U.S. Air Force Allows “Selected” Airmen to Go Armed, Ending Gun Free Bases

By John Farnam

U.S. Air Force Allows "Selected" Airmen to Go Armed, Ending Gun Free Bases
U.S. Air Force Allows “Selected” Airmen to Go Armed, Ending Gun Free Bases… For Now
Defense Training International, Inc
Defense Training International, Inc

Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- The Air Force, at least, has finally seen the light!

USAF Base Commanders have been authorized to implement the carrying of guns (presumptively openly or concealed) by “selected” personnel, on and off-duty. Smart airmen, naturally, already have state-issued CCW permits, when and where possible.

However, government property has always been a fanatical “gun-free zone” (for everyone but terrorists), until now!

Nothing, it seems, is so hard to see as the obvious! Terrorists can be effectively dealt with in no other way, and, of course, everyone has known this full well for years, but the arrogant PC crowd, even within the military, has forbidden the subject from being discussed openly.

Someone up the USAF food-chain has finally cracked this ice, at great personal risk. When there is a spate of NDs, you know he (whomever he is), and his career, are toast!

We must now brace ourselves for an army of gun-hating liberal alarmists to demean the very idea and demand the policy be reversed, and the liberal media will be only too happy to endlessly shove microphones into their blistering faces. For them, dead innocent (and unarmed) victims are okay, but dead terrorists are unthinkable!

The other unspoken issue is that commanders painfully know and understand that current institutionalized pistol “training” is a joke! Even MPs carry unloaded pistols. No one trusts them with real guns. “Cold” ranges are the ossified “standard” throughout the US military, and dynamic movement, speed-reloads, and instant stoppage-reduction are unheard-of. “Training” is inspired mostly by quaint, collegial, and utterly irrelevant competitions, among people who don’t even carry guns.

Chattanooga Recruiting Center Gun Free Sone Sticker
Chattanooga Recruiting Center Gun Free Sone Sticker

After the 9/11 attacks, uniformed military personnel were deployed in domestic airports, openly carrying rifles and pistols. They tried desperately to keep it a secret, but it soon became generally known that all magazines, so prominently displayed, were empty. There was not a single, live round, anywhere in the entire airport. It was all just an empty show. “Warriors” unprepared to do battle.

What a revolting contradiction of terms! Those troopers were little more than sacrificial lambs, and this was under a Republican president!

When it has been my honor to train active-duty personnel, we, of course, run all ranges “hot,” and I can’t count the times troopers, enlisted and officers, have come up to me and said, “This is the first time in my entire military career that I’ve ever been treated like an adult on a firing range!”

In fact, we’ve had to run some of our military programs at private ranges, off-base. The entrenched “Training Prevention Department” (otherwise known as “Range Control”) went unbalanced, more than once, when they learned my students were actually running around with loaded rifles and pistols!

In any event, some unnamed hero up the USAF food-chain deserves much credit, and recognition (which he’ll never get!).

Now, how about the USMC, US Army, Navy, and Coast Guard? Are they just chopped liver?

“Like all weak men, he laid exaggerated stress on never changing one’s mind.” ~ William Somerset Maugham

/John

About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent and unlawful lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance, if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or inactions.

It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com

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Janus

Your characterization of military weapons training is unfair and probably outdated. Before deploying to Afghanistan, we were trained not just with the typical “marksmanship” course of fire but also received training in tactical movement with live rounds. In Afghanistan we always carried our weapons with a loaded magazine inserted when on base and with (of course) round in the chamber when off base. We also ran periodic speed drills and tactical movement drills, again with live rounds. All the MPs that I’ve seen stateside carry their weapons with a loaded magazine inserted. This is also true of Navy Masters at… Read more »

jose

Pat, that’s the reason for the Ravens, he might not carry but there’s a detail that does carry. If your son drop Paratroopers, telling thanks from an Paratrooper..

Bldg365

I’ve been saying this since the first Fort Hood shooting; arm a percentage of NCO’s with sidearms. They have years of experience with firearms and could safely carry without endangering anyone. It would provide a deterrent and an immediate reaction force. In the ’40’s, it was practically part of the NCO’s duty uniform: pistol belt and .45 in the issue leather holster.

Pat

My son is constantly flying missions to some very dangerous parts of the world as a crew chief in a C17 and they won’t let him take a weapon. Who ever heard of flying into a combat zone unarmed?

Mash44

As an Air Force officer, it’s about damn time!

Funny that this is the first I’ve heard if it though. I’ll have to make some inquiries around my base and talk to friends at other bases and see how many of these “selected airmen” will actually be allowed to carry. You’ll have to excuse the cynicism but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Jacob M. Opperman

It is about time someone has the balls to buck the government and let our troops be able to protect themselves. Having unarmed MP on a base is about as useful as tits on a bull. I guess if a armed intruder comes on the base they are suppose to pull out there guns and go BANG, BANG YOU ARE DEAD. What is our government thinking oops they are not. I hope to hell that we will vote people in that will take there oath to the constitution into office. If we don’t then this country is doomed.

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