Arming military facilities a good idea

When a gunman opened fire at a military recruiting center and a U.S. Navy facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee last week, those who suddenly found themselves under attack didn’t shoot back. They couldn’t. That’s because federal regulations prevent members of the armed forces from carrying certain firearms on military installations. Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, the chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee says by disarming the armed forces we have made our men and women in uniform easy targets for terrorist attacks. That’s why Governor Scott Walker has signed an executive order authorizing members of the Wisconsin National Guard to carry weapons while on duty. While we would like to think we are safe on our own soil, recent incidents show we are not. Walker’s plan makes sense. Members of the National Guard go through rigorous training with weaponry. They are better trained than most with a concealed carry license. These are people willing to put their lives on the line for their country. These are the people willing to fight for us, and it is hard for them to do that if they can’t even carry a weapon. We need to make sure these brave men and women are adequately protected not just on foreign soil but here at home as well.