If they brought back the Firing Squad, would you volunteer?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:06:58 -0500

So, you joined to kill right? You thought it was going to be the enemy, but the war is winding down. You find out that there is a position as member of the firing squad. You must be an expert rifleman (or woman) and you only kill convicted felons, (murderers, rapists, and pedophiles, acts of espionage and treason) would you, could you do it? If it was a one year tour and convicts were scheduled for the squad at least once per week.(Fridays) Some travel expected, uniform allowance for hardship duty. Would it compromise your morals to kill an American?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2014 4:11 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:11:09 -0500

This would only be for military though as Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the AC and RC to do anything law enforcement wise unless they are state run like the NG.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

Posse Comitatus Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Posse Comitatus Act is a United States federal law (18 U.S.C.§1385, original at 20Stat.152) signed on June 18, 1878 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The purpose of the act – in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807 – is to limit the powers of the federal government in using its military personnel to act as domestic law enforcement personnel. It was passed as an amendment to an army appropriation bill following the end of...

Response by PO2 Corey Ferretti made Nov 23 at 2014 4:45 PM

PO2 Corey Ferretti — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:45:08 -0500

I had to to put maybe because i would not know if i could do it. It would be easy to say yes but we all know it is a different story when you are actually there and it is not just words.

Response by PO1 Steven Kuhn made Nov 23 at 2014 4:42 PM

PO1 Steven Kuhn — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:42:46 -0500

I would kill to protect myself, my family, or anyone who was in imminent threat of losing their life. I would also kill any enemy attempting to harm America or Americans if the order was a lawful order. I pray for the courage to use my weapon only if necessary, and also pray I will never need it except for hunting and concurrently pray for the wisdom to know the need is real and the aim is true. I do not believe a weapon is needed for vengeance, only for protection.
r/

Steve

Response by LTC Paul Heinlein made Nov 23 at 2014 4:44 PM

LTC Paul Heinlein — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:44:51 -0500

I would not volunteer. Killing someone is not something a person should think lightly about doing.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 23 at 2014 5:41 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 17:41:43 -0500

I didn't join to kill. I would not volunteer for this assignment. To me, there is a huge difference in going to war and killing the enemy and volunteering to kill someone. I don't need the extra mental baggage. When we were in Iraq, I asked my troops if they felt like they could hit a pedestrian, even a child, if I felt like we were being set up for an ambush and the enemy goal was to get us to stop in a kill zone. I had multiple drivers to select from. It was an appropriate question to ask seeing that it was a proven techniques that the enemy had chosen to employ. Decisions like that can really tear a part of your soul from you.

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Nov 23 at 2014 5:58 PM

SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 17:58:49 -0500

Taking a life in protection of my life or someone else's life is one thing. Killing as a result of a court decision is another.

Response by SFC Vernon McNabb made Nov 23 at 2014 6:48 PM

SFC Vernon McNabb — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 18:48:03 -0500

That would depend upon which end of the rifle I was positioned.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2014 7:57 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 19:57:07 -0500

Absolutely, it would be no different to me than performing any other civic duty. Those who complain about jury duty really have no reason to complain about the justice system. It is our civic duty to ensure that justice is served as a society.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Nov 23 at 2014 8:04 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 20:04:08 -0500

Even though there's supposed to be a blank in one of the rifles, I couldn't do it with a clean consciousness. Some ISIS bastard beheading innocent civilians, keep the clips coming. IMHO, executing an unarmed prisoner, regardless of what they did is criminal justice, not enemies foreign or domestic. I know that may be a very fine line, especially if the individual is a domestic terrorist like Timothy McVeigh or one of our own military folks who killed others in or out of uniform, but neither my head nor heart would be in it.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Nov 23 at 2014 8:39 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 20:39:29 -0500

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member, Pvt Edward "Eddie" Slovik was the last person to be executed for desertion since the Civil War. He was executed by FIRING SQUAD on 31JAN45. I don't know if the members of the firing detail were allowed to volunteer, but the Wikipedia article indicates only that "Twelve picked soldiers were detailed." Further, a History Channel account indicates that "None of the rifleman so much as flinched, believing Slovik had gotten what he deserved."
I certainly would not want to be faced with such a decision.

