45:57 PM PST by Paul46360
Who ever said the Air Force wasnât hardcore?
In a report given by an Air Force security forces officer, base commanders across the country will be able to authorize the carry of guns by on- or off-duty airmen. The 2015 attack on a Chattanooga, Tennessee recruiting office is a large part of what prompted the change in policy. Some critics had pointed out that armed servicemen could have stopped the threat before any innocent civilians were killed. Instead, the shooterâs rampage lasted until police were able to respond and kill the attacker, Muhammad Youseef Abdulazeez.
(Excerpt) Read more at sofrep.com ...
Probably the fine print is that, any base commanders who do authorize carrying weapons, will be immediately relieved of his or her duty.
Either that or the base commanders will only allow officers to carry.
I’m ex AF, but met plenty of airmen I wouldn’t trust with a loaded gun. And on the flightline? FOD waiting to happen. Commandeer a plane. Many reasons to think twice.
It’s about time, but doesn’t go far enough. How about retirees and civilian employees? Could be times when they’re the only ones in the BX or commissary in an active shooter scenario and if they’re unarmed, carnage would be maximized.
The policy should be that if retirees or civilian employees have authority from the surrounding state to carry a concealed weapon, they can carry on base too.
I’m a retiree and the AF has known me for 40 years and don’t trust me with a weapon. For crying out loud, the AF is an ARMED service! My state has known me not nearly as long and they DO trust me with a weapon. Something wrong with this picture. As it stands, I only go on base once or twice per year. I can’t just “pop in” to the base as I’m driving by because I’m usually carrying. And being a white male, they’d nail me to wall if they caught me.
Read more: http://sofrep.com/46630/air-force-allow-personal-weapons-off-duty/#ixzz3yU2scBB2
In the event that you do get searched and they find a weapon most likley they would deny entry.
This story is like the telephone game from grade school: the original meaning was completely lost in translation.
But as you correctly point out, carry would be restricted to certain persons. What I though alarming, at least under the one program, was that personnel would be restricted to protecting one's own position, but not allowed to respond by going toward gun fire.
("Hooda thunk" we'd ever come to this!)
Exactly! Participants in the Marshal program are not allowed to respond. Seems to be the most telling aspect of the initiative. That opens participants up to prosecution if they attack the perpetrators. This makes the whole program just more toothless window dressing. The other “carry” provisions are restricted to Security Forces and, while reasonable, do out address the root issue of using non-SF personnel as a force multiplier.
Congress should pass reciprocity laws nationwide and eliminate the base commanders’ input completely. Commanders are too political and not one will make the right call when they see a possibility of personal liability.
It drives me nuts. I have clearance, am a reservist who has qualified and carried in service and have a CCW permit. There isn’t another hoop I could jump through, but I am prohibited from carrying because I work on federal property. I don’t want to carry at work, but carrying to and from work and then securing my weapon in the car seems reasonable to me.
Anyone who knows security understands that the most vulnerable time is when you travel a known route. Kinda hard to vary routes when one is funneled though a security checkpoint that is often backed up for miles.
While in the Army I and another soldier did TDY at Offutt AFB. We were sooooooooo jealous of everything there. The food, the facilities, the duties, respect shown to lowly enlisted men, everything!
Yeah..us AF guys liked our accommodations.
The only DOD non police personnel who will be authorized to carry on base/post on or off duty will be MPI,CId, NCIS AFI etc. The general trooper airman or swabby will never be so authorized-even if they are warriors.
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