ROTC and Guns

Jackofall

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Joined
Jan 11, 2016
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2
Hi There,

My son is a freshman in college and currently enrolled and participating in ROTC. He is interested in purchasing a gun which I am strongly against (rifle). My son claims it will help him prepare and be familiar with firearms and benefit him in ROTC. My view is a gun has no place in college and opens him up to potential problems if someone gets hurt, possesses it illegally or any issue that can cause legal/safety issues. I also believe ROTC leadership would be against this also due to potential problems.

Any thoughts or advice?
 
Jackofall, your father's instincts are dead on target. You could not be more right. If he wants to learn how to handle firearms, that is the military's specialty and they will teach him how to do it with skill and competence at the time needed.
 
Aren't all fire-arms illegal on campus? Could be wrong but I thought that was universal.

I'm currently an MS1, and to be honest, it would only come in handy if it was an AR-15. In which case, the Ranger Challenge team could practice assembling and disassembling. Beyond that, it wouldn't be of much use!
 
So it depends. Some schools have firing ranges with the ability to store personal weapons within the firing range facility. Personal weapons are not typically allowed into the dorms. Would recommend making sure secure storage arrangements are understood and university policy is not being violated.
 
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Hi There,

My son is a freshman in college and currently enrolled and participating in ROTC. He is interested in purchasing a gun which I am strongly against (rifle). My son claims it will help him prepare and be familiar with firearms and benefit him in ROTC. My view is a gun has no place in college and opens him up to potential problems if someone gets hurt, possesses it illegally or any issue that can cause legal/safety issues. I also believe ROTC leadership would be against this also due to potential problems.

Any thoughts or advice?
My DS had the same "brilliant" idea...don't worry the army will make sure he is proficient with his weapon at CLC.
 
Son bought an M4 when he was a junior, but kept it at home. He shot regularly though, and it did help him - he won the US Army Small Arms National Championships as a senior.

His ROTC unit had a dozen or so M4s that the Ranger Challenge team practiced with also - they have an indoor range on campus.
 
Son bought an M4 when he was a junior, but kept it at home. He shot regularly though, and it did help him - he won the US Army Small Arms National Championships as a senior.

His ROTC unit had a dozen or so M4s that the Ranger Challenge team practiced with also - they have an indoor range on campus.

Having an M4 at home is much different than having a rifle in a non military college dorm room.
 
Personally, I am a strong believer of service members owning firearms to become familiar/proficient with firearms. I am sure some of us have been how bad some of military members are at shooting and handling firearms. Shooting skills are very perishable. To me shooting assigned weapons twice a year for qualification (for Infantry, they should be shooting more during weapons training), won't make most people comfortable/proficient with weapons. For example, a staff officer assigned a M9 pistol, could shot only 160 rounds (4o for familiarization, 40 for qualification X 2) in a year.

However, as for a ROTC cadet purchasing a weapon I would only support it if there is a safe place to store (not a good friend's apartment off campus, should be stored in a gun safe), a good place to shoot (i.e. range, not an open space off of a highway), a reliable transportation to go to the range and back, and financial means to buy bullets (a 5.55 mm round will cost about 50 cents, if you buy them bulk, might be able to bring it down to 35 cents or so) .

Could be a good graduation gift, if there is no local law prohibiting gifting of "modern sporting rifle" or "assault weapon."
 
“This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. ... “

Sorry seemed the place to post it.

Your concerns are valid, and most commentators have hit the best points. Son grew up hunting, but did not even consider taking his rifle to college as he knew that an environment with teenagers pumped up on testosterone mixed with alcohol and drugs, and sexual tension, with no background or familiarity with firearms is an accident waiting.

Many states including ours it is illegal for students to have any personal firearm on campus, notwithstanding several that have passed concealed firearms law to allow students to carry on public campuses. Some colleges do have competition rifle teams, and the firearms are stored in campus armory. A college in Adirondacks in Northern New York allows students to store their firearms in armory and sign out to go hunting. I am sure many like it out West or South.

