Arizona Gov. Issues Executive Order Arming National Guard
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – July 23, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) –
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has issued an executive order arming the state’s national guard. The order comes in the wake of last week’s mass shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee which killed five U.S. servicemen.
Ducey says the move is designed to enhance and strengthen the safety and security of Arizona National Guard personnel.
“With the number of tragic shootings that have occurred on military installations in recent years, it’s imperative that our soldiers and airmen – people who put their lives on the line every day to protect our state and nation – have at least the same level of self-defense as the citizens they’re fighting for,” Ducey said. “We’re committed to doing whatever is reasonably necessary to ensure the safety and security of these men and women, and of all Arizonans.”
According to a press release issued by Ducey’s office, the executive order requires guard leaders to enact the following directives:
A. Identify and arm of all appropriately-trained National Guard personnel who he determines reasonably necessary, based upon their duty positions, responsibilities, or locations, to protect themselves and other persons from the threat of deadly physical force;
B. Institute a policy and training requirements that permit Guardsmen to carry personally-owned handguns while on duty at a secured facility or military instillation, in lieu of a government-issued handgun, as specified by the Adjutant General. This policy should allow Guard personnel to carry these handguns on unsecured facilities while on duty if a government-issued handgun is not reasonably accessible.
C. Consult with the Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety to review the security measures and protocols in place at Arizona National Guard facilities, including without limitation recruiting offices, and make any recommendations necessary to further protect Soldiers, Airmen, and the public against attacks on military personnel.
“What happened in Chattanooga was shocking and saddening, and it took the lives of five American servicemen,” said Governor Ducey. “With the number of tragic shootings that have occurred on military installations in recent years, it’s imperative that our soldiers and airmen – people who put their lives on the line every day to protect our state and nation – have at least the same level of self-defense as the citizens they’re fighting for. We’re committed to doing whatever is reasonably necessary to ensure the safety and security of these men and women, and of all Arizonans.”
At least eight other governors across the U.S. have issued a similar order, with several others ramping up efforts to increase the safety and security of military personnel in their states, including Utah.
The complete executive order can be viewed, here.
