Gun laws a minefield for military

The Orange County Register ^ | Sunday, February 9, 2003 | GORDON DILLOW

[Crowcreek]

" Nothing more was said about them,and I was waved past the desk"

Lol - Sounds like the way I would have handled it, but with my luck -- They would have taken them!

Yeh, all you said is true. I remember how guys used to write home wishing for sidearms during Vietnam, and how unauthorized weapons were confiscated.

The last I heard, no private weapons of any kind were alllowed on the air bases in Commifornia. Maybe elsewhere, I don't know, I just remember the problems & changes at Edwards.

My uncle claimed to have had a jewelled Nazi pin stolen out of his Army mail home during WWII. He said he chased that postmaster all over Germany!

[Travis McGee]

In naval special warfare units in my day (the 80s) we all carried personal sidearms on and off ships, and in our ten foot long cargo containers. Backups to .44 mags and everything in between.

We kept them in our own spaces in our own lockers, not the ship's armory. We were assumed to be armed at all times, no questions asked, with the blessing of our ship captains, who understood we were the best "ship's self defense force" possible. We were ready for short fuse contingencies on a minute by minute basis; as soon as a helicopter could wind up, we could be on it, and armed.

[semaj]

"No military unit I have ever been in would allow a non gov issued firearm."

Some regs are meant to be broken. I served in Hawk missile battalions and the techs and system operators were issued service rifles. Some of us liked having side arms that weren't on the official LOE. Just in case.

[harpseal]

Regarding having personal sidearms in Naval Special warfare in my day which I suppose some would consider only a few years from days of flintlocks and cutlasses we were always equipped with personal weapons. Among these were Toakarevs, numerous revolvers, and various rifles. I know it has been a long time but about the only equipment we did not have available was the obsolescent stuff like the horned helmets dragon ships and battleaxes and no we did not swear allegiance to Odin either.

Of course my day was a whole lot less politically correct than it is now.

[Gritty]

Actually they could just have the PX/BX sale firearms again.

True. They used to do it all the time and the prices were good! Nobody batted an eye.

But, that was years ago in another age and another time and what was another country - although the real estate is the same. America has had a sea change in attitudes since then (the 60s) and the military (US government, actually) has been leading the charge!

[Travis McGee]

I loved the ancient brown-blued S&W .38s we used to have, I think they had 5" barrels.

When I shot them I felt just like Humphrey Bogart.

Of course we had much more 'high tech and up to date' handguns as well, S&W Model 39s with hushpuppies, and some loose old .45s left over from WW2 I think.

No wonder we brought our own pistols!!!

[dpa5923]

Although law enforcement personnel are exempted from many of the restrictions on purchasing firearms, military personnel stationed in California are not. . .

Okay, I'll ask. Why are law enforcement personnel exempted from obeying laws they are suppose to enforce? Why are law enforcement personnel treated any different than any other law-abiding citizen? When did we become a monarchy with princes and dukes who can flaunt the law?

This is complete bull$h!t!

[Redbob]

So California's laws have inconvenienced yet another group that thinks it should be "above" all those guns laws that are intended to keep the sheeple in check?

Too effing bad!

[WhirlwindAttack]

I let my sons raid my gun safe before they deployed. 1 USMC Recon, 1 USAF CCT. Had to send .45's with them I miss my HK and my Sig, but I'd miss my boys even more.

I've got an AWC anphibian wipeless .22 that I took to Beiruit in 83. Very handy unit IYKWIM.

[Redcloak]

Can we just kick California out of the Union?

"Regime change" maybe? (I wonder if there's any way we can get Gray Davis to threaten to develop WMDs...)

[AlabamaRebel]

As I always say:

The easy part was taking California away from Mexico,
The hard part is getting them to take it back!!!!!!

[xsrdx]

From what I understand of how it works today,privately-owned weapons are frowned on,even in SF. Some guys most likely carry them,but they keep it quiet

Roger - this is a goofy article. I agree Kali is The Devil, but arguing that our SOCOM troopers are somehow in grave danger because they don't have enough personal firepower is just misguided.

No SFDET commander would officially permit private weapons - not to say it doesn't happen, but the idea our soldiers -spec ops or otherwise- need to arm up at the local pawn shop is *bass ackwards*.

If they need *more guns* they will get them as the mission requires, complete with 30 round magazines and full auto selector.

[SAMWolf]

The hard part is getting them to take it back!!!!!!

Give them a little more time, I think half of Mexico lives in Southern California all ready.

[tpaine]

In Germany 56/58, we were allowed to register & keep a personal sidearm in the company arms room, to be issued at the discression of the nco in charge.
For quite some time I kept a beat up old blackmarket 1911 Colt & used it for 'qualifying jumps', where we had the option to carry any type of issued weapon. - There was such a demand for .45's that I was able to rent it out on occasion.

[patton]

I carried a Dragonov, a 45, and a Makarov. Figgured I could find ammo anywhere.

[B4Ranch]

ROTFLMAO wrapped in Det cord. Cut me loose and I'll tell you whose fingerprints those are.

[DoSomethingAboutIt]

You are right. There may be different rules for special forces, but there is no way this is applying to regular troops. Soldiers here have been told not only can they not carry their own weapons, they cannot carry any knife longer than 3 inches, or even take a non-issued baton to deal with POW's. You are searched prior to coming back for anything that was not issued to you weapon wise. I am told people were not allowed to even bring back jars of sand from the first Desert Storm. There are being told they will be court martialed if they have a weapon they weren't issued.

Like I said, special forces could very well be different and earlier wars may have been different, but as of Desert Storm I noone is bringing their own stuff.

[Travis McGee]

Anyway, it's not the gun you start out with that counts, it's the one you end up with.

(And if you need one at all.)

[VeniVidiVici]

I was researching getting my CCW here in Florida and came across this nugget from the statutes:

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Title XLVI
CRIMES Chapter 790
Weapons And Firearms View Entire Chapter

790.051 Exemption from licensing requirements; law enforcement officers.--Law enforcement officers are exempt from the licensing and penal provisions of this chapter when acting at any time within the scope or course of their official duties or when acting at any time in the line of or performance of duty.

CHAPTER 790
WEAPONS AND FIREARMS
======================
790.001 Definitions.
(8) "Law enforcement officer" means:

(a) All officers or employees of the United States or the State of Florida, or any agency, commission, department, board, division, municipality, or subdivision thereof, who have authority to make arrests;

(b) Officers or employees of the United States or the State of Florida, or any agency, commission, department, board, division, municipality, or subdivision thereof, duly authorized to carry a concealed weapon;

(c) Members of the Armed Forces of the United States, the organized reserves, state militia, or Florida National Guard, when on duty, when preparing themselves for, or going to or from, military duty, or under orders;

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AND if you can produce your DD-214 you don't have to take the CCW course. God, I love the South!