NRA's LaPierre Calls For More Armed Personnel Following Navy Yard Shooting

National Rifle Association (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre called Sunday for increased security at U.S. military bases and the reexamination of a Department of Defense (DoD) Directive largely disarming members of the military on base, following Monday's Navy Yard shooting.

"This is a tragedy that should not have happened. A memorial service that should not be taking place and victims that should not be victims," LaPiere said. "In a post 9/11 world, a Naval base within miles from Congress, The White House, seven miles from here, largely left unprotected, a terrorist target, a high value terrorist target, completely unprotected — that can't stand."

LaPierre was interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"NRA is calling today for layers of security around our military bases and the other thing we need to take a look at is all these brave men and women that are trained in firearms that signed up to serve in the military ... they are largely disarmed on our military bases," he continued. "We need to look at letting the men and women that know firearms and are trained in them do what they do best, which is protect and survive."

As TheBlaze reported on Tuesday, DoD Directive 5210.56, signed into effect in February 1992 by Donald J. Atwood, deputy secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush.

The controversial directive states that “it is DoD Policy” to “limit and control the carrying of firearms by DoD military and civilian personnel.”

“The authorization to carry firearms shall be issued only to qualified personnel when there is a reasonable expectation that life or DoD assets will be jeopardized if firearms are not carried,” it says.

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