Unarmed Military – It’s Time to Take the Initiative

On July 16th we were again shown that our officials make terrible decisions.  Because of yet another ridiculous gun control policy, five of our military men were gunned down in a Gun Free Zone.  It does appear that one and possibly two of the Marines were armed with their own handguns and were able to return fire.  They were however, terribly out gunned and their mission became to save people by getting them out of the area.  It seems that they lost their lives saving others.  They did what they were trained to do. 

The New York Times stated: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Marines and sailors risked their lives for one another in Chattanooga last week, trying to distract the gunman who assaulted a naval center, helping people scale a fence for safety and returning fire at the attacker, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Some of the five servicemen who were fatally wounded effectively sacrificed themselves during the assault on Thursday, diverting the gunman from a larger group of potential victims, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation into the killings.

“This could have been a lot worse,” said the official, who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation. “It could have been a horrible, horrible massacre — so much worse.”

At a news conference here, the F.B.I. confirmed that at least one service member shot at the attacker, but did not say whether he had managed to wound the gunman, Mohammod Abdulazeez, who was killed minutes later in a shootout with the Chattanooga police.

“A service member from inside the facility observed him and opened fire on him, firing several rounds at him,” said Edward W. Reinhold, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Knoxville office. Two guns belonging to service members were recovered from the scene, he said, and “at least one of those weapons had been discharged.”

My point is that Gun Free Zones do not work.  They do invite cowards like this to  murder our people.   Why is it that our Government officials have armed body guards with them and they don’t see it as important to arm our military at their bases and places of work?

Once again, we are looking at our fighting men and calling them heroes, which they are.  That is what we need to concentrate on at this time .  In his column ‘Know Their Names’ Tim Schmidt makes a powerful case for how we need to provide our troops the resources they need AT HOME. I am tired of looking at memorials on the sidewalk and forgiving the people who are the killers.  This is what we do now because the media says we should.  Public spectacle and shows of forgiveness will reportedly “help us heal”.  I for one, am tired of this.  It is about time  for people to get their head out of the sand and understand that those with personal grievances against the state or terrorist impulses want us dead.   It is time for responsible people to take some action and train to protect themselves and their families.  This doesn’t mean you have to build a bunker and arm it.  You just need to begin to be more aware and to train yourself to act when the time comes.  Many of you just think this won’t happen to you in your little town.  I’m sure that all of the families of these 5 service men thought the same thing  before July 16th.

Know Their Names, Honor Their Lives. (reprinted from Tim Schmidt at USCCA, July 2015)

The photos from the aftermath of the shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee, are chilling and heart-wrenching. Glass doors and windows are cracked and broken, perforated with scores of bullet holes…surrounding signage that warns of gun-free zones.

That’s not irony. It’s idiocy.

I have to tell you: I honestly considered not writing about this topic, since so many people have shared their thoughts on what occurred. But I just couldn’t be silent about this travesty.

As you likely know, on July 16, members of our armed services went to work at military facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee. But one appalling individual also showed up—to carry out an act of radical Islamic terrorism. He didn’t go to serve…but to attack. And five brave soldiers lost their lives…

Here on our soil.

In our country.

And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to know another killer’s name. I want to know the victims’ names. I want to recognize their lives and their service to our country.

I want to pay respect to these men:

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of Hampden, Massachusetts, who served two tours of duty in Iraq and received a Purple Heart;

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Squire “Skip” Wells of Cobb, Georgia, who joined the military to follow in his mother’s footsteps;

Marine Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, recently of Hixson, Tennessee, who grew up in Ozark and Russellville, Arkansas;

Marine Sgt. Carson Holmquist, a fellow Wisconsinite who relocated to North Carolina; and

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith who grew up in Paulding County, Ohio, and joined the service after attending college in the state.

All of these men honorably served our country. But none of them were allowed to carry a firearm for self-defense.

To think—the people who have dedicated their lives to protect and serve our country are unable to protect and serve themselves!

Thanks to Department of Defense Directive 5210.56, recruiting offices are designated “gun-free zones,” which means that personnel working there cannot carry sidearms into the building. This policy effectively disarmed five battle-tested men, ultimately costing them their lives.

According to news reports, the shooting lasted around 20 seconds at the first location and 20 to 45 MINUTES at the second. Ashley Edwardson, a writer and a mother of three daughters who are serving as Marines, recently asked in a heartfelt post, “If you’re the parent of a Marine—or the spouse, child, or just a friend—can you imagine what those [guys] went through, being shot at with NO WAY to return fire and possibly save themselves?”

The morning after the deadly attack, residents in Hiram, Georgia, stood watch outside their local recruiting office with their personal firearms—a unique way of honoring the fallen. In the following days, more responsibly armed Americans all across the country took similar stands.

While I stand with them in heartfelt spirit, I can’t help but think that it shouldn’t be up to civilians to look out for the protection of our troops. And attacks like this and those from previous episodes—notably those in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Fort Hood, Texas—should not be allowed to continue.

Thank God, some states are actually sitting up and taking notes…and making changes.

In fact, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott made the decision to allow members of the Texas National Guard to carry firearms on base. Arkansas’ Governor Asa Hutchinson ordered the Arkansas National Guard Adjutant General Mark Berry to arm all full-time military personnel, as well. And Florida Governor Rick Scott went a step further by relocating recruiters to armories until they can make improvements, including possibly using enhanced surveillance equipment and installing bulletproof glass. Scott also ordered the Guardsmen to be armed, as did Governors Mary Fallin in Oklahoma and Mike Pence in Indiana. I sincerely hope this is just the beginning. I hope we see more join these men and women in arming our service members.

If we’ve learned anything from tragedies like this, we’ve learned that gun-free zones do not save lives. Gun control does not reduce crime. Policies and laws like this have consistently failed to prevent or stop violence. In fact, gun-free policies at military facilities have made our men and women in uniform easy targets for terrorist attacks.

And five more good men are gone because of it.

It’s time to change this absurd policy. It’s time for us to demand our troops’ right to protect themselves.

Enough is enough.
Take Care and Stay Safe,

Tim Schmidt
Publisher – Concealed Carry Report
USCCA Founder