Governor Mike Pence says he wants all Hoosiers to know that, beginning Monday morning, members of the National Guard will be armed and able to defend themselves.
Governor Pence says the attack on a military installation in Tennessee that left four Marines and a Navy sailor dead made the Indiana National Guard’s new policy necessary and appropriate.
He says soldiers and airmen with handgun permits can carry their personal guns at all National Guard facilities around the state.
“Those who serve in the Indiana Army and Air National Guard and their families make great sacrifices for the people of Indiana,” Pence said, “and they deserve nothing less than our best efforts to see to their safety and security.”
Adjutant General Courtney Carr says the National Guard will work with the State Police to provide training to servicemembers who don’t yet have permits to carry:
“Our training will include some safety training and rules on the use of force to be clear that this policy is about self-defense,” Carr said.
Carr adds he’s not concerned about the potential influx of so many weapons onto National Guard installations because, as he puts it, “safety is paramount.”
