Talk to your fellow Veterans about safe gun storage

RallyPoint News — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 10:32:59 -0400

It takes a community to help reduce Veteran suicide. Learn how you can support Veterans by safely disposing of unused medication.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Oct 2 at 2020 3:24 AM

SGT Robert Pryor — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 03:24:50 -0400

I hate these messages, They just reinforce the leftists' agenda. Veterans know more about firearm safety than most.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Oct 4 at 2020 9:05 PM

PVT Mark Zehner — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 21:05:00 -0400

Thank you

Response by TSgt David L. made Oct 9 at 2020 10:06 PM

TSgt David L. — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:06:52 -0400

Why are we focusing on a symptom rather than taking proper care of our Veterans' needs?

Response by SGT Steve McFarland made Oct 9 at 2020 10:30 PM

SGT Steve McFarland — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:30:19 -0400

Mine are safely stored, one is loaded and in a holster hanging beside my bed, one is loaded and stuck to a magnet under the edge of my dinner table, four are loaded and in a tray at the foot of my bed, one is in its case beside my bed with four, loaded 30 round mags, and another one is loaded in my closet. I am never more than ten feet from a loaded gun anywhere in my house.

I lost a Brother in October 2017 to suicide, but in spite of having several guns, he hung himself with a tie-down strap, because all the VA would do was throw drugs at him. He was a Veteran of three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan...

Response by SFC William Farrell made Oct 9 at 2020 11:51 PM

SFC William Farrell — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 23:51:18 -0400

The VA is the last people I tell about my guns. It seems like the people the VA trust the least with guns is the people they are treating, Veterans who have given so much for their country and have spent years with their issued weapons. They have the experience.

Response by SGT Steve McFarland made Oct 10 at 2020 7:03 PM

SGT Steve McFarland — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 19:03:36 -0400

Not only are my guns stored safely when I am at home, I have spent over eighteen hours over the last two days carrying a loaded gun on my person, and because I work part-time at a gun shop, I have been in proximity to several other people who were carrying guns because all the employees carry when they are at work. I didn't have any sense that either of my guns was going to jump out of its holster and start shooting people. All of the guns in the shop were very well behaved, as none of them tried to load themselves either.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Oct 10 at 2020 7:30 PM

SFC William Farrell — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 19:30:07 -0400

I came across this research article and it was funded by the VA. It researches women in the military and post deployment gun use by women. I'm only pasting the conclusion of the study but it sort of tells you how the VA feels about service members and gun and the article was about women veterans. I can imagine what they conclude if it ere on the men! ConclusionsOur research indicates that guns/weapons use for personal self-defense is an important postdeployment public health consideration for female I/A military women and veterans postdeployment and a potential marker for complex postdeployment readjustment problems that providers must be aware of and address. Further research and intervention opportunities are necessary to better understand and address gun/weapon use in U.S. military women and veterans to support their and their families’ health and safety postdeployment

(PDF) Factors Associated with U.S. Military Women Keeping Guns or Weapons Nearby for Personal Security Following Deployment. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341705771_Factors_Associated_with_US_Military_Women_Keeping_Guns_or_Weapons_Nearby_for_Personal_Security_Following_Deployment [accessed Oct 10 2020].

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Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 23 at 2020 12:37 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 00:37:43 -0400

Does anyone at the VA ever think before posting? There needs to be some critical thinking applied that seeks to discover the best solution from all viewpoints and possibilities.

It is very well documented that many veterans live in poverty. This results in a disproportionate amount of veterans living in high-crime areas. How are these folks going to defend themselves from violent criminals without easy access to their legally-owned firearms? Should they tell the home invader to wait until they get the gun safe open? Should they pause the robbery in progress so that they can retrieve their concealed carry weapon from their locked glove box? Maybe impoverished veterans should drop $5K on a fingerprint-open gun safe big enough to hold their shotgun or AR15. Does any of this make logical sense? NO!!!

***PSA FOR ALL THE VETS OUT THERE***

Don’t EVER be honest about your firearm ownership with any health care provider, government bureaucrat, and especially not the VA. If they already know, lie to them that they were stolen or lost in a boating accidentc, and make sure it is documented in your file. You can’t trust these people with your rights!!!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2020 12:02 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:02:30 -0400

Oh yea this is where $2 mil was spent to help suicide prevention and mental health; kets spend the money on training people where to put their guns & how to dispose of meds. That will help mental health and suicide for sure. Not! how about spending some money on awareness and military/vets being able to use outside sources? Or having embedded therapists in units/ships as proven with the SOF community? Shows how much they even care when they don't realize that most deaths the last few YEARS weren't caused by old pills or personal guns.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2020 12:17 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:17:08 -0400

Another comment, I am so sick of the fact the idiots making these decisions have ZERO background in military mental health, cannot relate at all up there in DC. $222 MILLION just for suicide prevention and $9 BILLION on mental health in 2019 where did all go??? On ads? On mandating annual GMT (which is useless as it skirts around the subj and still doesn't address the STIGMA) for all? Somethings not right. The VA needs to be run by veterans period; and preferably ones that have experienced MH issues at some point. Mental health should NOT be scary words anymore. And i dont want to hear the 'dr.' In charge up in dc has a PHD and specializes in PTSD etc because they only started writing about it 10 years ago and cant even figure out how to 'properly' treat it. Done venting.

Response by Sgt John Steinmeier made Oct 26 at 2020 12:10 PM

Sgt John Steinmeier — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:10:47 -0400

https://youtu.be/Vb5quj6ZhJM?t=15

Hoot BHD - Hot weapon

Part from movie Black Hawk Down