Navy Commander to be charged for shooting at Chattanooga terrorist

[Lonegun1894]

Story sounds fishy to me.
I found only one story on the Navy Times site and it stated "It's also unclear why they were armed, as it is against Defense Department policy for anyone other than military police or law enforcement to carry weapons on federal property."
It doesn't say it was a crime, only that it was against policy.
Theres nothing on the site about charges being filed against Lt Commander White.

There were Marines and Navy Corpsmen there checking in equipment from a training exercise. Perhaps the handguns had been used in the exercise.

The story seems to originate from a text message, not a very reliable source.

When I was in, I was ALWAYS armed, and so were many in my unit, but it was with the understanding that it may have repercussions if things went bad. The repercussions, as explained to us, were that this specific DOD reg was unconstitutional, so our punishment if caught would be to spend three days in the brig for getting caught, at the end of which, we would be given our weapon back and instructed to not get caught again. Seems to me like either I was really lucky with the command I was with, or things have changed A LOT and I am glad to have gotten out before they went this far down hill.

[azrednek]

I didn't read the entire thread to save my nerves as it is getting close to bedtime. I'm hoping the charges against the Navy officer is an internet hoax. If discharging a firearm on federal property is a crime how is it that thousands of deer and elk hunters discharge their rifles in National Forests??

[Bad Water Bill]

Wow. This is just beyond comprehension for me.

As an aside, and pardon my ignorance, but what presidents HAVE NOT been in the military?

War is war, domestic or abroad. This soldier should be touted as a hero, not a criminal.

IIRC starting with Ike every president was a part of our military up till SLICK Willie (who fled to Canada then England) took office,and our FEAR less one who apologizes to the rest of the world because we even exist.

[Artful]

As an aside, and pardon my ignorance, but what presidents HAVE NOT been in the military?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...litary_service
Barak Obama
NONE

Bill Clinton
None. Signed agreement to join Reserve Officer Training Corps atUniversity of Arkansas during Vietnam War.^[2] Subsequently withdrew and entered draft, but received high draft number and was not drafted.
^[3]

Franklin D. Roosevelt
None; Assistant Secretary of the Navy in World War I. Attempted to resign in order to enter uniformed service, but resignation not accepted. Visited France as part of Navy Department duties to observe military activities first hand.


Herbert Hoover
None; helped guide US Marines in 1900 during the
Boxer Rebellion.

Calvin Coolidge
NONE

Warren G. Harding
NONE

Woodrow Wilson
NONE

Grover Cleveland
Paid George Benninsky $150 to take his place after Cleveland was drafted during
Civil War under Conscription Act of 1863.

Martin Van
Buren
None; as State Senator during War of 1812 worked to pass war measures, including bills to expand New York militia and increase soldier pay. Special Judge Advocate appointed to aid in prosecutingWilliam Hull at Hull's court-martial after surrender of
Detroit.


John Quincy Adams
None; however he was a witness to Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 and reportedly was a non-participant in a Naval Battle between a British ship and a US ship he was on with his father during the American Revolution.

John Adams
Adams served as chairman of the Continental Congress's Board of War (1776–1777), making him the simultaneous equivalent of today's Secretary of Defense and Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee; was a semi-participant in a naval engagement between a British and US ship during the American Revolution.

[quilbilly]

Story sounds fishy to me.
I found only one story on the Navy Times site and it stated "It's also unclear why they were armed, as it is against Defense Department policy for anyone other than military police or law enforcement to carry weapons on federal property."
It doesn't say it was a crime, only that it was against policy.
Theres nothing on the site about charges being filed against Lt Commander White.

There were Marines and Navy Corpsmen there checking in equipment from a training exercise. Perhaps the handguns had been used in the exercise.

The story seems to originate from a text message, not a very reliable source.

When I saw the story the day of the story, I knew his career was over under this regime. The good news is that as a LCDR he can stay till 20 years and get his retirement.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

It would be strange if the major print and broadcasting news media aren't soon quotable on such a charge, in which you would expect both the commander's supporters and enemies to be interested. But suppose it did happen the way it is described...

The man figured in no terrorist database, had been arrested but apparently not convicted for drinking and driving like any on this board, was a US citizen and had fired at windows. There was plenty of evidence to support recent clinical depression. It seems he was coming from his car, and was fired at by the commander, from inside with a personally owned gun he wasn't entitled to have there.

