First, I would like to express my deepest sympathy for all of the soldiers and family members affected by the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas.

One thing everyone seems to not consider is that all personnel on military posts are very vulnerable to attacks, more so than the civilian population. The reason being that no one (except the few military police and Criminal Investigation Command personnel on duty) are able to carry weapons or have them in their privately owned vehicles, even if one possesses a concealed-carry license.

When I joined the Army and was informed of this, it blew my mind. We are supposedly the best and brightest people in America, yet we cannot carry personal weapons. If just one person in the building at Fort Hood would have had a handgun, I think the outcome would have been very different.

It is time to rethink our policy on gun control. I’m not trying to say that everyone should carry a weapon but, with the proper training and certification, the opportunity should be afforded. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

Cpl. Gabriel SpeltsNasariyah, Iraq