What a breath of fresh air! We need more guys like this. I’m a Texas judge and a “gun guy” - I also carry a knife. For some reason, that makes some of my Air Force friends nervous. Whiskey Tango Fox?
Colonel, USAFR
I work for a military contractor. My office was responsible for mounting a 30mm cannon on the side of a H-60 Helo. Our operations manager walked into my office a couple of years ago and saw that I had hung a silhouette target up from my last trip to the range and he ordered me to take it down. He said it might create the impression of a hostile work environment. He didn’t see the irony in the fact that we have pictures of the 30mm gun system all over the wall and we train pilots to rain fire and death on our enemies.
Its is refreshing isn’t it! I rather think tho it’ll be ignored. Thats OK b/c it means more ammo for me. ;)
“I also carry a knife.”
When I was a boy, I had a fascination for knives and traded stuff for knives. Still have some of my “boy” knives stored away, including one that was a combination knife/writing pen.
In the last three years my boyhood fascination with knives rekindled itself, and I started buying knives again. There’s some real junk out there. But I manage to find some good pieces at the local flea markets.
To make a long story short, I again own lots of knives. They’re everywhere - in the car, in drawers, on desks, under the mattress, etc. I’m running out of room, which is good. I also carry a favorite Italian stiletto. It was the type of knife I always wanted as a boy but could never afford.
I even got the wife interested in carrying knives. I bought her a rare, collectible Schrade but she lost it. So I bought her a scaled-down mule skinner knife that’s easier to keep track of.
Guns are good and necessary, but nothing like a fine knife for backup.
If you'll allow me to hazard a guess: it is for the same reason that Maj. Hassan was able to shoot 30 or so people on an Army base. Simply put, and therefore slightly exaggerated, soldiers are not trusted/allowed to have weapons w/o express permission of the government. This mentality is the only explanation I have as to why an Army base should EVER become a "gun-free killing-zone."
What's even more interesting, in my opinion, is the mechanism for restricting guns on Army bases. One could argue that the buildings therein are federal buildings; however, ANY [military] order which would restrict weapons is an illegal order (because it is contrary to the Constitution's 2nd Amendment, and the constitution is the highest American law) and as an illegal order members of the military are required to disobey it.