Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Lasher

(27,673 posts)
16. According to my experience you are correct, but don't bet your life they are unarmed.
Mon Sep 16, 2013, 05:08 PM
Sep 2013

I have stood guard duty in the Army in Fort Gordon, GA; Fort Jackson, SC; and at Camp Nabors, in Seoul, Korea. In every case I was issued a rifle but never any live ammo.

But one time I was responsible for guarding about 20 Model 1911 .45 caliber pistols with belts, holsters, clips, and a shitload of ammo. This was because the soldiers using them had returned from the range after the armory had closed, so the weapons couldn't be secured as usual. I was left overnight with orders from the Officer of the Day to keep one of those sidearms loaded and ready on my person at all times and the rest of them under my direct control. I was under a direct order by him to relinquish those weapons only to him personally when he returned in the morning, and to kill anyone else who tried to take them from me.

Like I said, don't bet your life on it.

Funny how the military thinks that the servicemen do not need to walk around base with weapons and VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #1
True, and that applies to everyone. MindPilot Sep 2013 #4
Ever been in the military? wercal Sep 2013 #6
My father was career military... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #11
Half and half I guess wercal Sep 2013 #18
Plus, soldiers often need extra cash NickB79 Sep 2013 #12
I spent 5 straight days wandering the training area, looking for night vision goggles wercal Sep 2013 #17
A few years ago a coworker asked me if I wanted a new scope NickB79 Sep 2013 #35
Good decision wercal Sep 2013 #38
I was an armorer in the Army. tazkcmo Sep 2013 #30
Mostly, the people who ask those questions have no military experience. MineralMan Sep 2013 #2
Alot of people are also under the mistaken impression that everybody lives on base, wercal Sep 2013 #7
Quite true. People have funny ideas about the military. MineralMan Sep 2013 #9
People get their impression of the military from the movies wercal Sep 2013 #21
I know. Sad to hear these young guys with a familiy MindPilot Sep 2013 #13
When I first got to Fort Riley, I went to the housing office wercal Sep 2013 #19
Times have changed. I was single and allowed to live in base housing sammytko Sep 2013 #31
I was in the Navy during Vietnam MindPilot Sep 2013 #8
Yup. If your job wasn't shooting, you didn't have a weapon. MineralMan Sep 2013 #10
I was an electrician. MindPilot Sep 2013 #14
Well, there is that... MineralMan Sep 2013 #34
Even in combat zones, when you're in base camp, Jackpine Radical Sep 2013 #26
IIRC that ribbon is one of the many my dad had. Of course the nicest one was his DFC. kestrel91316 Sep 2013 #28
They have armories to store weapons. Rex Sep 2013 #3
Relatively few casualties result from small arms fire FarCenter Sep 2013 #5
It was an office building with one way in. So, how on earth ... Tx4obama Sep 2013 #15
Maybe he didn't onenote Sep 2013 #22
That could be. But it wouldn't explain the double barrel shot gun. n/t Tx4obama Sep 2013 #23
three years ago, a nutjob with a rifle shot the guard at entrance to Holocaust museum onenote Sep 2013 #25
According to my experience you are correct, but don't bet your life they are unarmed. Lasher Sep 2013 #16
And on payday the money was handed out by an officer Jackpine Radical Sep 2013 #27
Not everybody.. but there should be armed security there. Motown_Johnny Sep 2013 #20
Real life is like that too. hunter Sep 2013 #24
+oo phantom power Sep 2013 #32
military culture is very foreign to most people, MindPilot Skittles Sep 2013 #29
True. Solly Mack Sep 2013 #33
The Army still has to qualify annually doesn't it? bluedigger Sep 2013 #36
Military bases and facilities are NOT "gun free zones." Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #37
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Can we please dispel this...»Reply #16