President Obama plans to veto legislation which would let commanders authorize
troops to carry guns on military bases.
Lawmakers agreed on a bill that calls for Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to
establish a process by Dec. 31 in which commanders can authorize a service
member at a military installation, reserve center, recruiting location or defense facility
in the U.S. to carry a Firearm on the installation if he or she “determines that carrying
such a firearm is necessary as a personal- or force-protection measures.”
Tragic domestic attacks on DOD personnel, including those at Little Rock,
Chattanooga, and Fort Hood, convinced lawmakers that current force protection
standard for domestic installations is inadequate, especially where carrying personal
firearms is involved.
Existing policy, which dates to 1992, states that arming service members beyond
military police and those who work in law enforcement “shall be limited to missions
or threats.”
Some officials, including former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, have
warned of “over-arming” troops. See also the NDAA