NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The fallout from the Chattanooga shootings continues. Tuesday, Military leaders addressed lawmakers at the State Capitol.
Adjutant General Max Haston spoke to the Joint Transportation Committee about guard members being allowed to carry weapons onto state and federal facilities.
“So what I wanted to make sure is that they do not violate the federal law because it is a criminal act if you carry a privately owned weapon onto a federal facility. So what I wanted to do is allowed them to exercise their right as a citizen of Tennessee to carry a privately owned weapon into a state facility and then if they could not carry it onto a federal facility then provide federal weapons for them to have there for their protection,” said AG Haston.
Just last week Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and General Haston issued the directive that Tennessee Army and Air National Guard members who have valid handgun carry permits will be able to carry their weapons on site.
Since the July attack, at least a half-dozen states have ordered National Guardsmen to be armed.
