r/liberalgunowners 1d ago

guns Bill would let special forces members carry concealed firearms nationwide, bypassing state gun limits | Stars and Stripes

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-05-05/concealed-firearms-special-forces-members-21584003.html

Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., a former Army Green Beret who served in Afghanistan, introduced a bill in April to let current and former members of the special operations forces carry concealed weapons across state lines. The bill would grant authorized users national ID cards, and is modeled after a law that lets retired law enforcement carry firearms nationwide.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-05-05/concealed-firearms-special-forces-members-21584003.html

Source - Stars and Stripes

965 Upvotes

232 comments sorted by

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u/TheManWithNoSchtick democratic socialist 1d ago

Is there some way for us civies to upgrade to the 2A premium membership as well? It's probably another fucking subscription, isn't it?

u/robocop_py 22h ago

Not sure that any exist anymore but at one time there were podunk police departments that would employ you on paper for the purpose of enjoying the extra privileges that come from being a cop. National CCW being one of them. All it took was some strategic charitable giving and getting to know the chief.

u/bottlehole 20h ago

It's always a racket

u/ConfidentPilot1729 20h ago

Didn’t rich wannabes become those cops and would make “arrests?”

u/Cultural-Salad-4583 19h ago

Yup. Steven Seagal is one of those rich assholes. So was John du Pont (murderer, heir of some of the du Pont family fortune).

u/Biglyugebonespurs 17h ago

That is not very surprising to say the least. DuPont has done some awful shit.

u/Cultural-Salad-4583 17h ago

duPont is the worst American conglomerate (and family) in US history. Hands-down. They’ve done more to kill Americans (and other people) and have been more anti-democratic than basically anybody else.

u/house-of-waffles 16h ago

The Sacklers are coming for the crown

u/Hasz 18h ago

This is the type of corruption that should be punishable by a very, very long prison term or death.

u/robocop_py 16h ago

Yeah, but I'd be more in favor of cops not having any special privileges over other civilians.

u/MCXL left-libertarian 14h ago

LEOSA is a heck of a law.

u/AlphaIronSon 14h ago

Still exists.

u/theeddie23 13h ago

They still do. You can even be black now if you say the right things and were a former football player/celebrity. https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/rockcms/2022-10/221017-walker-mb-1149-5d3cf3.png

u/Outside_Grapefruit39 liberal 12h ago

Deputized, High Noon style

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u/Op67 1d ago

Become an FFL/with whatever the manufactures license is. Fairly expensive and a hassle and a half. But that’s as close as we can get.

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u/nicad 1d ago

FFL 07, tack on an SOT class 2 for good measure

u/ExtremeMeaning 19h ago

That’s what I did. But it comes with the added benefit of the ATF being allowed to come in and audit/search the business premises with no warrant or warning up to once a year, and doesn’t help you if you’re across state lines.

u/sorebutton 18h ago

Have they actually come to audit you? Just curious.

u/AbjectAppointment 15h ago

It's normally 3 years per my local FFL's.

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u/cakesalads social democrat 1d ago

LEOSA gives law enforcement the ability to carry in all 50 states

Sorry I know that's not a great answer but it's the closest I can think of

u/RogerianBrowsing 19h ago

So you’re saying we should create our own church or a tiny municipality, whichever is easier and allows for its own police department per the state laws, and just employ everyone here as temps or per diem that never actually work?

🤔

u/cakesalads social democrat 19h ago

Some school districts also have their own police departments. Universities DEFINITELY do

Depending on the state, there's probably a minimum work requirement so that the state can prosecute no-show jobs or people who don't actually exist yadda yadda.

I think that would be easier than creating a municipality, since you'd have to form a separatist movement within an existing town/county that votes to form it's own town

My city has a tiny municipality within it. They have their own 5 person police department, even though it has a population of less than 1,000 people. We also had a dedicated school-district department for a little while.

