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The history and purpose of the 2nd Ammendment is not a matter of OPINION. The facts, deliberation, justification, and debate is a matter of record. WHY the 2nd was originally written into the constitution is not a matter of OPINION, it is a matter of FACT.

While not a cop, I do volunteer with the local police department and have ridden along with several departments in the area; and I will tell you that the distinction isn't whether the public faces the same threat as the police (they do), it's a matter of how often. I may not encounter criminals on a regular basis as police do, but the opportunity to do so is the same for everyone and that in and of itself is sufficient justification as to why I should be allowed to protect myself. There should be no limitations whatsoever on the rights of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. Not only are restrictions such as the ones passed in New York illegal according to the Second Amendment (the SCOTUS will most likely overturn them eventually, as was done in the District of Columbia), other laws that greatly restrict the ownership and use of full-automatic weapons should be overturned as well. Inanimate objects should not be held accountable for the illegal action of a few, hold the individual responsible as it should be! Probably surprisingly to you, nsplayr; but most law enforcement officers not only support armed law-abiding citizens, they encourage it! I know what the average 911 response time is in this city, and even cops understand the old adage "when seconds count, the police are only minutes away!" Pretty much all officers I know, from municipal level up to Federal, understand the inherent right of self-defense and defense of others and property.

Just the pathetic response I expected out of the current administration. I don't care how you justify it to yourself to support that party, nsplayr; but I have zero respect for anyone who so blatantly feels they can bypass the legislative process and wipe their ass with the freedoms of the citizens of this country, as well as anyone who supports or even worse, defends them.

I haven't been here in a long time. Just jumped in to see what the scuttlebutt was and saw this...so I'll play. Background: former Herk Driver who became a sheriff's deputy, who now works at USAFA (not LEO related). I could give a rat's ass about frequency that LEO face danger vs avg joe public....blablabla. I live in a nice part of town and had armed break in 2 blocks from my house. I don't care about what you see in the movies, when bullets start flying, there are A LOT of misses and very FEW hits. I DON'T fight fair. I want as many rounds in my home defense AR as it can hold and I can wield. I want as many rounds in my CCW piece as it can hold and I can comfortably wear. Three years off the force and walking out of the local super market I still hear from behind me, "Hey Dep, how's it going, remember me?" with some junkie that looks worse off then when I arrested him with his hands in his jacket pocket. My father-in-law, 20 year + retired deputy: same thing. Are there going to be provisions for people like him and me to have more than 7 or 10 rounds due to our past run-ins with the dredges of society? If so, great, now I'm better than the lady down the street who has a stalker, moved 4 times, and the legal system has still failed her. I don't give a crap how good or bad of a shot you are. There are threats to everybody, all the time, welcome to the real world, and being limited with the type of protection I can or cannot have is BS.

Allowing CCW would cost next to nothing.

Well School District 20, Colorado Springs has armed security for several years now. They used to be CCW now they are open carry. I know, pure lunacy right?? My father in law, retired sheriff with 20+ years, works as a security guard for one the high schools. Loves the gig. Banker hours, summers off, great supplemental paycheck to his retirement. His partner at the school....retired MSgt USAF SP, looking for the same thing. They make mid-teens/hour paycheck and enjoy the work. They also have two patrol cars and a small dispatch center than can roll the unit to a particular school if they need more support-searching lockers, bringing in the drug dog etc etc. The more junior folks are those in mid twenties that are trying to pad their resume and get into a LEO agency. Very common to do that at hospitals or other security gigs. Our local LEO like it because they know the retired guys and can ask about if they would make a good cop. From what I know, the district security chief usually pairs up the junior guy with two experienced/retired folks. While D-20 has more $$$ than others, it doesn't need to be a TSA affair. IMHO-should be a national model on how to do things. OBTW-he has had a lot of parents recently talk with him and all thank him for what he does. A few even asked if they could pay for more ammo. (kinda odd....I know)

I think I'd rather just keep going down the road of fiscal insanity with no budget, no credit limit, and keep borrowing against my kids future. What could possibly go wrong?

For a chuckle/sigh: One man's summary of the EO's (A bit much to cut and paste): http://phelps.donotremove.net/2013/01/obamas-new-executive-orders/

More details from the White House Press Secretary... Now Is the Time: The President’s Plan to Protect our Children and our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence

Hk - No Compromise

Prepare your anus.

Blasphemy! How can I be expected to pass any sort of training course without the dirty purples? There's a website for this sort of information: ETCA.

