REP. HANCOCK HELPS INVESTIGATE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD SECURITY MEASURES

ST. PAUL – Should Minnesota National Guard members be armed?

That question continues to be raised following the recent tragedy in Chattanooga, Tennessee where several military members were killed at a recruiting center.

The Minnesota House Veterans Affairs Division recently held an informational hearing in St. Paul to learn more about the safety and defense of Minnesota National Guard recruiting facilities. State Representative Dave Hancock (R-Bemidji), who serves as the Vice Chairman of the division, said it was a needed discussion.

"We need to make sure our military members are being adequately protected in a responsible manner, and the goal of the hearing was to learn more about the National Guard's safety procedures," Hancock said. "These are people we entrust with the responsibility to defend the citizens of our state, so it doesn't make sense to me that in some cases Minnesota might not be giving them the ability to defend and protect themselves."

Hancock said the non-federalized National Guard works for the governor and falls under state jurisdiction, which is the reason governors can authorize their personnel to carry arms.

To date, Governor Dayton has not ordered any immediate upgrades to security at Minnesota National Guard recruiting stations, while governors in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin have ordered the arming of their off-base recruiters.

In response, a number of state lawmakers recently discussed potential legislation that would allow Minnesota National Guard members and other active-duty military personnel to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. At the hearing, the Adjutant General told the division additional legislation to arm guard members was not needed. Because of the Chattanooga shooting, Hancock expects the committee will continue analyzing the Guard's security procedures.

"As lawmakers, we have a real obligation to ensure that we're ahead of the game in terms of protecting our people," Hancock said. "The safety of our National Guard should be one of our top priorities."