March 15, 2015
Dear Mr. President (Senator or Congressman/woman):
What has been done by the U.S. Congress to improve the security of the lives and limb of American soldiers on their posts, in their workplaces and in their barracks with respect to the Fort Hood and Washington Navy Yard shootings that have occurred over the past five years or so?
Has Congress, the Department of Defense and/or the President acted to ensure all American soldiers, regardless or rank, position and duty have immediate access to weapons and ammunition at all times for self-defense in spite of post commanders' and CO's past policies regarding their restrictions/hindrances to immediate access to weapons on installations?
I am a veteran and was an American soldier from the year 1988 through 1995. My post commanders and my unit CO's never allowed me to have IMMEDIATE access to weapons and ammunition almost all of the time during my entire military carrier. The post commanders and CO's always have had this policy of requiring my putting personal guns away in unit armories while I was on post, in my barracks or at my place of military duty effectively keeping me disarmed and vulnerable to sudden possible armed enemy attack as I was never issued and trained with a military weapon, preferably a pistol, AND ammunition to ALWAYS have nearby or on my body for my own personal security. The only time I ever got to touch a loaded military weapon was on firing ranges for training and qualification.
If I had my way, every American soldier, sailor, marine, airman, coastguardsman, and DOD civilian would be permitted if not required to always have an effective weapon and ammunition for personal defense within an arm's reach at ALL times on installations, in assigned living quarters, including barracks, and at places of duty or employment whether the weapon and ammo were service-issued or private. If we in our country expect law-enforcement officers to have such constant immediate availability to guns, ammo and weapons, on or off duty, why should we not expect the same of our nation's finest and bravest in uniform, the Defenders of Our Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic? American military installations should be among the most secure of places in the world. No American soldier should ever have to walk to his PX or sleep in his barracks in fear that any bad or crazy armed person may suddenly kill him at anytime while this same soldier suffers from bad command policy that leaves him without an effective means of self-preservation immediately available.
We expect our troops to sometimes fight and give their own lives in our nation's defense but we should never expect our soldiers and DOD civilians to be killed by armed assailants, even right here at home on stateside installations, while these personnel are UNARMED and BECAUSE they are UNARMED!
Sincerely,
Thomas F. Cavender
American Voter and Veteran
Dear Mr. President (Senator or Congressman/woman):
What has been done by the U.S. Congress to improve the security of the lives and limb of American soldiers on their posts, in their workplaces and in their barracks with respect to the Fort Hood and Washington Navy Yard shootings that have occurred over the past five years or so?
Has Congress, the Department of Defense and/or the President acted to ensure all American soldiers, regardless or rank, position and duty have immediate access to weapons and ammunition at all times for self-defense in spite of post commanders' and CO's past policies regarding their restrictions/hindrances to immediate access to weapons on installations?
I am a veteran and was an American soldier from the year 1988 through 1995. My post commanders and my unit CO's never allowed me to have IMMEDIATE access to weapons and ammunition almost all of the time during my entire military carrier. The post commanders and CO's always have had this policy of requiring my putting personal guns away in unit armories while I was on post, in my barracks or at my place of military duty effectively keeping me disarmed and vulnerable to sudden possible armed enemy attack as I was never issued and trained with a military weapon, preferably a pistol, AND ammunition to ALWAYS have nearby or on my body for my own personal security. The only time I ever got to touch a loaded military weapon was on firing ranges for training and qualification.
If I had my way, every American soldier, sailor, marine, airman, coastguardsman, and DOD civilian would be permitted if not required to always have an effective weapon and ammunition for personal defense within an arm's reach at ALL times on installations, in assigned living quarters, including barracks, and at places of duty or employment whether the weapon and ammo were service-issued or private. If we in our country expect law-enforcement officers to have such constant immediate availability to guns, ammo and weapons, on or off duty, why should we not expect the same of our nation's finest and bravest in uniform, the Defenders of Our Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic? American military installations should be among the most secure of places in the world. No American soldier should ever have to walk to his PX or sleep in his barracks in fear that any bad or crazy armed person may suddenly kill him at anytime while this same soldier suffers from bad command policy that leaves him without an effective means of self-preservation immediately available.
We expect our troops to sometimes fight and give their own lives in our nation's defense but we should never expect our soldiers and DOD civilians to be killed by armed assailants, even right here at home on stateside installations, while these personnel are UNARMED and BECAUSE they are UNARMED!
Sincerely,
Thomas F. Cavender
American Voter and Veteran