Military will teach him proper way to shoot, and it is actually easier if you have no ingrained bad habits to break. But if he really likes it, and wants to improve, maybe allow him to keep a .22 at home, locked up, if you have a place to shoot? That is all he needs-cheap ammo, no kick, and allows refine techniques, suggest bolt action forces concentration.
 
Many great post! appreciate it and keep it coming. As many of you fathers know, our sons dont always take our advice or think we dont know anything..imagine that:)
 
Many great post! appreciate it and keep it coming. As many of you fathers know, our sons dont always take our advice or think we dont know anything..imagine that:)

Based on my personal observations, fathers' brains grow back - in the eyes of their children - when said children are about 28, or when they have children of their own, whichever comes first. Eye-Rolling Syndrome and Exasps (what we call Exasperated Exhalations in our family) may stop a bit before that, as a positive sign.
 
Based on my personal observations, fathers' brains grow back - in the eyes of their children - when said children are about 28, or when they have children of their own, whichever comes first. Eye-Rolling Syndrome and Exasps (what we call Exasperated Exhalations in our family) may stop a bit before that, as a positive sign.

+1 CaptMJ.... Dads are a little nuts.
Best thing my daughter ever told me when she was 17...."Dad, he's scared of you."
Yessss!
 
Having an M4 at home is much different than having a rifle in a non military college dorm room.

You are correct, and no one said anything about keeping it in a dorm room. Son's college allowed students to keep personal weapons at the public safety office. He chose to keep his at home instead (only 30 minutes away) so he'd have night/weekend access to it if he felt like shooting.

I was merely addressing the OP's concerns about his son's ownership of and the usefulness of a firearm for an ROTC cadet, not about where he should store it.
 
Based on my personal observations, fathers' brains grow back - in the eyes of their children - when said children are about 28, or when they have children of their own, whichever comes first. Eye-Rolling Syndrome and Exasps (what we call Exasperated Exhalations in our family) may stop a bit before that, as a positive sign.
I love this, so true. I remember the exact moment, but I was about 23 and just graduating from college, my Dad was talking and I remembered being so caught off guard when I thought to myself, "oh wow, my Dad is not an idiot, his advice makes a lot of sense!" Now having three teenage "young adults" I am so excited for the day this Mama grows a brain again, that will be a good day!
 
Students at my son's school are allowed to bring firearms, and other weapons (for archery, for example), but if they live on campus, the weapons are required to be kept with the campus police. The owner will have access to them 24/7. As for the appropriateness for OP's situation, I certainly don't know because each situation is so personal. I'm always in favor of building awareness, knowledge of, and comfort with firearms. But I would lean against sending my child off to school with one if they'd never been around them. That said, I'm a kid that did take a shotgun to school with me and I was on the University rifle team.
 
Son bought an M4 when he was a junior, but kept it at home. He shot regularly though, and it did help him - he won the US Army Small Arms National Championships as a senior.


I agree that practice at home is a good idea. DD went to Leadership Development Exercise for her ROTC program and the gun utilized for training of assembling, disassembling and simulating shooting was the M4, which is the current weapon for the army.
 

My DS was issued an M-249 SAW at LDX. I'm going to have a hard time finding one of those for him to practice with at home! :rolleyes:
 
We got each of our boys a long gun for their 16th birthday. We keep guns around the house, by the front door. Their dad taught them to hunt and handle weapons at a young age. When they come home from college, shooting is a favorite pass time. We live in a rural Texas county and guns are a part of life here. We are all planning to get our open carry permits the next time they are home for an extended amount of time. Neither one of the boys take guns to college, though. The gun would get stolen! We did get them a military rifle to practice with when they are home.

I personally don't like guns but for safety I keep a shotgun by the bed. Again, rural Texas. There is no police department in the county and the sheriff takes 30 minutes to get to a call. We have guns for defense.

Your son should not need a weapon in the dorm room. It should be safe there. The ROTC unit will provide guns for learning.
 
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