Army Chief of Staff Says Concealed Carry Wouldn’t Have Stopped Fort Hood Shooting

Army Chief of Staff Says Concealed Carry Wouldn’t Have Stopped Fort Hood Shooting (The Washington Free Beacon)

Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, came out strongly against the carrying of private guns on military bases as a security measure in the wake of shootings at Fort Hood, the Washington Navy Yard and a recruiting station in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Milley, who assumed his current post in August 2015, was testifying alongside acting Secretary of the Army and former democratic congressman, Patrick Murphy before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) asked Milley about what the Army has done to better protect personnel and if the Army would consider letting soldiers carry their own weapons on bases.

“Such as recruiting stations, such as Chattanooga, the assessments are done by the local commanders…and make a determination whether it was appropriate or not appropriate to arm them. So he delegated the authority in the assessment to the commanders, which is appropriate. Commanders should make those decisions because one size won’t fit all,” Milley said.