1SG_1st_Cav Posted February 13, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 13, 2013 Google the phrase "Marines in inaugural parade had bolts removed from their rifles" above and you'll see that our USMC troops are marching with NO BOLTS IN THEIR M-14s during the the last inauguration day parade. Some have said this was standard procedure for all inauguration parades. Anyone have pictures of previous inauguration parades to confirm or deny this quote? If this is the first time it has happened, then it would be a slap in the face of the USMC. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted February 13, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 13, 2013 Generally speaking, not even non-Secret Service law enforcement is allowed to have a long gun when near the President of the United States. It is not a slap in the face, it is safeguarding the President, and when you are near him you follow Secret Service rules. I suspect it is out of a fear that some unstable Marine, cop, etc would do something to harm him, and nothing more. I would not read too much into it, and highly doubt it is a recent change. MW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLegGI Posted February 13, 2013 Share #3 Posted February 13, 2013 Generally speaking, not even non-Secret Service law enforcement is allowed to have a long gun when near the President of the United States. It is not a slap in the face, it is safeguarding the President, and when you are near him you follow Secret Service rules. I suspect it is out of a fear that some unstable Marine, cop, etc would do something to harm him, and nothing more. I would not read too much into it, and highly doubt it is a recent change. MW So in other words service members can't be trusted is what you're saying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWalsh Posted February 13, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 13, 2013 Where on earth did you get that from? Lighten up and stop trying to read an insult into this - there was not one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted February 13, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 13, 2013 So in other words service members can't be trusted is what you're saying? What hes saying is probably that incase a gun was to be dropped, the weapon discharges, a bullet might injure someone or kill. Or a deranged Person may grab the gun and attack someone? Many reasons but I doubt its that Service Members can't be trusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 13, 2013 Share #6 Posted February 13, 2013 Well the fact that the rifles in question still have nice and pointy 10 inch long M1 bayonets on them puts all the nails in the coffin of this issue as far as I am concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1ashooter Posted February 13, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 13, 2013 This is way too much overkill IMHO.. In 1976 Queen Elizabeth reviewed me and the other reenactors in Boston. We were all armed wtih muskets, bayonets, swords and hawks. She had one big security guy in front of her. The security of the President of the United States is way over the top. He is just one person who can be replaced. Its the reason with have a chain of succession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLegGI Posted February 13, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 13, 2013 Where on earth did you get that from? Lighten up and stop trying to read an insult into this - there was not one. "I suspect it is out of a fear that some unstable Marine, cop, etc would do something to harm him, and nothing more." Well the fact that each and every service member swears and oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States. We are trained to handle our weapons, both in peacetime in and war. It is a slap in the face to every service member who has ever carried a weapon in defense of this nation to render a weapon inoperable because your president fears you. Not to mention the bullet proof glass that encases the president and his box. I would also suspect that these units are some of the VERY BEST and FINEST in our nation and as such, deserve a place of honor in the parade. If there were something wrong with any of those Marines, if they were acting odd, weird or strange, I can guarantee that someone would notice, be it their friends, NCO's, officers or at the very latest the Secret Service. If I can't carry my weapon fully operational in a parade, what is the point of carrying them at all? What hes saying is probably that incase a gun was to be dropped, the weapon discharges, a bullet might injure someone or kill. Or a deranged Person may grab the gun and attack someone? Many reasons but I doubt its that Service Members can't be trusted. It doesn't look as if they are carrying any rounds on them, which I'm completely fine with, but that extra step of disabling the rifle is a bit much. A Secret Service member or Cop is just as likely to drop their weapon and cause the same type of incident you're describing. The fact they are carrying ammo would make it 100% more likely to be an officer rather than a military member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgawne Posted February 13, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 13, 2013 Ah, (he says joking), where did Lee Harvey Oswald learn to shoot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLegGI Posted February 13, 2013 Share #10 Posted February 13, 2013 Mwalsh and I had a private chat, we're good and have an understanding of the issue. Some things just hit my buttons and this type of incident happens to be one of them and really has nothing to do with Mwalsh. Anyway, CHEERS Dent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLegGI Posted February 13, 2013 Share #11 Posted February 13, 2013 Ah, (he says joking), where did Lee Harvey Oswald learn to shoot? Also true, one of the best shots every made, but he wasn't active duty at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Third Herd Posted February 13, 2013 Share #12 Posted February 13, 2013 Several years ago Dick Chaney was in town and they blocked traffic on the cross streets of his motorcade route. I was a city bus