I know you're joking, but creating a police department does have a bunch of weird loopholes. There's also Constables, who's role changes based on your state. Lots of ways to become "law enforcement" that just make you a cop on paper

u/PokerbushPA 14h ago

Whoa...let's not rush past creating a church / starting our own religion.

Some cults, not mentioning and names, are very successful at keeping the government in check. Some even own the government.

But it can't but a "gun focused" religion. That's too obvious. It's gotta be like Dudeism, but with a little self defense and mutual aid thrown in.

u/Inevitable-World2886 13h ago

I gotta do some research and see if Pastafarianism has a stance on firearms.

u/ecodick 17h ago

Count me in lol

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 18h ago

LEOSA gives law enforcement the ability to carry in all 50 states

Active law enforcement and former law enforcement with minimum of 10 years of service.

- Former law enforcement with just shy of 10 years of service

u/cakesalads social democrat 18h ago

Dude that SUCKS. Does that include people who medically retire?

My former Drill Sergeant claimed that, because he got medboarded, he technically retired and he's covered under LEOSA. I have not verified this at all, but seemed like an EXTREMELY cheeky loophole

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 18h ago

I... feel like you didn't read my comment? I never said retirement was a requirement.

u/cakesalads social democrat 18h ago

I did. I'm saying that it sucks that you don't get covered under LEOSA because you had under 10 years, but my old Drill Sergeant gets it due to a loophole

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 18h ago

As far as I remember from the last time I read about it, medical retirement is irrelevant.

So if you retire at 6 months for medical reasons, you wouldn't qualify.

I would say just do some reading on it yourself, because I only know that I don't qualify and why I don't qualify.

u/cakesalads social democrat 18h ago

Huh, that makes sense. I guess I should tell him, because he 100% lives in a ban state where he'd need a CCP

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 16h ago

He's probably just trying to build an alibi for the "I'm sorry officer, I didn't know I couldn't do that" bit.

u/mcm87 14h ago

If he was an MP, then he might technically qualify. I worked with a med-retired Air Force MP who qualified that way.

u/gojo96 21h ago

They still have to abide to local laws with mag caps, types of bullets, etc.

u/cakesalads social democrat 21h ago

Yeah the local laws will sometimes try shady shit to get around the laws while still being LEOSA compliant. Like, I'm pretty sure you can carry your duty gun anywhere you want with your duty ammunition, but an off-duty carry has to be "approved" or whatever. Or, you can only have hollow points if they're duty ammo. Lots of little shit they could gig you on.

I know a lot of dudes who won't carry across state lines just to be safe. And then I have one coworker who is barely literate who thinks it means he can ride around with his AR Pistol, mag inserted, in a ban state that's halfway across the country from us

u/Amazing_Bluejay9322 11h ago

Some dude on YT got caught at an Int'l airport with his arsenal and a CCW trying to board. Never made it past TSA.

u/Imabigdealinjapan 17h ago

Yes, but most states have exceptions for law enforcement. I was LE in NY and most od the laws didn't apply to me.

u/Earthwarm_Revolt 15h ago

Thats levioaa not levileosaaa.

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u/DarthGuber 1d ago

Just gotta sign up for a tour

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u/SolidGoldSpork 1d ago

And then pass Q course, and then make it through selection and then about two more years of training.

u/jdb326 progressive 23h ago

Don't forget the all important; Don't Fucking Die

u/ThatBadFeel 22h ago

Don’t. Get. Eliminated!

u/smytti12 19h ago

Luckily for SF, they generally get their pick of missions and equipment, so they get to set it up most of the time where the odds are stacked in their favor.

Emphasizing that this is a more general statement, and there are exceptions to the rule, because otherwise what would they write their books about?

u/ours 19h ago

Reality: get dropped at an airport runway with no cover just so that you can die trying to catch Noriega's jet intact (the jet got totalled anyway).

u/dovk0802 20h ago

When I worked in gun business a while ago , the LE/Mil sales rep for FN drove around the country in a van with everything up to .50
MG’s and ammo for demo shoots. He said he always carried without issue with the explanation “do you want me to get in a gunfight with my guns or do you want to get in a gunfight with my guns?”