No, possession of a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds is going to be illegal; I think new Yorkers have a year to sell them out of state. 8-10 round mags still legal (granfathered in) but only allowed to have 7 bullets in them.... And all new manufactured or purchased mags must be 7 rounds or less. No discussion of keeping one in the chamber. I haven't read the exact wording, but the assumption right now is that cops will be exempt from these laws and the NYPD will still have assault weapons and 17 round mags for their Glocks; which is ridiculous since civilians face the same threat cops face. Even more ridiculous since the people who passed the law are all protected by body guards who aren't affected by the law. Truly a case of hypocritical elite shitting on our founding principals.

True, however the appellate process can and often does take years (look at the DC Gun control cases), in the meantime Americans will be denied their 2nd amendment right. The President could just as easily give an executive order tomorrow that says all USAF CSOs are forbidden from possessing a bible with more than seven pages. The CSOs would have a right to pursue appellate relief, but in the meantime if they attempt to exercise a constitutional right and possess a bible with more than seven pages, they could be punished. The punch line, it is all legal and part of our system, but it is a really crappy way of running a country.

UFB There is really no SCOTUS precedent, but I hope this gets slapped down like it was the fist of God Himself.

I’ve heard the same dire prediction several times throughout my mediocre career and Armageddon has yet to materialize, perhaps this time will be different. The early to mid 90’s in particular saw a few really bad years of retention and prognostications about everyone leaving. Perhaps it was the internet that gave more voice to the chorus of complaints (it helped form this site), but other events like 9/11 stopped a wholesale exodus. As has been discussed in multiple threads, sometimes people bitch and moan but when push comes to shove they are afraid to make the leap and leave the comfort of a steady paycheck. Perhaps this time it is different, on the airline side there certainly does appear to be a perfect storm of hiring about to begin. The real train wreck in my uniformed opinion will be on the fighter side. SECDEF jammed requirements unrealistic RPA and ISR demands down our collective throats through cajoling, public embarrassment, insults and direct orders. Our senior leadership at the time finally got on the bus and went along with the plan and in the process our service mismanaged the fighter pilot so ineptly that it will take 10+ years to fully recover. I honestly think that if there is a wholesale run for the door on the fighter side, our leadership will step in with Stop-Loss. Full disclosure, I am one of clowns you reference above and I guess we have different points of view. Was the force in perpetual beat-down mode, absolutely, that was directed from above and we were at war. Did I tell those same folks to complete SOS and get a Masters, absolutely. The more important question is why did I do that?...because those were the rules as set by on high. Did I think it was right, No, did I try to fight it, YES, did my guys know I was fighting it, No. As a DO and a CC I saw my duties as the following, accomplish the mission, take care of my people, and take care of their families. I wanted my guys to advance because it was good for them and the service, promotions mean more money, and I wanted their families to get that money. By your logic I should say fuck all master’s degrees and SOS, lets party…then sit back and watch as every single one got passed over. For the record, I pushed back, to the Wing/CC when I fought tooth and nail for a guy that didn’t have all the squares filled (I won a few), to the MAJCOM/CC when he asked me personally what the major issues were, to a soon to be CSAF who asked my opinion, and to a Deputy SECDEF who express an interest. It was my job to voice the concerns of “my guys and girls”, but when things didn’t change I did everything in my power to help my folks succeed. On two occasions I also helped to superstars gracefully dismount. I had two WIC grads that were on the leadership track…easily could have been DO/CC’s, and neither one wanted it. I spent considerable time, effort, and favors helping them exit the leadership track without pissing everyone off. For the record I never asked or volentold one of my folks to raise a paw and lead the OG Christmas Party, CFC, or community event. Perhaps I am quibbling, but one of the most frustrating things about being one of those “clowns” was people had no idea how much time and effort you were expending to protect and help them…the only person that seemed to notice was my wife who would call to yell at me because it was the fourth night in a row I stayed at work past 2200 to work on OPRs and such, “do you plan on seeing your son this week?” Institutional change takes time and I honestly think Gen Welsh is trying to turn the ship, but there is a lot of momentum to overcome and a constant fear it will shift right back when he retires. I sincerely hope we can overcome those who want to wait him out and return to the corporate bullshit Air Force…our nation deserves better.

Yeah, it was a real rocket (engine thrust - about 18k, airframe fueled weight - about 17k with a pattern ride fuel load) and the first ride put you on your back so fast that you didn't really grasp it. The trick was to get it going straight up from standing start to vertical right over the middle of the runway (about 3000 ft from brake release to accelerating vertically), then be able to control it so you recovered without winding up on your back at low airspeed and lose it inverted. You could actually accelerate vertcally until you reached max limit airspeed, and even farther if you wanted to tear the wings off! However, the scariest part of that first ride was when the IP decided to go look at some rental property that he wanted to buy...suddenly there we were about 15 miles SE of D-M at about 100 ft in the -CT hopping over tree lines and wires while he tried to find the apartments. I was "concerned" to say the least, but he didn't seem to think it was a big deal. We went over some trees and pushed back down and wound up staring eye-to-eye with a guy in a big tractor on the rising terrain. We pulled up and he bailed out the side. I couldn't believe it. There was a slightly different attitude among some of those old guys in the 60s and early 70s! Luckily, I flew my next rides with Hector and it was a bit more sane, and we never heard about it from anybody (police, FAA, newspapers, etc.).

It is this line that I hate more than anything else. Everybody wants me and some tens of millions of law-abiding gun owners to "be reasonable." To compromise just a little bit. If I am not vilified outright, I am subjected to such polite condescension that I want to puke (no cute emoticon for you!). I did nothing wrong. Being "reasonable" means I have to alter my behavior to suit yours, or someone like you, opinion. I want you and others like you to be reasonable and leave me the hell alone. Your, and others like you, way means I have to change. I have to compromise. I have to give up a part of a fundamental right as an American so I can be thought of as "reasonable." My way means you, and others like, you don't have to do anything. To anyone. At anytime. Which way is more reasonable?

Well written in some regards, but off the mark on a quite a few others... For one, claiming that "Most guns kept in the home will never be used for self-defense. They are, in fact, more likely to be used by an unstable person to threaten family members or to commit suicide" is bullshit. Where is he getting these "facts?!?" He fails to source his claim, probably because he has no data to support it. Secondly, "Ordinary altercations can become needlessly deadly in the presence of a weapon" is bullshit as well. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary, and the same baseless arguments were used when states were considering issuing concealed carry permits. States that have allowed concealed carry have reported NO increase in gun-related crimes; in reality it has led to even lower crime rates. Again, another unsubstantiated claim. Thirdly, he fails to address the number of instances where an armed citizen thwarted a criminal act such as the Colorado mall shooting. He also fails to address the fact that many of these mass shooters commit suicide at the first sign of armed resistance (in Sandy Hook it was when he heard the police sirens). Fourthly, like many journalists, he erroneously uses the term "gun show loophole," which in reality does not exist. Many states allow private sales of firearms without going through a FFL. Licensed dealers must complete a 4473 on every sale be it at a gun show, a store or via the Internet. That is not required by many states for an exchange between two individuals, whether it is at a gun show or in someone's garage. There are no different restrictions based on location, just who is involved in the transaction. I expect someone who is trying to write intelligently on a subject do some basic research beforehand. Lastly, the author acts as if everyone carrying weapons are "legions of untrained, delusional vigilantes producing their weapons at a pin drop and firing indiscriminately into a crowd." I complete more training in a year than most of the patrol officers in this city. He minimizes the deterrence the possibility of an armed defender has on some criminals, which has been the driving point for 44 states to allow some sort of open carry.

This response addresses problems I'm sure you don't have, but it should answer questions other people might have. Read the DD Form 2697 to get a better idea. It's as in-depth as you want it to be and for as much time as the doc has (which is usually 10 min face time, tops). If you have a lot to discuss, be sure to tell that to the booking nurse/technician and request multiple slots to be combined. Most of the ones I've read/seen are pretty short and only address one or two things tops. A select few for really broke people are lengthy. They're a good idea if you intend to make a VA disability/injury claim, as it's likely the last medical note from AD that will document the status of your condition. It is not meant to be the document that shows the first instance of a major, chronic medical concern, as you should have brought it up long before. In fact, if you have had a big medical concern, but kept it to yourself for the last 12 months and suddenly now you want the Air Force to pay you big bucks, you just built your own case against you. My advice to anyone looking to separate/retire, if you want anything really evaluated, but have never brought it up before, start about 18 months out from your final out date. Even if it's a massively disqualifying condition, I-RILO's (Initial Review in Lieu of [Medical Evaluation Board]) take at least 6 months. The majority of the time, you'll be retained on ALC. Even if you lose on the I-RILOand go to full MEB/PEB with early medical separation, you can easily draw out the separation by appealing to SECAF and the Uniform Corrections Board (you have a 99% likelihood of losing the appeals). In the mean time, you'll rack up the months to meet the 20 year minimum, but we're talking about worst case scenario. Here's an excerpt of the reg that covers what it's for and why you get them: