Arming All On Duty Marines At All Times

[ABNAK]

So he basically wants a fireguard every night on every floor of every barracks? A CQ and runner for the whole barracks isn't enough? Kinda like bootcamp but for your entire non-NCO enlistment. Yeah that'll boost morale.

The Marines, like any branch of the armed forces, is a reflection of society and the conditions (i.e. 12 years of war). They are not superhuman nor immune from the maladies of modern society.

With this crap and his order to "crush" the Taliban-pissing miscreants Amos sounds like what we frequently refer to as a "dick" (yeah, I'm well aware that he isn't there to win a popularity contest, but still....).

[Iraqgunz]

At a minimum why not allow at least some personnel or as suggested have a small contingent of armed Marines or personnel from all branches (on the perspective bases) for that matter?

It's obvious that "base security" or "police" aren't always enough just like in the civilian world.

[Nightvisionary]

What changed? In 1983 the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut Lebanon was truck bombed killing 241 Americans. The jihadists made it through the gate in part because the Marine guarding the perimeter were not permitted to have loaded weapons.

When Al Grey took over as Commandant in 1987 he required that all Marines on guard duty would perform that duty with loaded weapons. Whether it was guarding an armory, motor transport depot, or a supply warehouse in the U.S. or overseas we did it with at least a loaded magazines in the weapon and two spares in the pouch.

[ST911]

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

What's your opposition to DOD police forces?

[Armati]

What's your opposition to DOD police forces?

What job are they doing that can't be done by MPs or other troops? Several installations are now (and have been) using troops to man the ECP. Troops routinely do this job overseas. It is a peacetime duty that translates directly to an operational skill set. Sentry duty is one of the oldest duties in the world. Someone has always manned a post. It is a duty as old as the Roman Army.

Truly the question is, why do we have DoD civilians and contractors doing jobs that use to be done by troops? We do not get good value for the money and miss an important training opportunity.

[SteveS]

What job are they doing that can't be done by MPs or other troops? Several installations are now (and have been) using troops to man the ECP. Troops routinely do this job overseas. It is a peacetime duty that translates directly to an operational skill set. Sentry duty is one of the oldest duties in the world. Someone has always manned a post. It is a duty as old as the Roman Army.

Truly the question is, why do we have DoD civilians and contractors doing jobs that use to be done by troops? We do not get good value for the money and miss an important training opportunity.

Unions???? or lobbying????

[glocktogo]

What changed? In 1983 the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut Lebanon was truck bombed killing 241 Americans. The jihadists made it through the gate in part because the Marine guarding the perimeter were not permitted to have loaded weapons.

When Al Grey took over as Commandant in 1987 he required that all Marines on guard duty would perform that duty with loaded weapons. Whether it was guarding an armory, motor transport depot, or a supply warehouse in the U.S. or overseas we did it with at least a loaded magazines in the weapon and two spares in the pouch.

I served under Gen Gray when he was over FMF Atlantic. He was a hell of a lot better Commandant than Amos could ever dream of being.

[Nightvisionary]

I served under Gen Gray when he was over FMF Atlantic. He was a hell of a lot better Commandant than Amos could ever dream of being.

I agree. Anytime you get an Air Wing Commandant it's bad for the Corps. The guy doesn't even have a Combat Action Ribbon. I have seen Lance Corporals with a more impressive ribbon rack.

[ST911]

What job are they doing that can't be done by MPs or other troops? Several installations are now (and have been) using troops to man the ECP. Troops routinely do this job overseas. It is a peacetime duty that translates directly to an operational skill set. Sentry duty is one of the oldest duties in the world. Someone has always manned a post. It is a duty as old as the Roman Army.

Truly the question is, why do we have DoD civilians and contractors doing jobs that use to be done by troops? We do not get good value for the money and miss an important training opportunity.

At the risk of thread drift...

Maintaining civilian DOD police forces offers a number of advantages. Members do not PCS, deploy, and have greater continuity than their military counterparts. With a focused LE mission, they also do not have their critical LE skill sets diluted by the many war-related tasks and missions that the military forces must train and sustain.

At CONUS installations, those LE skill sets tend to be greater importance and consumer-value than the others. Further, a professionally trained and focused police officer is more readily adapted to basic force protection tasks (such as entry control and security functions) than the more diversified military police force is adaptable to, and able to sustain, LE competencies.

This not to diminish the status or contributions of military police forces, but it is what it is. More has been asked of them than ever before, and their identifies are in a state of flux.

Likewise, nor will I suggest that DOD/individual service civilian police forces are a universal answer or perfect solution. They do bring much to the table when allowed to work as designed.

Contractors are a whole other conversation.

I suppose it depends on what you want forces capable of, and the quality of services required.

[theblackknight]

Do DOD police have to sit thru powerpoints on BBQ safety and which end of the bottle rocket makes the sparkly hot fire?

sent from mah gun,using my sights