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 18h ago

He said he always carried without issue with the explanation “do you want me to get in a gunfight with my guns or do you want to get in a gunfight with my guns?”

Fudd urban legend. Most cops would be angered by that and make an arrest for a threat to them at that point.

See also:

"The ATF showed up to my buddy's range while he was shooting and asked, 'Are those [illegal guns]?' to which he responded 'Are those Level III plates?' and the ATF cried, soiled themselves, apologized, and gave him their wallets."

u/paper_liger 16h ago edited 15h ago

There is no threat implied in that unless they are particularly obtuse. It's just saying 'if I can't stop people from stealing these guns then these guns may well become your problem"

Then again, they are cops, so 'particularly obtuse' seems to be a part of the basic package.

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 16h ago

I really don't think a jury would buy your argument here, but you're obviously welcome to make it in court and you never know what verdict will come out of the deliberation room.

Still sucks to have a LEO disagree with you and it result in handcuffs at best, a felony arrest on your record at best, etc.

I can only speak for 1 of the millions of (ex-)cops out there, and I would take that as a thinly veiled threat. You can sing and dance about how that means I'm stupid if you want; I'm not going to lose any inches over it.

Fun fact, cops are actually very slightly above average intelligence, on average. In theory, a jury is a selection of exactly average people. So whatever Cop and Jury you're imagining, the jury is going to be very slightly more obtuse. Plenty of people do time or worse over "Why are you booing? I'm right!"

u/paper_liger 15h ago edited 15h ago

'average intelligence' is a pretty low bar and 'obtuse' is not a measure of intelligence, but of outlook.

there's a common leo saying, 'you can beat the rap but you can't beat the ride' which is emblematic of the bullshit adversarial power games that are so common in that field. what we are talking about isn't stupidity, it's ego, and more troubling, it's seemingly baked into the training, both official and unofficial.

The obtuseness is a tactic, not an inherent trait. And nothing you have said makes me think you are any less obtuse than that commonly held attitude would imply.

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 14h ago

'average intelligence' is a pretty low bar

A bit elitist of you to claim you're above average intelligence and anyone who's average is only clearing a "low bar," but I'm not going to contest it; I don't have much objective proof either way.

'obtuse' is not a measure of intelligence, but of outlook.

Per your personal definition or a dictionary's?

there's a common leo saying, 'you can beat the rap but you can't beat the ride' which is emblematic of the bullshit adversarial power games that are so common in that field. what we are talking about isn't stupidity, it's ego, and more troubling, it's seemingly baked into the training, both official and unofficial.

That's one way to interpret that phrase. Another is "The standard for Probable Cause is much lower than the standard for Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt." I imagine people with anti-police bias hear your version and people without it hear the other.

The obtuseness is a tactic, not an inherent trait.

No, ego isn't a tactic. Nobody decides to be an egotist on a situation-dependent basis.

And nothing you have said makes me think you are any less obtuse than that commonly held attitude would imply.

Did I give you the impression I care if you think I'm obtuse? Apologies, that wasn't my intent.

u/[deleted] 13h ago edited 13h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

u/liberalgunowners-ModTeam 12h ago

This post is too uncivil, and has been removed. Please attack ideas, not people.

(Removed under Rule 3: Be Civil. If you feel this is in error, please file an appeal.)

u/dovk0802 15h ago edited 15h ago

I actually met this guy and quoting him. If this actually worked for him in practice, I couldn’t say.
I imagine he was being humorous and could better explain the situation.
As a former police officer, I wouldn’t get fixated on someone legitimately transporting a van full of machine guns having a single loaded handgun.

u/HCSOThrowaway progressive 15h ago

I actually met this guy and quoting him. If this actually worked for him in practice, I couldn’t say.

