Dover Air Force Base on Lockdown

WBOC 16 ^ | 5/8/14 | Rachel Rea

[RobinOfKingston]

An entire military installation on “lockdown” because of “a suspicious individual.” Not even F Troop would have done this, back in the day.

[familyop]

"How about just giving people the option to exercise their right to carry?"

Assuming that you're referring to all military personnel having that option, see the Uniform Code of Military Justice. I don't have the political influence to do that and didn't have constitutional rights while in service long ago, either (being government property back then and all).

[Candor7]

Not again Laz!

[rlmorel]

My wife and I visited the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover a couple of weeks ago, and I saw this:

Is this what I think it is? If a building is in lockdown, is this where people are expected to go if there is someone with a gun? I looked up "shelter in place" and it appears to be couched as to not seem like that is what it is for, but...that sure does seem like that is what it is for.

I find that concept disturbing. Granted, this museum was not on the base, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they have these "shelter in place" areas set up on the base as well. (Can any active duty folks on here comment on this?)

I sure hope that isn't the case, because besides the fact you cannot protect yourself with a firearm on a military base if you are active military, do they expect you to run and hide in these "shelter in place" areas?

There is something alien and disturbing about that. But I could be wrong.

[rlmorel]

Eh. I should have read all the posts before I posted.

So it IS a place they expect everyone to run to and hide in. Some part of me just cannot believe that is the case on an active duty military base, but...I guess that is what you have to do if they order you to do it.

I just can’t see cringing in a bathroom, waiting for a gunman to find you. That seems really...wrong.

[gitmo]

If the perp is familiar with the base, doesn’t that tell him where the most victims are likely it be found?

[rlmorel]

Yeah. I don’t fault the personnel, they have to do what regulations tell them to, but...the regulations just make me grit my teeth.

When I see “shelter in place” and it apparently means what I thought it did, it makes me feel the same way I do when the White House says we have to fly our flag at half-staff for this or that, on what seems now a routine basis. It is as if we cannot fly the flag all the way up any more.

When I think of a bunch of capable military personnel being given the primary option of running to a head and closing the door, it makes me visualize helpless victims, not capable military personnel.

It makes me feel like our country is somehow trapped in a state of perpetual victimhood.

[SZonian]

Not active duty any longer, but work on a base.

Shelter in Place (SIP) locations are where all of those in a certain area of a bldg are supposed to congregate and take shelter for a variety of events and will be announced over loudspeaker and other means.

IOW, if a perp knows he’s created a SIP condition and is intent on killing as many as possible, then he knows which rooms to go to in any particular bldg since those will be the ones with the most people and will be marked on numerous signs in the bldgs themselves.