MilitaryTimes: After Chattanooga, ‘DoD does not support arming all personnel’
Leo Shane III and Andrew Tilghman for Military Times report:
Following last week’s murder of five service members in a violent and still-unexplained shooting spree in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Defense Department once again has found itself in the midst of a broader national feud about gun control, gun rights and public safety.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter has ordered a full review of facility security policies due by the end of this week.
Meanwhile, inside the military, many leaders remain skeptical that the solution to safety concerns involves more troops carrying more weapons.
Outside the military, the issue has become a political lightning rod.
Several governors already have pre-empted the Pentagon’s own assessment by rushing to allow National Guard personnel to carry weapons on bases and in recruiting stations.
On Capitol Hill, several top lawmakers are looking at similar measures for active-duty members, in effect allowing more troops to carry personal firearms around military property.
Several Republican presidential candidates are voicing support for those measures after the Chattanooga tragedy. For months, tea party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has been pressing congressional leaders to hold hearings on loosening restrictions regarding arming troops on domestic military bases.
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