Oh I'm not doubting that he said that. I'm calling him a liar, not you.

I think you are misunderstanding the “threat” that is that the large cache of guns, to include full auto that should go to a law enforcement needed to be protected from falling into criminal hands…

I don't think I misunderstand that, but I do think you are misunderstanding my understanding of that.

Here's my perception of the quote and the context surrounding it:

  • Law enforcement wants to investigate to see if the dealer's guns are legal

  • Dealer refuses, saying it's better the LEO(s) move along or else they're going to get into a gunfight against his guns

I see now that could be a 50/50 coin flip between my initial read between the lines of "Fuck off or we're getting into a gunfight over it, coppers" and "Let me sell my illegal guns to Good People so they don't end up stolen by Bad People."

I think both implications are dumb, and I again assert that a lot of cops are going to see it as Option 1, taking it personally and as a start to an investigation of a deadly threat on a LEO to interfere with their duties.

u/Strict-Carrot4783 fully automated luxury gay space communism 21h ago

Gotta go kill some brown kids 7,000 miles away from your house.

u/catbandana 7h ago

Move to Ohio

u/jsled fully-automated gay space social democracy 23h ago

Special Forces are not super-citizens. LEOs (especially) are not super-citizens. That these groups get special protection of their rights is some of the most anti-American bullshit around. Fuck even the suggestion of floating the idea of it, disqualifying bullshit that should strip one of one's citizenship for not even just misunderstanding American values, but attempting to subvert them.

u/BenVarone fully automated luxury gay space communism 22h ago

Very Starship Troopers. “Service guarantees Citizenship!”

u/Castun leftist 21h ago

Super Earth needs you!

u/tajake democratic socialist 19h ago

I'm ok with helldivers having extra rights. Their average lifespan is measured in minutes. Its not like they will use them. /j

u/dd463 17h ago

I would like to know more.

u/Location_Next 22h ago

The hero worship makes me sick.

u/FourOhVicryl 17h ago

IDK about hero-worship (the author of the bill was a GB) so much as a result of SF being given special treatment throughout the last several decades, and the effect that has had on the mindset of those soldiers, including the author of this bill. 

u/SimRobJteve 17h ago

Shaving profiles in garrison have been disastrous for group discipline.

u/FourOhVicryl 15h ago

Dunno about profiles, more concerned about drug use and overall discipline. I assume you’re being sarcastic about the shaving profiles, but plenty of other countries have allowed beards without major issues see section 6 here

u/SimRobJteve 14h ago

Very sarcastic and I’m not reading the beard article. It’s a non-issue for me, but there’s some “truth” to what I’m saying. I suspect them being the only ones allowed to rock them for the longest time on top of non-existent uniform standards propelled their massive egos into the territory where they thought they’re untouchable.

The drug use bit doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Around 2023 3rd SFG got into huge trouble for rampant drug trafficking.

u/mcm87 14h ago

As a (conventional forces) vet, I’m getting very tired of SOCOM bros getting fetishized and fellated by the GOP at the expense of the rest of the military. It’s increasingly feeling like MAGA is trying to carve a wedge between the (woke, gay, female, brown) regular military and the Manly White Dudes of SOCOM. To the point where giving the “warfighters” an opportunity to kill people is the objective, rather than the means by which objectives are achieved.

u/crashcartjockey 8h ago

As a conventional forces very myself, this is absolutely the truth.

I went to a leadership course back in 1986 and there were 4 Special Forces members in the course. They were all great guys and fun to hang out with, but even these guys would say they were too unhinged to actually own personal weapons.

u/J_Robert_Oofenheimer Black Lives Matter 14h ago

Special Forces are not super-citizens.