driver and had to wait over half an hour for his motorcade to go by. I let the passengers who had to get to work off and they were allowed to walk across the street. It seems like they could block traffic when the motorcade was near. My Dad told me that Harry Truman took the train to town and the Secret Service came in before hand and nailed the windows of the candy factory where he worked closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted February 13, 2013 Share #13 Posted February 13, 2013 Actually President Truman walked freely through Independence without any special precautions. When I was a kid I stood on the sidewalk in front of his home and said hello to him. He was no more than 10 yards or so from me. If anyone watched the state of the union tonight, I can't see why anyone is surprised by this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dskjl Posted February 13, 2013 Share #14 Posted February 13, 2013 Several years ago there was a pic on one of the gun forums showing our secret service folks escorting/covering the president with FN P90's with no mags. Pretty funny pic, whish I had saved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted February 13, 2013 Share #15 Posted February 13, 2013 Back during the bicentennial of the battle of Yorktown, President Reagan and other dignitaries spoke. As one of the reenactors at the battle, when it was time to go hear the speeches, they had us remove the flints out of our muskets. The Secret Service is not in the habit of taking chances with the president! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGrayGhost Posted February 13, 2013 Share #16 Posted February 13, 2013 It is not a matter of trust, it's simply a matter of reducing variables. Since the presence of the Marines was strictly ceremonial, there was no reason they needed weapons that are fully operational. The Secret Service doesn't have the time or resources to do security checks on every single person so they can carry a weapon. They just want one less gun on site that can could potentially kill the president either accidentally or purposefully. I am sure Rush Limbaugh will lead everyone he can to believe it is a plot by the liberal communist agenda. But reason tells me it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KABAR2 Posted February 14, 2013 Share #17 Posted February 14, 2013 Back during the bicentennial of the battle of Yorktown, President Reagan and other dignitaries spoke. As one of the reenactors at the battle, when it was time to go hear the speeches, they had us remove the flints out of our muskets. The Secret Service is not in the habit of taking chances with the president! Yes and they did a quick inspection of our cartridge boxes but nobody thought to check our haversacks.... none of us were that close to the stand where the dignataries were and there were bullet proof glass or lexan between the podium and the crowd.... On one of the days there was a french dignatriy that was to come into one of the camps I and another fellow were tapped for honor guard ... no precautions or checks were done on that occiassion..... from what I have read and heard all branches of service had to do the same not just the marines and a civil war re-enactment group had to remove the nipples from their guns... from what I have read of past events this is something new where the military is concerned..... but didn't the marines in Afganistan have to leave their arms by their bunks during a recient visit? a war zone? I do think there is a trust issue going on between this admin and the military.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted February 15, 2013 Share #18 Posted February 15, 2013 I remember the secret service coming around at our encampment and having us drop our ramrods down the barrels of our muskets so that they could here the "ping" when the ramrod hit bottom of an unloaded musket. Ramrods were then left in our tents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted February 15, 2013 Share #19 Posted February 15, 2013 I am reading "An Army at Dawn" and just finished the portion on Roosevelt's visit to Casablanca. While there, Roosevelt reviewed the troops and the troops were not allowed to have any ammunition on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted February 15, 2013 Share #20 Posted February 15, 2013 Look's like the bolts are in these weapons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted February 15, 2013 Share #21 Posted February 15, 2013 Don't know about your picture, but these Marines don't have bolts in their rifles. I think it says a lot about our Commander in Chief. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuJRf7HNVSo&feature=player_embedded#! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted February 15, 2013 Share #22 Posted February 15, 2013 The United States is technically a country at war (as is the UK) There are those who would do your citizens and your President harm, given the opportunity. I seem to remember a rogue US Army major firing on his comrades not too long ago. We might not like it, but tight security is a necessity these days....on both sides of the pond! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted February 15, 2013 Share #23 Posted February 15, 2013 Several years ago there was a pic on one of the gun forums showing our secret service folks escorting/covering the president with FN P90's with no mags. Pretty funny pic, whish I had saved it. I've worked with a few people that were assigned to Presidential details and I can assure you the Secret Service is well armed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted February 15, 2013 Share #24 Posted February 15, 2013 I remember the news footage from when President Regan was shot. Within a nano-second, UZIs began appearing in the hands of the Secret Service agents guarding him....and that was back in the 80s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfireguy Posted February 15, 2013 Share #25 Posted February 15, 2013 Is this the only time that bolts have been removed from a presidential ceremony like this or has it happened before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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