There exists the possibility that the commander saw a hairy Arab, possibly glimpsed a gun for which the man could have had a permit, and isn't obliged to conceal in Tennessee, and started shooting. There is no question that if he knew the man was going to kill several people, that would be the least of all evils. But a back door, a high security front door or someone officially armed on the premises, aren't any more hypothetical than some things we have heard.

Equally though, he could have been left with a wounded man who might have said "I'm deeply ashamed of what I did fifteen minutes before. It's such a relief to know I escaped committing manslaughter! But then he started shooting, and I panicked... I don't know what came over me."

Never mind the possibility, surely very slim, that he actually was as innocent and misunderstood as his lawyer would make him out to be. He could have been everything anyone on this board thinks he is, and yet been handed the opportunity to get out when he said "Thanks to all this wonderful therapy I feel a lot better now."

I still think it would be more appropriate for the commander to be taken aside and told "Only luck got you out of big trouble." But on the real evidence so far, may be that is all that happened.

[nicholst55]

Rather than merely wringing our hands about this situation, DO SOMETHING about it! I just called my US senator's office and insisted that he STOP this foolishness. While I have my doubts if my one phone call will result in anything positive happening, at least I made it.

[DCP]

UPDATE: Navy Spokesman Denies ANY Charges Against Navy Lt. Commander #Chattanooga


http://allenwestrepublic.com/2015/08...r-chattanooga/

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/8/2...y-Changes.aspx

Several news outlets, including this one, jumped on a report by national columnist Allen West on Saturday that stated he was enraged after he had confirmed that LTC White, who drew his personal sidearm in the July 16 terrorist attack on a Navy Reserve Center in Chattanooga, would face a reprimand and could possibly be court marshaled.

[gray wolf]

IMHO I think someone realized the Dung storm this would create and backed down.

[Anschutz]

He'll Probably have a great JAG on his side. Hopefully nothing comes off it since most trials have a panel of other officers who hopefully would have done the same thing.

[AnthonyB]

It would be strange if the major print and broadcasting news media aren't soon quotable on such a charge, in which you would expect both the commander's supporters and enemies to be interested. But suppose it did happen the way it is described...

The man figured in no terrorist database, had been arrested but apparently not convicted for drinking and driving like any on this board, was a US citizen and had fired at windows. There was plenty of evidence to support recent clinical depression. It seems he was coming from his car, and was fired at by the commander, from inside with a personally owned gun he wasn't entitled to have there.

There exists the possibility that the commander saw a hairy Arab, possibly glimpsed a gun for which the man could have had a permit, and isn't obliged to conceal in Tennessee, and started shooting. There is no question that if he knew the man was going to kill several people, that would be the least of all evils. But a back door, a high security front door or someone officially armed on the premises, aren't any more hypothetical than some things we have heard.

Equally though, he could have been left with a wounded man who might have said "I'm deeply ashamed of what I did fifteen minutes before. It's such a relief to know I escaped committing manslaughter! But then he started shooting, and I panicked... I don't know what came over me."

Never mind the possibility, surely very slim, that he actually was as innocent and misunderstood as his lawyer would make him out to be. He could have been everything anyone on this board thinks he is, and yet been handed the opportunity to get out when he said "Thanks to all this wonderful therapy I feel a lot better now."

I still think it would be more appropriate for the commander to be taken aside and told "Only luck got you out of big trouble." But on the real evidence so far, may be that is all that happened.

Can someone help me with how the ignore function works?
Tony

[AnthonyB]

When I was in, I was ALWAYS armed, and so were many in my unit, but it was with the understanding that it may have repercussions if things went bad. The repercussions, as explained to us, were that this specific DOD reg was unconstitutional, so our punishment if caught would be to spend three days in the brig for getting caught, at the end of which, we would be given our weapon back and instructed to not get caught again. Seems to me like either I was really lucky with the command I was with, or things have changed A LOT and I am glad to have gotten out before they went this far down hill.

I have to call bull**** on this as well. Can you provide unit designations and service periods?
Tony

[Rick Hodges]

I have to call bull**** on this as well. Can you provide unit designations and service periods?
Tony

Anthony B.....I can't speak for anyone else but I served in the US Army Reserves from 71-77. We were a MP POW Camp. I was a working LEO as were a lot of the unit members. We all (LEO's) carried during drills and meetings that were held in our state and also in other states that had reciprocal concealed carry laws with Michigan. My unit's commander had full knowledge of this and carried himself. (He was a Detroit PD ofc.)
I have no idea what the army regs. were regarding this but since my General didn't mind, neither did I.

[popper]

Use of personal gun. Never had trouble carrying a locked & loaded carbine on the pier, fed property. Actually given a L&L carbine with orders to shoot anyone entering the building on mid-watch. Normally we had to 'challenge' suspect persons.

[GabbyM]

Anyone know how much trouble this Commander is actually in?
Back in the 1970's. My brother was busted for having a hand gun in the trunk of his car while on an East Coast Navy base.
He stood Captains Mast. Captain ask him how much the pistol was worth. Then ruled that to be the fine and confiscated the hand gun as payment. Brother was promoted one enlisted grade not to long after. President at that time would of been Nixon or Ford.

[AnthonyB]

Rick Hodges:
71-77 in Army Reserves I can understand. Not so much the post 9-11 years when everyone went bat*** security crazy.
Tony

[AnthonyB]

Rick Hodges:
LEOs also have different rules on federal posts than enlisted/officers.
Tony

[Rick Hodges]

True, but as reservists we were both...civilian pd and army ofcs. and enlisted. In the "Old Days" when off duty we were required to carry...as LEO's. It was also very difficult for non Leo's to get a carry permit. I have no idea what the rules are in Tenn. but my understanding was that the center that was attacked was a reserve training center. In either case I am glad that someone was able to at least mount an armed resistance the the Jihadist.

[Omega]

Story sounds fishy to me.
I found only one story on the Navy Times site and it stated "It's also unclear why they were armed, as it is against Defense Department policy for anyone other than military police or law enforcement to carry weapons on federal property."
It doesn't say it was a crime, only that it was against policy.
Theres nothing on the site about charges being filed against Lt Commander White.

There were Marines and Navy Corpsmen there checking in equipment from a training exercise. Perhaps the handguns had been used in the exercise.

The story seems to originate from a text message, not a very reliable source.

The UCMJ, which is law for the military does make his having a personal weapon illegal. Though using a weapon in self defense may help him because I don't think you can be charged for having the gun in that situation, but that is State law, the other Federal.

I have to call bull**** on this as well. Can you provide unit designations and service periods?
Tony

I won't provide specifics, but Ready Reaction Forces (RRF) have been around for some time, I can personally verify they existed back in the 80's and today. But its the rest of us with a CCP that should also be allowed to carry, along with those troops that are not located within a base.

[M-Tecs]

It would be strange if the major print and broadcasting news media aren't soon quotable on such a charge, in which you would expect both the commander's supporters and enemies to be interested. But suppose it did happen the way it is described...

The man figured in no terrorist database, had been arrested but apparently not convicted for drinking and driving like any on this board, was a US citizen and had fired at windows. There was plenty of evidence to support recent clinical depression. It seems he was coming from his car, and was fired at by the commander, from inside with a personally owned gun he wasn't entitled to have there.

There exists the possibility that the commander saw a hairy Arab, possibly glimpsed a gun for which the man could have had a permit, and isn't obliged to conceal in Tennessee, and started shooting. There is no question that if he knew the man was going to kill several people, that would be the least of all evils. But a back door, a high security front door or someone officially armed on the premises, aren't any more hypothetical than some things we have heard.

Equally though, he could have been left with a wounded man who might have said "I'm deeply ashamed of what I did fifteen minutes before. It's such a relief to know I escaped committing manslaughter! But then he started shooting, and I panicked... I don't know what came over me."

Never mind the possibility, surely very slim, that he actually was as innocent and misunderstood as his lawyer would make him out to be. He could have been everything anyone on this board thinks he is, and yet been handed the opportunity to get out when he said "Thanks to all this wonderful therapy I feel a lot better now."

I still think it would be more appropriate for the commander to be taken aside and told "Only luck got you out of big trouble." But on the real evidence so far, may be that is all that happened.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!