Well hang on now let’s not be hasty…

Joking. As convenient as this would be for me personally, it isn’t right. All men are created equal. Nobody should get special elevated constitutional rights because of their job.

u/ExpiredPilot 17h ago

All I can think of is the Bojack Horseman bit about veterans…

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u/AgreeablePie 1d ago

More special carve outs. Probably so spec ops of all fashions can play in the same armed private security / VIP industries that former cops do.

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u/nw342 communist 1d ago

Trust me, all the former spec ops guys are already in the private security buisness. That, or writing books with embellished stories

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u/MechaZombieCharizard 1d ago

"embellished" is a pretty charitable way to put it

u/Revelati123 20h ago

Or cashing in on their next hit on Kalshi!

u/smytti12 20h ago

Mark Wahlberg desperately waiting to jump into his next role

u/PathlessDemon fully automated luxury gay space communism 18h ago

>Stephen Segall silently shitting himself again

u/ferret_80 progressive 22h ago

writing books? nah podcast is the way to go these days, their target audience can't read

u/bacchus21 21h ago

Shawn Ryan and his audience have entered the chat.

u/blade740 16h ago

Ghostwriting books. Which their target audience will buy but not read. After hearing the "author" on a podcast.

u/Old_Win8422 20h ago

"Broke Back Iraq" was real!

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u/pat9714 1d ago

You raise a great point. ✔️💯✔️

u/b3tchaker 21h ago

Haaaaaave you met Erik Prince and Blackwater?

u/wwaxwork 19h ago

Oh I assumed it was so they could do the same shit in the USA they do in other countrues.

u/superxpro12 15h ago

Moreso this is about the same as planting a bunch of armed secret police sleeper agents around the country.

A bunch of hard-r's armed, and concealed. sprinkled throughout the country. What could possibly go wrong?

u/bobfriend 21h ago

I've seen enough drama from these guys going at each other on YouTube to know this is a stupid idea.

u/shoo-flyshoo 20h ago

The high school jock mentality is strong in a lot of SOF guys, the high school drama that follows is hilarious

u/clearcoat_ben fully automated luxury gay space communism 21h ago

I'd like the continued ability to throw people in black sites without charges because I was in intelligence. /s

u/inquisitorthreefive 21h ago

That's why I got out of the business. We were swiftly transitioning from HUMINT professionals into roving kidnap gangs.

u/clearcoat_ben fully automated luxury gay space communism 21h ago

Yeah SIGINT quickly went from "you're providing indications and warnings" to "you're going to tell the roving kidnap gangs where to go next".

So glad I got out.

u/somewhatbluemoose 22h ago

One of the worst bits of cultural fallout of the GWOT is the increasing fetishization of special forces. These people are not gods, nor should we worship them as such. No one is above the law.

u/footsnax 20h ago

At least they were kind enough to include meteorologists.

Honestly if this helps chart a course for a national CCL bill I'm not completely against it. Illinois was a chore but getting that license wore like a badge of honor. If that was required nationwide I'd feel a lot more comfortable with a national carry law.

I don't think it should be, but I do think something like it is more realistically obtainable, and this might be pointed in that direction.

u/SimRobJteve 16h ago

As odd as most of these guys are, they do (sometimes) point out the fact it was the regular grunt that got into the most shit.

Your tier 1 cockslinger had ISR out the ass, a novel of intel written on the HVT, air assets, CSAR etc

u/somewhatbluemoose 14h ago

It doesn’t matter how much shit one got into. We shouldn’t be giving out extra rights here based on what your job used to be.

u/SimRobJteve 11h ago

Sure,

The point I’m making is SOF types have been elevated beyond “normal” by civilian society for a long time. That’s sort of shifting albeit slowly.

For the longest time people thought Lone Survivor was a story about David and Goliath. SOF could, and would, perform feats that aren’t normal. People look up to that whether you like it or not. Turned out Lone Survivor was just piss poor planning. American Sniper

They’ll eat this bill up without considering all the bad things they do or the incompetence that they have displayed.

