A civilian/miliary double standard?

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oae

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A civilian United States citizen can't purchase a handgun in most states until they are 21 years of age. Purchases of handgun ammunition is reserved for civilians 21 and over, too.

If one is a member of the armed forces of the United States, one can be issued a military pistol and pistol ammunition. The use of said pistol is sanctioned by the military even though many of the soldiers, sailors and marines are 18 and in not a few cases, under 18 years of age.

Or, how about the laws concerning alcohol use by persons under 18 years of age? It's OK to go into harms way as a member of the US military, but military members better be at least 21 years of age to legally consume alcoholic beverages.

Are the above double standards or not?
 
How about police that can carry guns in NYC or Judges that can jail someone for smoking pot and then go to lunch and drink a beer or a politician that can slap a cop and not get jail time.

Yep, all created equal all right!!:D
 
How about the fact that as a ff/paramedic I can be trusted with someones life, a 750,000 fire apparatus, and administer narcotics that can kill you but I cant drink till december?
 
How about when I was 19 the Corps Gave me a Machine gun, qualed me on a pistol, and let me play with explosives...

But wouldn't let me buy pistol ammo to train with something that might save my life!
 
Yep, and keep in mind that the police (despite what they may think) are civillians (they aren't military police) and your local LE dept/agency can issue pistols to its deupties/officers who are under 21. These officers & deputies, who are civillians under age 21, can carry their issued handgun off duty in most states. Military members under 21 may get use a handgun as part of their official duties, but there's no provision for them to carry outside of their official duties. How's that for a double standard?
 
"Yep, and keep in mind that the police (despite what they may think) are civillians (they aren't military police) and your local LE dept/agency can issue pistols to its deupties/officers who are under 21. These officers & deputies, who are civillians under age 21, can carry their issued handgun off duty in most states. Military members under 21 may get use a handgun as part of their official duties, but there's no provision for them to carry outside of their official duties. How's that for a double standard?"

Ya it's BS but one could argue that the military is trained for warfare and there is no war within our borders but Police are trained to deal with civilians. I don't entirely agree with that but one might think this.
 
You forgot to mention that the weapons to military members are not their personal property but that of the U.S. government to be used for suty purposes
 
Forget Handguns

Military members get Select fire weapons, gernade launchers (w/ gernades), F111s, Self propelled artillery, air craft carriers and even Nukes. Try buying one of those at Cabelas.

They don't actually 'get' any of these things, they are just tools of the job.

Booze: It is up to the post commander to decide that. The post commander can allow soldiers under 21 to buy alcohol for consumption on post in on post stores and clubs.. Some posts allow it; many do not.

What is this 'handgun' ammunition of which you speak? I know of few types of ammo of that can not be used in a long gun of some type.
 
Some people are more equal than others.
Click to expand...
All men may be created equal, but we certainly do not have to remain that way. Some have privileges that others do not, and there is nothing wrong with that so long as everyone has their rights and their liberties to exercise those rights.

As for the initial post in this thread, yes the military may assign a handgun to someone who is 18, and in most places in the USA you cannot possess a handgun until 21. So join the military, or vote and work for the laws to be changed.

All the best,
Gb
 
There is nothing in federal law that prohibits an 18 y.o. from buying or possessing a handgun. Federal law prohibits an FFL from selling to a minor but in states where private party sales are allowed, and the state has no prohibition against an 18 y.o. from possessing a handgun, it is legal for an 18 y.o. to buy and possess a handgun.
 
