"...do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"For the good of the Air Force, for the good of the armed services and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism..."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Maxwell AFB, April 21, 2008

"You will need to challenge conventional wisdom and call things like you see them to subordinates and superiors alike."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, United States Air Force Academy, March 4, 2011

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Dyess AFB Leads the Way - Common Sense Firearm Policy


According to this release, Colonel David Benson, the wing commander at Dyess AFB, has authorized airmen at his base to carry firearms in their vehicles.  Now those driving to and from work can exercise the same rights as civilians in Abilene, Texas and can defend themselves and their families should they fall victim to tragedy.

Benson's policy requires airmen have a concealed carry permit to have their weapons secured in their vehicles.  While the requirement for a government permit and government permission to keep and bear arms is itself unconstitutional, this is still a step in the right direction.  This decision is good common sense that will make airmen and their families at Dyess AFB safer against violent criminals, active shooters, and foreign threats that target service members here in the United States.

I have been calling for an end to this insanity for some time now.  After service members were killed at Fort Hood.  Then after the Navy Shipyard murder.  Then again, after service members were again murdered at Fort Hood.  Then yet again after foreign radicals murdered service members in Tennessee.  It has taken far too many service member lives here at home, but finally it seems there is hope for military folks and their families who wish to exercise their right to defend themselves should the unthinkable happen to them.

While this is low hanging fruit, it took some courage from the wing commander who surely knows an accidental discharge or action from a careless airmen with a firearm will not be good for his career.  But it's not about his career, it's about his airmen and this policy is the right thing to do.  This wing commander gets it.

It's a breath of fresh air to see leadership make a good decision for service members in their charge.  I hope other installation commanders can learn from Colonel Benson's example.

20 comments:

  1. Well done and THANK YOU....!! There are those who refuse to be victims and must "illegally" carry weapons onto military installations because of moronic laws. Hopefully your leadership will spread to other installations.

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  2. Job well done. Everyone deserves the right to defend themselves and others!

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  3. I'm from Abilene I always carry so should everyone else

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  4. All servicemen are trained in the use of firearms. The writer under estimates this when he writes about the "careless airmen with a firearm". How about the "careless writer who writes un-researched stories"

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    2. Most Airmen (and Sailors, and Soldiers) are assigned rifles, not pistols. As such, they are not familiar with pistol maintenance, safety or marksmanship unless they have their own or they take separate classes. I did 21 years, and all I was ever formally trained on were the M16, the M4, and a lot of crew served.

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    3. Most Airmen (and Sailors, and Soldiers) are assigned rifles, not pistols. As such, they are not familiar with pistol maintenance, safety or marksmanship unless they have their own or they take separate classes. I did 21 years, and all I was ever formally trained on were the M16, the M4, and a lot of crew served.

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    4. I was thinking the same thing. Even as an 11B, m9 ranges and qualifications were few and far between. Assuming a DD214 makes one competent with a handgun is a big stretch.

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    5. I was thinking the same thing. Even as an 11B, m9 ranges and qualifications were few and far between. Assuming a DD214 makes one competent with a handgun is a big stretch.

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    6. I think this comment was a bit defensive. There are a few careless Airmen, just like there are careless soldiers, sailors or marines. I think the author was referring to some youthful careless person as an Amn. Accidental discharges have happened in the dorms and in family housing more often than one might think. The punishment is harsh when that happens. Calm down now.

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    7. I think this comment was a bit defensive. There are a few careless Airmen, just like there are careless soldiers, sailors or marines. I think the author was referring to some youthful careless person as an Amn. Accidental discharges have happened in the dorms and in family housing more often than one might think. The punishment is harsh when that happens. Calm down now.

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    8. The training of concern is not for a particular weapon, but rather safety. Service members are trained in muzzle control, and proper handling of a weapon.

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    9. I served 20 years in the Navy. I was never formally trained on ANY weapons. I stood my watches in the Engineering spaces. I made the ship go. However, I still earned my Expert Pistol Medal. Perhaps that has something to do with being raised in a small West Texas town.

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  5. I doubt that CHL holders are likely to do something careless, but it does happen from time to time. That really wasn't the point of the blog post, though, and it doesn't change the fact that this policy is a good idea. I'm not sure why you seized on that point Unknown.

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  6. Finally! A credible pro-active professional taking extreme measures to protect untold potential victims!

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  7. So here's another interesting way to look at this. Not too long ago General Welsh came to visit my base. A PJ stood up and asked him why we aren't allowed to carry firearms on base. His response brought up a pretty good point I think. Imagine if someone were to pull a gun out in the BX or Comissary. If everyone were allowed to carry guns you could potentially have a lot of confusion as to who the original shooter was and a much higher chance of crossfire. With that being said, I am not against figurin out a system that would allow us to be safe, but there will be quite a few incidents if we can all of sudden carry on our person tomorrow. General Welsh suggested increased security almost all over base and I totally agree with that as a start.

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    1. I'm pretty sure base cops could figure it out. The good guys with guns are the ones that aren't pointing their weapons at the cops and who drop their weapons and get on the ground when ordered to when the cops arrive.

      This ain't rocket science. We are supposed to be military, so we should have a better idea of how violence works. This issue is a non-starter as far as I see it.

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    2. And this policy isn't there for people to grab their guns for an active shooter situation on base anyway. It's there so they don't have to be disarmed driving to and from work, while commuting, far away from base cops. If there is a concern about what people might do on base during an active shooter situation, simply make it policy that guns won't be removed from their vehicles on base, as the Dyess wing commander did. Problem solved.

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  8. Now, if Robins AFB will follow suit!

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  9. Davis-Monthan AFB has been doing this for quite sometime. It is posted in their Installation Defense Plan and allows all qualified airmen to secure firearms in their vehicle while on base. I am pushing this at my base as well in Nevada. Great news that this is starting to take hold.

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