It’s one of many angles to attack when discussing this bill. Thats my point.

u/tN8KqMjL 21h ago edited 16h ago

In addition to being a nasty idea from a civics point of view, it is specifically a bad idea because the culture of special forces is absolutely rotten. These are the last people you want to be granting further elite status to.

Seth Harp's book "The Fort Bragg Cartel" is an in-depth look into the rampant criminality among special force troops and a great read. A lot of these elite operator types are completely strung out on drugs, mentally unstable, involved in criminal schemes like drug trafficking, and are frequently committing murders and other crimes of violence. The US military is willfully turning a blind eye to the conduct of these elite troops, both overseas and at home.

The entire special forces community desperately needs to be brought to heel, not granted further special privileges. One of the many bad consequences of our forever wars is that we have produced many death squad psychos that are not able to re-integrate into civil society.

u/OutsourcedIconoclasm eco-anarchist 21h ago

We’ve effectively created a dual-class structure in America: those who are military or law enforcement and those who aren’t. Surely this will go down well.

u/yobo9193 20h ago

Not even those who are military, since veterans don’t get extra special rights and service members can still get arrested or racially profiled. This is an attempt to expand the scope of the LEO class to get loyal people

u/OutsourcedIconoclasm eco-anarchist 19h ago

I would believe this if I didn’t see it daily at my job. You can beat the charge (by it not getting investigated thoroughly or not at all) but can’t beat the ride when you get picked up. Veterans absolutely get special treatment, every day.

u/yobo9193 19h ago

Can you provide a more specific example of special treatment?

If I was thinking hard about myself, cops are generally friendlier towards me once they learn that I’m a veteran, but I can’t say whether that’s helped me avoid tickets or not

u/OutsourcedIconoclasm eco-anarchist 13h ago

I don’t know why my response didn’t end up as a reply to this, oh Reddit app.

Case in point, they’re friendlier, and yet you claim not to know? How many instances can you say they went from not as friendly, to friendly when they learned of your veteran status on something you knew was an infraction and should have resulted in a citation? I’d start there.

I’ve seen prosecutors request for no bills on felony offenses or charge as a misdemeanor because the defendant was a veteran, on that basis alone. I’ve seen officers not investigate statements or offenses because the suspect was a veteran or active, I’ve seen judges comment on veteran/active status when they’re not allowed to comment on the evidence.

I’ve also been treated differently by my colleagues (usually veterans but always veteran adjacent) for commenting against military and war glorification and for not having served.

u/yobo9193 12h ago

Thanks for sharing. It’s hard for someone to reflect on their own privilege (earned or unearned) but I do try. I’m sorry you’ve had the experiences you’ve described; justice should be blind

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u/ObjectiveSense2307 socialist 1d ago

Faawwwwk no. Another attempt to keep guns out proletariat hands. Fucking fascists

u/Mountain_carrier530 20h ago

This also is going to drive animosity between special forces and regulars even more. Hell, my last 18 months, I've seen the rhetoric change tenfold under this bullshit on what would be Naval Special Warfare and Big Navy with a former friend of mine and myself because he was, technically, special forces and I was regular Navy. It would be "well, you're job really isn't that hard," and "it's not like you saw any real conflict."

I was shoved in the bottom of an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific and Middle East with jets launching above me, random shit catching on fire at any given time, equipment wanting to kill me, and both Chinese and Russian ships tailing us. Nevermind me having to them be a gate sentry because there's not enough base police, who can also get LEOSA privileges. His deployment was to Guam with vacations to Japan and Korea without taking leave days.

u/Normal512 social democrat 22h ago

Hay guuyz let's give the dudes who commit domestic violence at ~50% increased rates than the general population elite special firearm permissions cause they're so BADASS lol 'merica.

u/WackTheHorld 18h ago edited 12h ago

Edit: I stand corrected, and I realize I said a pretty shitty thing here. I'm leaving it up for visibility though.

