The Navy is moving to place armed watch-standers at recruiting stations nationwide, a move that comes a year after shootings at a recruiting station and a reserve center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, claimed the lives of four Marines and a sailor.
The decision is the result of a broad investigation of the security of Navy buildings outside major bases, such as reserve centers and recruiting stations that are often open to the public and, prior to the shooting, did not have armed guards.
It's a damn shame things have come to this, but it is fairly clear that something must be done.
And it would be nice if the Army would do the same.
The article doesn't get into the specifics of how such a policy will be implemented, but I can think of a few ways that would be fairly easy to do, and with minimal impact on recruiting duties, and while avoiding inflaming local busybodies.
Most Army Recruiting stations have multiple recruiters, and a Station Commander (usually a Staff Sergeant or Sergeant First Class) who spends most of his time in the station. A small safe or lockbox could easily be installed, and the Station Commander and one or two other recruiters qualified on the weapon and rules of engagement.
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