General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: My Case Against Assault Weapons [View all]CajunBlazer
(5,648 posts)I don't know where you got your information, but it is wrong. The AR-15 was used by the Air Force SP's (Security Police) who guarded our SAC (Strategic Air Command) alert pad at Mather AFB, in Rancho Cordova, CA. For the uninformed, the alert pad was where our 6 nuclear armed B-52's (in our case B-52G's) on our base were parked and where their crews were temporarily housed, ready to roll down the runway in the event of an attack by Soviet nuclear armed ICBM's or aircraft.
When our repair technicians had to go out to the pad to effect repairs on the B-52's or KC-135's (also on alert), they had to be accompanied by a maintenance officer for security reasons. (We had special badges which signified that we had been cleared for the alert pad.) Such visits weren't need often because aircraft in good working order seldom developed problems just sitting on alert, but I accompanied technicians on at least a couple of occasions. The SP's who challenged us as our trucks as we approached the pad were very serious fellows armed with AR-15's. I will never forget having to rescue a fellow officer who left his security badge in his office when he drove out to the pad. When I arrived, two SP's had him spread eagle face down on the concrete with AR-15's pointed in his general direction.
Surely you don't think we would guarded the access to nuclear weapons with hand guns or hunting rifles.