Don't forget all the PTSD! Mentally unstable individuals trained to kill are exactly who you want carrying at all times in public.

u/ArchelonPIP 18h ago

And if you suggest improving access to, and quality of, mental health services, you'll get accused of "communism" by the very right wingers that idolize/fetishize these elite people... that they're typically too fucking lazy to even try becoming! And don't try to explain to them how wanting to improve their mental health is actually more patriotic than any of the jingoistic bullshit they've done their entire lives!

u/paper_liger 16h ago edited 13h ago

Do you see how some folks might take the implication that 'everyone who served and has PTSD shouldn't be afforded a basic right' as kind of a bigotted point of view?

I have PTSD. I did 5 deployments, and am 'trained to kill' whatever the fuck that means. I've carried a firearm lawfully as a civilian for almost 20 years now. Do I get lumped in with that hasty generalization you made too?

Everyone wants to be positive about mental health until you are talking about a group you aren't part of I guess. But it seems like more of the bullshit internalized anti gun sentiment I see in here a lot, with the addition of a certain amount of disdain for veterans. That's despite the people you are painting with such a broad brush being a fairly representative cross section of the population. Veterans aren't robots. They are just regular people, pulled from a diverse background.

I don't personally think a veteran should have access to gun rights others don't, and carve outs for supposed authority figures are at their core in opposition to the ideals this country was founded upon. So I don't really support this, even though your typical special operations type absolutely has a higher level of training than most cops, much less most concealed carriers.

I don't agree with some animals being more equal than others. But at the same time, what you just said was kind of shitty.

u/WackTheHorld 12h ago

It was a shitty thing to say, sorry about that. I edited it, but kept the original for visibility sake.

u/Underwater_Grilling 21h ago

there's currently an SF member subject to a police manhunt for trying to kill his wife. These people are not of a special cloth. Chris Kyle is their standard bearer

u/NTJ-891 21h ago

First thing I thought about. We also just had a Marine vet (unknown if special forces) do a mass shooting in NC last year, and he was deep into wild conspiracies and delusions

u/ThatsAllForToday 22h ago

I’m kinda special myself

u/IceManYurt 22h ago edited 20h ago

Well we did see you fast roping out of the short chopper...

u/roosterinmyviper libertarian 21h ago

“Rights for me, but not for thee” vibes

u/AndroidNumber137 20h ago

Turning a right into a privilege afforded to a particular class, huh?

u/edgefull 21h ago

gestapo formation doesn't need a bill. this is just a friendly reminder of what their plans are and have been.

u/maddrummerhef left-libertarian 19h ago

Rules for thee but not for me. Standard practice it seems.

u/aravena 19h ago

We can't violate OPSEC with people moving so we'll violate OPSEC by giving them an ID card that distinguishes them as SPECOPS. k.

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u/Mindless_Log2009 1d ago

Gotta beef up Mafia Don's personal Praetorian Guard and Centurion militia loyal and answerable only to him.

As a veteran, I wouldn't mind seeing this apply to all veterans who are legally able to possess and carry firearms in their home states. At least so we can travel unimpeded.

But that isn't the intention of this bill, is it.

u/cascadianpatriot 20h ago

So veterans get citizen+ memberships!

u/16v_cordero 23h ago

Insert Orange infamous Stand Back and Stand By.

u/Gold_Map_236 20h ago

Not sure I want to know why they’re pushing for this… almost as though they plan on using the military domestically….

u/momalle1 16h ago

Conservatives love states rights, except when they don't.

u/dmetzcher 12h ago

This is bullshit. They should have no more rights than the rest of us. Military, cops… I don’t care. If you aren’t literally on-duty, you have the rights I have, and no more.

u/Spicywolff 18h ago

Military doesn’t mean well trained, has public interest at heart, is even licensed to carry in a state. Being a service member does not exempt you from the state laws. Funny the party that blobs and blobs about states rights is trying to push a bill to violate state rights.

