By order of the President.

Obama orders flags to half-mast to honor Chattanooga shooting victims - CBS News

What exactly did you do in the Military and were you ever forward deployed?

The ship I served on had over 95% of the crew Pistol, Shotgun and M-14 qualified. And that is the Navy. To say that the Marines or Army cant do this or that they aren't mentally capable is kind of insulting.

the sheer irony of that question is alarming.

having our ARMED forced UNarmed is a bad idea.

I'm a helicopter pilot and yes, I've done 2 deployments. My intent is definitely not to insult or to say we don't have the mental capacity. The Marines I work with do amazing things every day. Every Marine is qualified on the rifle. All O's and many SNCO's are also pistol qualified. But to requalify someone on the range, you have to take them out of their shop for a week. Which doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it is a burden on the daily tempo of getting aircraft flying, and training, which is our primary role for the nation.

Also, again, not trying to insult here, but being qualified on a pistol, rifle, or whatever does not make somebody proficient with that weapon system. Especially if, for most non-combat arms MOSs, means you fire maybe a 100rds that fiscal year. I'm a pistol expert, but I only have requalifed twice in over 5 years. I would love to shoot every year, but time, training, money, and basic job requirements don't allow me to do that.

I definitely do not have the right answer, and your mileage may vary, and so may your branch. I'm just speaking from my small piece of the puzzle. Would I want a weapon in an active shooter incident, your damn straight. But in my mind it's not as easy as just saying everyone take a weapon.

Fbho

@simple

I agree with a good deal of what you just said.

Also I would go so far as to say that many in the military do not want to be mandated to carry a weapon EVERYWHERE on base at all times.

That just isn't something the Military would ever do.

Regardless of the amount of training, I wouldn't trust 95% of the crew of the ship I'm on with a firearm. We've had several people put new bullet holes in our piers and their own legs.

I'm glad he eventually got around to doing that..

in my opinion, if in the military, carrying a firearm should be mandatory. its silly that it not.

Trust me, no it shouldn't.

You get some pissed off 18 year old deck seaman who got lied to by his recruiter with a gun? No thanks.

if they are in the military and cant be trusted with a gun, they should NOT be in the military. send them back home.

how does everyone not see this as a problem?

If only that worked for police!

agreed.

I think what most people here are trying to position is that the military should be able to carry concealed on base if they want to.

That is very different than mandating a soldier or sailor carry a gun at all times.

I'm sorry but when you are standing in line at Dental there is no need to be mandated to have a piece strapped on.

Even during WW2, ALL soldiers didn't carry guns, loaded, at ALL times while on base.

It would become a bit of .... hey I've cleaning duty today, gun [x], ammo [x]. That just doesn't make sense.

On the other hand, if all Soldiers were allowed to carry on base, I'd be willing to bet the Terrorist coward, Nidal Hasan, might've had second thoughts if he knew other Soldiers could return fire.

It's just like designating anyplace a "Gun Free Zone". It just makes it a prime target for cowardly lunatics to kill unopposed.