The Government is Finally Learning. Marines Are Being Granted CCW on Bases

The fight for freedom will never end. It’s why we have the most powerful military in the history of humanity. Evil never dies, and those who perpetrate it will only succumb to overwhelming force.

This is true in dictatorships across the world. It’s also true in our own backyard. Evil people have brought terror and suffering to our own communities for years, and the primary reason they’re able is because so many Americans are disarmed.

Thankfully, in some respects, this battle is shifting back in the right direction. A recent change to military procedure will help protect a lot of our men and women at arms when they would otherwise be at their most vulnerable. 

The Previous Rules

A lot of people don’t know this, but for many years now, men and women of the armed forces have been forbidden from carrying personal firearms while on base. In fact, they can’t even keep guns in base housing.

With very few exceptions, personal firearms have to be stored in carefully regulated, designated areas. If a shooter were to get passed external security, they would find our military bases to be remarkably vulnerable to attack. That simple fact has been exploited too many times.

The Attack in Pensacola

December 6, 2019 might not be the most infamous day in our history. It’s not even the worst or most obvious example of a mass shooting on a military base. But, it’s the recent event that helped spur an important change.

This particular attack occurred when a member of the Saudi Arabian military opened fire on the personnel at Naval Air Station Pensacola. He shot nine people, killing three, before local sheriffs were able to subdue him. Nothing about that sounds right.

Lt. General G.W. Smith agrees with that notion. It’s why he just signed his name to sweeping regulatory changes for the Marines. This particular lesson is something that has been understood by most of us for years. Unarmed people are vulnerable to attack. It’s why we have a 2nd Amendment. But, the U.S. military has deprived a basic right to its members for years.

The new change isn’t a total fix, but it’s a good step in the right direction. Marines will now have the option to undergo certification training. Once completed, they’ll be licensed to carry their personal firearms — concealed — on any Marine property in the U.S. and her territories. It’s about time.

The rest of the armed forces and the country need to catch on, but every step forward will save lives. We can stop and appreciate progress when we see it. Marine bases will no longer be completely vulnerable to foreign or domestic attacks. Our brave Marines once again have the basic right to self-defense. We should be grateful for that.

Now, we need to push Congress and the leaders in the military to extend this guaranteed right to the rest of the people in this country. Once attacking American citizens becomes an obvious and fruitless act of suicide, it’ll stop happening. We can count on that.