Response by SSG Daniel Deiler made Nov 23 at 2014 8:46 PM

SSG Daniel Deiler — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 20:46:22 -0500

I wouldn't even think twice. If someone were convicted of something heinous enough to deserve and receive the death penalty I would kill without mercy. And I would probably should for the knee cap. The groin. Make sure the convicted suffers as much as possible like they deserve before dying.

Response by PFC Zanie Young made Nov 23 at 2014 9:03 PM

PFC Zanie Young — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:03:32 -0500

I am a Mormon. They tell me I should not kill, however, I have earned the title "Soldier" and was trained to kill. In my soldier's mind, I say "Where do I sign?" Never mind I have only a marksman badge, but if it gives me a chance to hurt someone for hurting someone else (especially rapists and pedophiles) without having to resort to broom handles in that person's rectum (which I will do), then please hand me a rifle and let me give them headshots I'm known for! Then I would ask Heavenly Father forgiveness for every life I took.

Response by SFC Melker Johansson made Nov 23 at 2014 9:12 PM

SFC Melker Johansson — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:12:04 -0500

I'm opposed to the death penalty and would refuse to participate.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2014 9:19 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:19:34 -0500

Did you join to kill? I sure didn't

Response by CPL Rick Stasny made Nov 23 at 2014 9:39 PM

CPL Rick Stasny — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:39:08 -0500

I would not volunteer, a year of being the shooter every time, way too much baggage to carry. If I were ordered to be a member of a firing squad once, I would comply and pray that I am the one who was given blanks. The certainty of the condemned's guilt would also be a consideration for me.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 23 at 2014 9:57 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 21:57:57 -0500

I for one never enlisted for the direct purpose of killing people. The stereotype that all soldiers are just bloodthirsty psychopathic killers is a stigma that we don't need to attempt to reinforce.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 3:33 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 03:33:15 -0500

I was fortunate enough in my time overseas to never have to fire a shot in anger. I was RCP, so getting blown up (or watching it happen to my brothers) was a fairly regular occurance, but we never found ourselves in a situation warranting return fire. I have seen what it does to people, though, those that shoot in self defense or defense of others. I don't want to see what it does to a person in a firing squad, when they have no way of morally justifying it to themselves.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 10:18 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 22:18:14 -0500

If someone needs to do it I would step up.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 10:23 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 22:23:30 -0500

I wouldn't volunteer, but if it were to be my duty, that would be different

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 10:34 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 22:34:37 -0500

I am curious: those that say they would not volunteer, would you do it for such aggregious killers as Maj Hasan, or Akbar? I know I would have shot them at the moment, but facing them down a barrel years later.....I honestly don't know. Maybe if I had a more direct relationship to the victims

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2014 1:44 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 01:44:20 -0500

I really couldn't select any of the options on the poll as it was written. Executing prisoners on a weekly basis would likely have people like PVT Slovik in my sights. That would be a tough one. I wouldn't volunteer, but would do it if asked.

Now with some of the names listed here like the Fort Hood shooter, I would gladly step up and pay for my own ammunition.

Response by MSG Jay Jackson made Dec 15 at 2016 10:10 AM

MSG Jay Jackson — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:10:45 -0500

Do it just like a jury selection.

Response by SSgt Christopher Brose made Dec 16 at 2016 1:06 PM

SSgt Christopher Brose — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 13:06:13 -0500

Absolutely I would do it. It's not about wanting to kill, it's about wanting to see justice. And as a Christian, I would have no qualms or second thoughts. The Bible is clear that the government, and agents of the government, have different roles than individual Christians.

"For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." (Romans 13:4)

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Feb 13 at 2017 9:00 PM

MSG Dan Castaneda — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 21:00:29 -0500

I would kill terrorist in a heart beat.

Response by SFC George Smith made Feb 13 at 2017 10:59 PM

SFC George Smith — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 22:59:09 -0500

to terminate the Evil in out society... I would stand in Line...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2017 1:47 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 13:47:28 -0500

only if I can use my P38.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Feb 14 at 2017 2:52 PM

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:52:32 -0500

I could only kill in a time of war as trained or to protect my family. I agree that it is a valid method of execution and viable, I just don't think I could do it unless the individual was responsible for the death or rape of my mother, mother in law, or daughter...even then...if I am being honest...I would have to seriously think about it.