Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- Our “Unarmed Forces”.
When a Marine Rifleman, of any rank, painstakingly trained in the Art of Combat Marksmanship, starts believing and spouting anti-gun drivel, it is a yet another sign that this Civilization is in serious decline.
Secretary Mattis said last week:
“Most active-duty troops along our border do not carry firearms.
When they were tasked with protecting CBP (Customs/Border Protection), they will probably use shields and batons.”
“Shields and batons?”
Our glorious US Troops “protect” our borders with shields and batons? Once again, what is most disturbing is this conspicuous, and all-consuming, lack of trust in our magnificent troopers.
We have been long-assured, ad nauseam, that these troopers have received, at extravagant expense, the best weapons training in the world. Accordingly, they can competently go armed anywhere, we’re told.
But obviously, from Mattis on down, no one really believes that.
The uncomfortable truth is: They are all afraid of guns. Even our officers and staff NCOs are deployed, placed in harm’s way, unarmed. They don’t even carry pistols.
A disgrace, and an extremely dangerous one.
“When you cannot get a loaded gun in your hands within five seconds of perceiving a deadly threat, you’re submerged in self-deception, and the fact that you have a gun ‘somewhere in your life’ is probably meaningless and irrelevant.
The first five seconds are more important than the next five hours.
All our training revolves around those critical “first five seconds.” ~ Farnam
/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 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 in-actions.
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
While I typically agree with Farnham, I believe he is missing the point on this one. Mattis is not one to be swayed by political posturing when it comes to the well being of those under his command. He was not in favor of using troops to perform a domestic law enforcement function, i.e. patrolling the borders. He is also acutely aware of the limitations of the Posse Comitatus Act and to his credit as a career military man, is loathe to violate it. With an eye on potential (and likely) Congressional review of this use of the military on… Read more »
Leftism is a cancer that invades the whole body and kills it’s host.
Kinda makes me think that nobody in DC, even the top brass in the ‘E’ ring at The Pentagon, really trusts the average American, whether civilian or military. No surprise there. No surprise at the idiocy, either.
Look what happened to us in Beirut Lebanon in 83
Kind of reminds me of a trucker’s strike in the late 70’s. Gov. Fob James called out the National Guard to escort convoys across the state- Alabama- . I had joined after active duty and as prior service vet was one of the troops activated, Most of us showed up prepared at the local State Troopers hub as we thought we’d be riding with empty weapons for show. We were surprised and relieved when we were issued our weapons along with ammunition. To my knowledge no shots were fired by any Guard unit during the entire deployment.
I’m not sure which officers and staff NCO’s this author is referring to. I’ve been deployed four times to the middle East and I carried a weapon eveytime. Sometimes a rifle and a pistol depending what I was doing. And yes before you ask I was a “staff” officer for three of those four deployments. The only time I felt uncomfortable was when Iraqi and Afghan troops we were with carried weapons because you never knew when an insider attack would happen.