The Pentagon has asked armed civilians, who have been voluntarily guarding military recruitment centers after last week's deadly shootings in Chattanooga, Tenn., to stand down.
In the aftermath of the Chattanooga killings, the citizens of the U.S. realized that military personnel at recruitment centers and bases were not allowed to carry fire arms. This meant, in effect, that when 24-year-old Muhammed Youssef Abdulazeez attacked the military facilities in Chattanooga and killed five U.S. service members, the soldiers there had not been in a position to defend themselves.
In an outpouring of support since the incident, armed civilians - some of them members of private militias - have turned up outside recruitment centers in an effort to protect them.
"To have someone throw lead at you and you not be able to throw it back just seems victim. These guys should be able to be comfortable and not have to worry about what's behind the next car, and that is why I am here," Kim Paulsen, a member of the Iowa Militia standing near a recruitment center in Des Moines, told KCCI-TV on Tuesday, according to The International Business Times.
The past weeks have seen the appearance of a group called Operation Hero Guard in Cleburne, Texas, armed with assault rifles. In another incident, armed civilians were ordered off the property after one accidentally discharged his rifle into the pavement in Lancaster, Ohio, BBC News reported.
The Pentagon says that while it appreciates the support, armed civilians could pose an unintended security risk, and has therefore requested them to stand down.
"We take the safety of our service members, our DoD civilians, and the families who support them very seriously, and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is currently reviewing recommendations from the services for making our installations and facilities safer - including our recruiting stations. While we greatly appreciate the outpouring of support for our recruiters from the American public, we ask that individuals not stand guard at recruiting offices as it could adversely impact our mission, and potentially create unintended security risks. We continue to partner with and rely on first responders for the safety of the communities where our service members live and work," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement.
U.S. officials say the government does not intend to change the way they are staffed, and they also opine that there is no indication of further danger to recruitment centers.
