By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2014 – The Defense Department does not
support allowing its personnel to carry weapons on military installations,
Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said today.
“The department took a close look at this after the 2009
shooting at Fort Hood and again after [last year’s] Washington Navy Yard
shooting,” Warren said.
Such a move would create a number of complications, he said,
not the least of which is safety.
“Another reason is the … prohibitive cost of the training,
the qualification requirements [and] recertification,” the colonel said.
There are legal obstacles as well, he said. Local, state and
federal policy requirements pose numerous challenges.
Warren pointed at the Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun
Control Act of 1968, which makes it illegal for persons convicted of
misdemeanor domestic violence crimes to possess firearms or ammunition, as one
example. Service members convicted of such crimes may continue to serve under
certain circumstances, but still are prohibited from possessing firearms or
ammunition.
“So, there are a lot of barriers to this besides the
department's position, and we've spelled this out before that we do not support
it,” the colonel said.
The ongoing investigation into the shootings April 2 at Fort
Hood, Texas, should be allowed to develop in due course, Warren said.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has been clear that something
did go wrong, the colonel said. “Now we're allowing this investigation to
unfold before we make any major steps,” he added. “The focus right now is on
caring for the wounded, caring for the family members of those wounded and the
greater Fort Hood community, and proceeding with the investigation.”
Investigators are looking for potential gaps in the mental
health care system or in security procedures, Warren said. One aspect of the
investigation will cover whether red flags were raised about the alleged
shooter by mental health professionals, he noted.
“It's entirely too early to make a judgment. … We have to
let the investigation unfold, and then we have to examine what we can do
better,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment