Monday’s deadly shooting at the
Washington Navy Yard has renewed interest in why most military personnel
are forbidden from carrying firearms on military bases. In the
aftermath, some have pointed fingers at former President Bill Clinton,
but is he really to blame?
Not according to what we found.
The question of why military members
aren’t armed on base garnered attention back in November 2009 when Army
Maj. Nidal Hasan opened fire at Ft. Hood and killed 13 people. He was
sentenced to death on August 28. Now, nearly four years later, many are
asking the same question.
So what’s the answer? It appears this “gun-free zone” type policy can actually be traced back to Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 5210.56, signed into effect in February 1992 by Donald J. Atwood, deputy secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush.
The controversial directive states that
“it is DoD Policy” 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,” it says.
The policy, however, adds, “DoD
personnel regularly engaged in law enforcement or security duties shall
be armed.” A former member of the Air Force, with experience in base
security, thus, told the Washington Post that he would guess there were “no more than a couple of dozen weapons on the Navy Yard.”
It appears DoD Directive 5210.56 was reissued in April 2011 by Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III.
Some outlets are citing Army Regulation 190-14,
a policy implemented in 1993 that changed policy regarding carrying
firearms on the Army’s military bases, to cast blame on Clinton.
However, that policy specifically
notes part of its purpose is aimed at implementing “applicable portions
of Department of Defense Directive 5210.56,” which, as previously
stated, was put into effect by Bush Sr.’s deputy secretary of defense:
Further, DoD spokesman Mark Wright
told TheBlaze Army Regulation 190-14 would not apply to other bases
under different branches of the military, including the site of Monday’s
shooting, Washington Navy Yard.
“No, it would not apply,” he said Tuesday afternoon.
Steven Bucci, a military expert for
The Heritage Foundation who served 28 years in the Army and retired in
2005 with the rank of colonel, also told TheBlaze Tuesday afternoon that
Clinton is not to blame.
“I think you are barking up the wrong
tree if you are looking to put blame on someone for disarming the
military,” said Bucci, when asked if Clinton was responsible. “I think
that’s kind of a bogus story.”
“We have never had our soldiers
walking around with weapons all the time, other than in combat zones,”
he added, noting only Military Police have had that authority.
TheBlaze reached out to members of
both the Senate and House Armed Services Committee to see if the policy
will be revisited in light of Monday’s shooting. At the time of
publication, no one was available for comment.
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