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[i] (July 17, 2015)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthaafjs0001 and id is 1 raw text is: CRS Insights Can Military Servicemembers Carry Firearms for Personal Protection on Duty? Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower (kkam, 7-7783) Heidi M. Peters, Information Research Specialist (heters( a_)crs b ,U 7-0702) July 17, 2Ct5(~t3t8 On July 16, 2015, an arme h o r tk a Marine Corps recruiting center and U.S. Naval Reserve Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killing four Marines and wounding at least three other members of the Marine Corps, Navy, and local police before the shooter was killed. This follows other recent active shooter incidents on military installations, including the 2009 and 2014 shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, and the 2013 Washino n Nay Yr shoDoing. While those incidents took place on military installations, the most recent incident, in contrast, took place at a reserve center and a recruiting office. Military installations have armed guards and security gates or checkpoints, while reserve centers and recruiting offices are typically integrated into local communities in locations where they are most likely to be approached by interested recruits. Therefore, recruiting offices, by design, are less likely to have the same level of security as other government facilities where military servicemembers are assigned. Following the most recent incident, some have questioned whether force protection measures at recruiting stations are adequate, and asked what U.S. statutes and DOD policies say regarding the ability of servicemembers to carry government-issued firearms for personal protection while on duty. Following is a discussion of the applicable law and policy regarding government-issued firearms for personal protection of servicemembers on duty. This does not address law or policies regarding privately-owned firearms. Statute and DOD Policies Secion 1585 of Ti1 10 United State Code authorizes the Secretary of Defense to prescribe policy and regulations regarding the carrying of firearms for DOD employees: Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, civilian officers and employees of the Department of Defense may carry firearms or other appropriate weapons while assigned investigative duties or such other duties as the Secretary may prescribe. The DD Dir civ that implements this statute states that DOD personnel shall be appropriately armed and have the inherent right to self-defense. However, the same Directive also suggests that military servicemembers should not be armed indiscriminately: Arming DoD personnel with firearms shall be limited and controlled. Qualified personnel shall be armed when required for assigned duties and there is reasonable expectation that DoD installations, property, or personnel lives or DoD assets will be jeopardized if personnel are not armed. Evaluation of the necessity to arm DoD personnel shall be made with the consideration of the possible consequences of accidental or indiscriminate use of those arms. However, the overriding factors in determining whether or not to arm are the mission and threat. Arming DoD personnel (i.e., administrative, assessment, or inspection, not regularly engaged in or directly supervising security or law enforcement activities) shall be limited to missions or threats and the immediate need to protect DoD assets or persons' lives. In reference to the DOD Directive, the military departments also have promulgated policies and regulations regarding carrying firearms for personal protection while on duty. (see Table 1.) Across the Services, the carrying of government-issued firearms for personal protection is generally prohibited unless authorized by high-level officials, and in most cases requires an evaluation of threat conditions. Table 1. Military Department-Level Policies and Regulations Regarding Carrying of Firearms for Personal Protection

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