Gov. Mike Pence discusses plan to arm National Guard

For Gov. Mike Pence, arming the more than 14,000 members of the Indiana National Guard is, above all else, a matter of safety.

Safety for the men and women who have made the choice to serve. Safety for the civilians who work alongside soldiers and airmen at dozens of National Guard facilities across the state.

Safety for Hoosiers who might find themselves in the path of an attack such as the Thursday shootings that took the lives of five U.S. service members in Chattanooga, Tenn.

“Quite simply, I will not allow our citizen soldiers to remain unable to defend themselves and our citizens at facilities around the state,” Pence said. “Those who serve in the Indiana Army and Air National Guard, and their families, make great sacrifices for the people of Indiana. They deserve nothing less than our best efforts to see to their safety and security, and that is the very foundation of my decision.”

On Saturday, Pence issued an executive order that will allow the arming of all Indiana National Guard members at facilities and recruiting sites statewide.

That means starting Monday, National Guard members at the state’s 62 armories, two air wings, 12 recruiting storefronts and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center will be allowed to carry their personal weapons with the proper permit.

Pence’s action follows similar moves to arm guardsmen in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Pence said his administration also is working on a policy that will allow National Guard members without a permit to obtain one at an expedited basis if they so desire.

For security reasons, additional information about timing and scope of the policy are not being discussed publicly, Pence said.

“It is important to note that Indiana is home to the fourth-largest National Guard contingent in America, and our National Guard is a source of great pride to all the people of Indiana,” Pence said. “The action that we’ve taken is born of my heartfelt desire to make sure that those who are defending our freedom can defend themselves in the event that they are put in harm’s way.”

Maj. Gen. Courtney Carr, Indiana’s adjutant general, said the most important thing about the policy is ensuring the safety and security of his soldiers and airmen. The National Guard is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies on training, implementation and permitting, he said.

Additionally, the National Guard armories are home to military weapons that will be carried by qualified individuals who receive orders to serve as force protection officers or commanding officers.

“I’m extremely appreciative of Governor Pence’s quick action to allow us to increase the protection of our soldiers and airmen,” Carr said. “Our training will include rules on use of force to make it clear that this policy is about self-defense and not to supplant the great protection we have from our law enforcement officials around the state.”

Four Marines and a Navy petty officer were killed in Thursday’s attacks at a U.S. Navy Reserve Center before the gunman, Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was killed in a shootout with police.

The four Marines killed in the attack were identified as Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, Springfield, Mass.; Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, Burke, N.C.; Sgt. Carson Holmquist, Polk, Wis.; and Lance Cpl. Squire K. Wells, Cobb, Ga. Navy Petty Officer Randall Smith, a logistics specialist originally from Paulding, Ohio, died early Saturday.

Hundreds of people paid tribute to the servicemen across Tennessee on Saturday, as well as the nine people killed in last month’s shooting at a church in Charleston, S.C.

On Friday, Gen. Ray Odierno, chief of staff of the Army, said that security at military recruiting and reserve centers would be reviewed but that it was too early to say whether the facilities should have security guards or other increased protection. Congressional leaders said Friday that they would direct the Pentagon to allow troops to carry guns on bases.

USA TODAY contributed to this story. Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack .