Arming All On Duty Marines At All Times

**platoonDaddy** · 09-27-13, 16:16

Gen. James Amos, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, in a recent presentation called for several changes to institutional policies for the USMC.

Among those, arming all on duty marines, all the time.

http://gunssavelives.net/news/comman...at-all-times/#

Edit: fuller article http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/arti...arine-behavior

**theblackknight** · 09-27-13, 16:21

That's not what he called for, and there isn't enough resources to do that anyway.

sent from mah gun,using my sights

**BrigandTwoFour** · 09-27-13, 18:31

Amos doesn't have the authority.

Unless he convinces OSD to rescind DoD Policy Directive 5210.56, hoping that all Marines can be armed all the time just isn't going to happen. Not to mention the resource issues.

Here's the relevant passage from DoD policy dated 25 Feb 1992

It is DoD Policy:
1. To limit and control the carrying of firearms by DoD
military and civilian personnel. The authorization to carry
firearms shall be issued only to qualified personnel when there
is a reasonable expectation that life or DoD assets will be
jeopardized if firearms are not carried. Evaluation of the
necessity to carry a firearm shall be made considering this
expectation weighed apainst the possible consequences of
accidental or indiscriminate use of firearms. DoD personnel
regularly engaged in law enforcement or security duties shall be
armed. Procedures on authorization to carry and the carrying of
firearms are in enclosure

That passage taken in with the rest of the document make it pretty clear that the only people that DoD wants carrying on base are the security forces.

**ST911** · 09-27-13, 19:54

Walk through some MP/SFS/MA units and MCIO offices and see how many personnel are armed up. DOD isn't going to arm its LE back-office, much less the rest of its members.

**glocktogo** · 09-27-13, 20:33

Originally Posted by Skintop911

Walk through some MP/SFS/MA units and MCIO offices and see how many personnel are armed up. DOD isn't going to arm its LE back-office, much less the rest of its members.

Exactly. They will never trust the rank and file with loaded arms stateside, except under rigidly controlled conditions.

**SeriousStudent** · 09-27-13, 22:35

I read both articles. Some okay, but still a lot of meh in there. Like most ALMAR's.

With all due respect to Commandant Amos, he's got a lot bigger fish to fry right now than moving NCO's back into the barracks, to keep an eye on the Lance Coolies and below.

**theblackknight** · 09-27-13, 23:06

Originally Posted by SeriousStudent

I read both articles. Some okay, but still a lot of meh in there. Like most ALMAR's.

With all due respect to Commandant Amos, he's got a lot bigger fish to fry right now than moving NCO's back into the barracks, to keep an eye on the Lance Coolies and below.

Everyone knows that ensuring mutually assured celibacy (rovers on each floor) is how you stop rape out in town.

**RyanB** · 09-27-13, 23:25

Not all on duty Marines, just the ones on duty in the barracks, doing what I understand the Army calls staff duty.

That's how I understood it.

**Armati** · 09-28-13, 00:21

All military bases should be secured by armed service members - not DoD police or contract security.

Every unit should have an armed contingent of QRF (even if just one duty officer) and should have force protection ammo on hand in the event they have to lock down.

Most bases are very soft targets. Hope is not a method and we have not been seriously attacked because we are at war with morons. In the case of Hassan and Alexis only one shooter diverted the LE resources of an entire region. Imagine a single dedicated rifle team....