That is correct, you can buy one at 18 and posess it but only from a private party no FFL's. And in Texas I can now carry my Sig .40 in my vehicle with no problems! (20 til december by the way)
 
You forgot to mention that military members and LEOs have to go through basic qualification courses that include safety procedures for firearms and that this training (at least for military members) occurs more frequently than refresher courses for concealed weapons permits in many states. Military members are not just given a firearm the day they sign your name on the dotted line. I don't know of any states that requires some form of qualification or safety training in order for someone to purchase a handgun. As mentioned before, military firearms are not the property of the individual (they are property of the US government) and are checked out of the armory when required and back in once. Additionally, military firearms and ammunition are items which requires a high degree of accountability. Members and their units are required to know exactly where all of their firearms and ammunition are at all times. I've been at units that were under lockdown until a missing firearm was accounted for. I don't know of a civilian equivilant for someone that has a firearm unaccounted for or stolen.

Texas allows military members or veterans under the age of 21 to apply for a concealed weapons permit (although they still have to take a course just like everyone else).

The claim that while all are created equal, some are more equal than others fails to take into account the training (and for some, sacrifice) that makes them "more equal."

As for booze, as it's already been mentioned it's up to the commander of the base. Normally if a commander allows military members under 21 to buy alcohol on base it is because it the base is located in an area where that military member could easily buy alcohol off base within a reasonable driving distance (like bases in Europe, Japan, and CONUS bases close to the border with Mexico). This is done largely for safety issues. It is much easier to control young military members while they are on base.
 
alcohol on base went out YEARS ago gents...

I enlisted in 2001 and it had been a WHILE since that existed...

Try telling someone the .45ACP is for a Marlin Camp carbine when you're a 19 year old Marine... it doesn't work...
 
Per DoD Directive 1010.4

"E12.2.1.2. In the case of a DoD installation located in more than one State or in one State but within 50 miles of another State or Mexico or Canada, the minimum drinking age on that DoD installation shall be the lowest applicable age of the State in which the DoD installation is located or the State or jurisdiction of Mexico or Canada that is within 50 miles of such DoD installation (Section 2683 of reference (r)).

E12.2.1.3. The minimum drinking age on a DoD installation located outside the United States shall be 18 years of age. Higher minimum drinking age will be based on international treaties and agreements and on the local situation as determined by the local installation commander."

Like I said, if it's close to the Mexican border the drinking age on base can be lower than 21 (such as Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas).
 
Double standard?

Perhaps.

It's more like the "parental supervision" exception. An 18 year old private is issued a handgun, under strict military supervision. They do not wield them at will for lawful private purposes, the way a 21 year old civilian may.

Do most 18 year olds have the maturity and judgement that is necessary for being armed in public?

Hard to say. A lot do. A lot don't. It's hard to know what the "right" public policy is in regards to this. I'm not a huge fan of the 21 year old restriction, but when I squint, I have to concede at least a teensy bit of reason behind it.

The law wants to draw a bright line somewhere, and when it comes to issues of responsibility and maturity, there's no natural bright line to follow, therefore such bright lines become arbitrary.
 
'It's more like the "parental supervision" exception. An 18 year old private is issued a handgun, under strict military supervision. They do not wield them at will for lawful private purposes, the way a 21 year old civilian may.'

Really? Tell me about the 19 or 20 year old sergeant operating as a team leader in the field. Who 'parentally supervises' him or dare I say her? Or the military policemen driving around post?

But no absolutely no personal use of those weapons you are talking court martial.
 
Once you're in the service, you don't have age. You have rank. You are expected to obey orders, among which is "Don't mess up when under arms." God invented sergeants to keep privates from messing up.

Art
 
two clarifications

ugaarguy wrote above, ". . .your local LE dept/agency can issue pistols to its deputies/officers who are under 21. These officers & deputies, who are civilians under age 21, can carry their issued handgun off duty in most states." Actually, these under-21 LEOs can carry a concealed handgun (whether it is the department-issued handgun depends on agency policy) in ANY state, thanks to the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (18 USC 926B).

USAFA06STX wrote above, "I don't know of any states that requires some form of qualification or safety training in order for someone to purchase a handgun." Maryland law requires (for most people) possession of a "Certificate of Completion" of the "Maryland Police Training Commission Firearms Safety Training Course" before one may purchase a handgun.
 
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