It has always seemed strange to me, once I knew about it, that members of the U.S. military, the very people who are trained to a level of excellence in the use of firearms, were banned from being able to carry firearms on military bases.
After all, they were trained for it, right?
Now, maybe there was some justification given for not allowing people to carry firearms on base unless you were a member of base law enforcement. Maybe it was concern over soldiers returning from conflict zones doing something foolish as a result of PTSD or some other similar factors.
I don’t know.
But of all people who it would make sense to allow to carry guns, it would seem to be the people that our military trains to use guns.
Now, though, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has done something to correct that wrong. Tom Gantert writes,
Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum Thursday allowing Department of War personnel—specifically uniformed service members—to carry privately owned firearms while off duty on military installations, subject to approval.
“Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations. … Well, that’s no longer,” Hegseth said during a social media video.
“The War Department’s uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards,” Hegseth said. “These warfighters—entrusted with the safety of our nation—are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American.”
That’s certainly a big step in the right direction. After all, members of the military don’t give up their rights as American citizens, maybe especially their Second Amendment rights.
So, good for Secretary Hegseth for doing the right thing here, and may he continue in that direction, protecting the rights of those who work to protect ours.
