Bradley County is now among the large number of municipalities throughout the nation officially asking that Governor Bill Haslam arm military facilities.
The commission vice chairman, Jeff Yarber, said, “These people are protecting us, and they don’t need to be in a gun-free zone.”
He also said, “The only people right now who carry guns into gun-free zones are criminals and they want to kill you.
In the climate we’re in, you never know.”
After Mr. Yarber’s suggestion and explanation, the Bradley County Commission moved on Monday to begin drafting a letter to send to the governor, voicing their support for arming military personnel.
Though Governor Haslam has not moved directly to remove gun-free zones in military installations or immediately arm service members at those installations, he has ordered a review of security at recruiting stations, asking Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons to examine the possibility of issuing state carry permits to trained military members.
Florida Governor Rick Scott, along with others, have also stated that bulletproof glass, security cameras, and whatever additional security possible should be implemented to protect recruitment centers since they are potential targets.
The mass shooting that took place last week leaving five service members dead after two attacks on military recruitment centers has spurred a national debate about what abilities military personnel have to defend themselves and others in crisis situations.
Political leaders and community members in multiple states are now pushing to arm service members working in military installations like the recruitment centers and fighting to change those locations’ current gun-free policy.
The governors of six separate states, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, have all taken executive action to either arm military personnel at these locations in their own states or moved recruitment centers to the nearest national guard armory.