Posted on Jul 6, 2016
Why Is The VA Buying Guns And Tactical Equipment?
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The Department of Veterans Affairs bought more than $11 million worth of weapons, ammo and other security equipment between 2005 and 2014, according to a report released last month by a nonprofit organization that tracks spending across the federal government.
The report, called The Militarization of America and published by OpenTheBooks, said the VA acquired a variety of pistols — Berettas, Sig Sauers, Lugers — and ammunition, as well as body armor, police batons, ballistic shields, riot shields and helmets, night gun sights, tactical equipment for crowd control and more.
The report, called The Militarization of America and published by OpenTheBooks, said the VA acquired a variety of pistols — Berettas, Sig Sauers, Lugers — and ammunition, as well as body armor, police batons, ballistic shields, riot shields and helmets, night gun sights, tactical equipment for crowd control and more.
Why Is The VA Buying Guns And Tactical Equipment?
Posted from taskandpurpose.comPosted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Firearms and Guns
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Firearms and Guns
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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$11.6M divided by 3700 officers is $3135 each. An M9 or Sig with Maintenance Plan is $1k, which is needed for each individual.
When you get into the other items, which aren't required in "each" amounts (shared by shift, or Team allocated), the numbers aren't as bad as they sound.
Basically, it's inflating numbers by using TOTAL.
I'm not saying there aren't items that the VA shouldn't have... but some of the VA Facilities are MASSIVE, and those necessitate their own "police force" just because of the size of their campuses. Relying on outside police would be foolish, therefore we must equip them just like any other police department.
When you get into the other items, which aren't required in "each" amounts (shared by shift, or Team allocated), the numbers aren't as bad as they sound.
Basically, it's inflating numbers by using TOTAL.
I'm not saying there aren't items that the VA shouldn't have... but some of the VA Facilities are MASSIVE, and those necessitate their own "police force" just because of the size of their campuses. Relying on outside police would be foolish, therefore we must equip them just like any other police department.
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PO3 Steven Sherrill
SGT (Join to see) SSgt Ryan Sylvester VA is like being a civilian on a military installation. It is easy to forget that you are on Federal Lands, and any violation is literally a federal case. So "You don't have to make a federal case about it." Goes out the window. Being convicted in Federal Court can have lasting implications.
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SGT (Join to see)
SSgt Ryan Sylvester, I've seen more than one vet in shackles and handcuffs being escorted to the jail in the VA. I was aiting in line for travel pay and the guy in front of me went off on the clerk. The clerk told him to calm down or she was going to call the police. He looked at her and said " and then what bitch"? I just rolled my eyes and waited for the cops to arrive. He tried giving the cops a hard time but they had him hooked before he knew it and they were dragging him down the hallway. I smiled and said Adios idiot.
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SGT (Join to see)
PO3 Steven Sherrill, you're very correct. It's easy to forget you're on Federal property, until you see someone hooked up and on their way to the jail inside the VA. Do you know what the fine is for illegal parking? $150, and up depending on how many times you park illegally. How do I know? I just know. LOL
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SPC James Gehringer
very correct my local V.A. hospital has it's own police force so they would need to buy the equipment to propely outfit that police force.
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The VA has a police department. At times police departments have to go through upgrades of equipment. Everything from bullets and body armor to vehicles has a shelf life. If you break down the amount spent against the number of officers listed 3,200, it works out to about 3500 per officer. For body armor, ammunition, and side arm, that does not seem too unreasonable to me.
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The optimist in me says it's because the VA is a target to radical foreign and homegrown terrorism and needs to be able to protect themselves and visitors with a security plan ..
The pessimist in me can conjury much worse things, but it does not make them so.
The pessimist in me can conjury much worse things, but it does not make them so.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGM Erik Marquez, I'm sure part of it is about protection from terrorism, but here in Houston, they never know what they are up against with troublemakers.
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