Lots of insider attacks on bases in Afghanistan over the past decade. I've certainly been armed (and carrying real ammo) every time I've gone, as were all those around me.
One of the challenges with everyone being armed is that it is quite difficult to distinguish who is "good" and who is "bad" when both are shooting at each other and wearing the same uniform.
And yes, that happens here-- See Fort Hood (2009), Fairchild AFB, Fort Bragg (1995), Fort Hood (2014), etc.
I hold the same sentiment that cowering under a desk during an active shooter seems bizarre for a member of the uniformed services, and am glad to have seen the guidance shift over the years to also instruct service-members to fight back when they are able.
Agreed that base defenders should be armed. Not so much all personnel-- at least in locations not designated combat zones.
Remember it’s going to have to be geared to someone whose entire history with a weapon is a range familiarization shoot at Boot Camp bc that’s about all AF and Navy folks get.
@kp2001 , FYSA-- I'm AF and I qual every year (and I'm not SF or SOF). I think our longest duration is 2 years for some AFSC's, but most folks seem to fall into the annual requirement now.
Granted, back in the early part of OEF/OIF, it was a 4-year/JIT requirement to qual.
But with the ops tempo as it was, most of us were still qualifying every year or two in line with AEF rotations. Most folks I worked with back then when I was enlisted also shot regularly in their free time with their personal AR's and AK's (after the goofy AWB expired, of course).
Familiarization, in my experience, was pretty high. Not Full Metal Jacket "This is my rifle, this is my gun"-style cleaning of rifles while blindfolded, but sufficient to exercise proper muzzle control, shoot accurately, and correctly safe a weapon. One of the perks of commissioning in the AF-- it's also nice now to not have to lug an M4 or M16 around on deployment-- the M9 is a lot easier to carry all day.
Now if someone wants to trade my online training requirements for this I may have to switch sides [emoji23]
Geez, you aren't kidding-- sign me up as well...