Generals and Admirals Urge Congress to Amend Personal Weapon Privacy Law

[mikeb302000]

The Star-Telegram reports

A group of senior retired generals and admirals are calling for Congress to amend a recent law that they say "dangerously interferes" with the ability of commanders to battle the epidemic of suicides among members of the military.

Legislation added to the 2011 defense authorization bill at the urging of gun-rights advocates prohibits commanders from collecting any information about weapons privately owned by troops.

Critics say the law prevents commanders from talking to service members about their privately owned weapons -- such as encouraging the use of a gunlock or temporary storage away from their homes -- even in cases when the commanding officer thinks the service member is at risk for suicide.

"The law is directly prohibiting conversations that are needed to save lives," states a letter sent last week to members of Congress by a dozen retired officers, including former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis Reimer and former surgeons general for the Army, Air Force and Navy.

"It unnecessarily hampers a commander from taking all possible practical steps for preventing suicide," one of the signers, Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, said Saturday. Dubik commanded the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq in 2007 and 2008.

As of the end of October, the number of suspected suicides by active-duty soldiers in the Army alone had reached 166, one more than the total for last year.

We had quite a heated discussion about this last month. Gun control folks don't seem to have any difficulty with the idea that gun availability is a contributing factor in suicide. The Generals and Admirals who are urging Congress to change this law seem to agree.

Only gun-rights fanatics argue such nonsense as people who want to commit suicide will always succeed in doing it even if there is no gun. No amount of surveys or academic research or indeed, common sense can dissuade them from their single-minded objective. They want to defend guns and gun ownership at any cost. They refuse to admit that the lethality and efficiency of a gun makes attempted suicide more likely to succeed.

To support their absurd argument, they insist that people who attempt suicide are never suffering from a temporary problem but are truly determined to do themselves in and will go to any length to accomplish it. Some go so far as to say it's every person's right to commit suicide and no one should interfere.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Cross posted at Mikeb302000

[GreenStormCloud]

1. I served nine years active duty.

It was none of the military's business if I had a gun at my off-base residence. Yes, I had several guns.

If a person wants to kill themselves, taking their gun away won't stop them.

[ebbie15644]

2. Maybe not but asking these questions can help determine if there is a serious plan and

if further steps need to be taken to ensure safety

[GreenStormCloud]

3. The command can have the service member see a psychiatrist.

That would be more effective.

[Clames]

4. What a crock of crap.

As a current active duty member I know that personal firearms are discussed with the topic of suicide especially with the recent stand down event. Such ignorance to suggest otherwise.

[sarisataka]

5. One of my last duties

before retirement was working with troops coming home from deployments. We discussed many issues including PTSD and suicide.

The law does not prevent any discussion, suggestion or intervention on suicide- including talking about firearms. What it does mean is that command cannot make an itemized list of every gun a military member privately owns.

[PavePusher]

6. "The law is directly prohibiting conversations that are needed to save lives,"

There is no such prohibition.

Unless you can cite to it, of course....

[Eleanors38]

7. Suicides may be result of re- re- redeployments...

But simple "solutions" are the order of the day.

I agree with view that COs should order psychiatric evaluation; presumably, psychiatrists have more expertise.

[Trunk Monkey]

8. As a former Service Member, the problem I see is this

They start with the best intentions by asking questions and they end up with every junior EM in the command required to store all their firearms in the unit arms room so that no one can ruin the commander’s career by committing suicide.

When I arrived at Ft. Carson in 1992 there was a standing post order by Major General Guy LaBoa that no one E-4 and below could have a firearm in their quarters (on post or off). This insanity was taken to the point that a guy in my unit who happened to be from Co Springs was almost denied permission to live off post with his parents because there were gun in the home.