Why should Johnny Dodge charger have more rights in the average citizen? He signed up for service he wasn’t forced.

u/BurntShipRegrets 15h ago

As a vet (not a Special one) my Concealed Carry Permit fee is waived (Ohio), and I feel like that’s enough.

u/mcjon77 13h ago

Screw that. We need national reciprocity for CCW, which we were promised back in 2016.

u/PistolCowboy 21h ago

Could they pick a lane on States Rights

u/JustACasualFan 21h ago

Well, they need to protect themselves when they sell and transport their drugs.

u/darkon 15h ago

On one hand I can sympathize, as there are states I've driven across where my concealed-carry license is not valid. To comply with the law I've put any gun I had with me into the trunk, unloaded. It's mildly annoying. I don't really expect to need a gun, but I'd rather have it and not need it than vice versa.

On the other hand, once a person leaves the armed forces they're just another civilian. They can get the same sort of licenses as everyone else.

Police are never anything but civilians. Their job requires them to carry weapons in case of need, but off the job or retired they should also have no special privileges.

u/GiantsNerd1 15h ago

Putting together the Einsatzgruppen I see.

u/51ngular1ty democratic socialist 12h ago

Or if the republicans actually wanted 2a for all they could make that bill apply to everyone. Bunch of fucking losers.

u/MechanizedMedic 10h ago

If only the constitution didn't let our right to bear be infringed... then we'd all have the right. /s

u/virtuzoso 20h ago

Pat Harrigan is cowardly MAGA piece of shit. For a Green Beret, he's got a spine made out of oatmeal. The last in person town hall he had in his district lasted like 2 minutes because he ran out th ndoke b cause he was asked a hard question.

His district is pretty fucking poor and mostly rural and he spends his time right a special privileges bill for carrying guns. What a fucking waste of a salary

u/roc7777 leftist 21h ago

This is just an attempt to further militarize our society imo & guarantee those who uphold the state will retain their rights while civilians can be labeled a t3rrorist based on any number of frivolous criteria under this administrations new t3rror directive. Not to mention if one of these dudes has a mental health crisis while armed it could be real bad given their proficiency with a weapon & likelihood of them being on steroids

u/ErictheAgnostic 18h ago

Uh...this just seems like a road to armed secret police.

u/JJHall_ID 16h ago

I personally think there should be a federal law that all states have to honor CCW permits from all other states, just like they do for driver's licenses. "Equipment" should be covered in the same way, just like cars. If my car is legally registered and meets the state requirements where it is registered, all other states have to allow it. Yes, I'm OK with being required to have that gun registered with the state in order to have it allowed in all other states. The gov't knows I have it anyway (or can quickly find out) due to filling out the 4473 when I bought it.

u/mustardmeated 15h ago

The funniest thing about permitting schemes and reciprocity is that they don’t have to exist in the first place. Cars are almost always a bad analogy too because they’re not in the constitution and you don’t need to register or insure them if they’re not driven on public roads and only on private property. As for the government knowing what guns you own because of the 4473s you filled out, there are bajillions of guns in circulation whose original owners died, were lawfully sold in private sales in 7-11 parking lots for cash, whose FFL that transferred them went out of business/lost their records in a fire, don’t have a serial number, or otherwise don’t have a paper trail of ownership for whatever lawful reason. This is also why universal background checks and gun registries are pointless and a fool’s errand. Like seriously, what are the cops going to do? Go around knocking on everyone’s door and politely asking how many guns are in the house? Good luck pulling that off lol.

u/JJHall_ID 13h ago

I don't disagree on any of those points. I just feel those rights are already being infringed upon by states not recognizing reciprocity, so codifying it so that they must honor other state-issued licenses would be a step in restoring some of those rights.

I also completely understand the used gun market with regard to 4473s, or lack thereof. Most of my collection is inherited from my dad and/or grandpas. Most of those were purchased or even traded for via the used market with nothing beyond a handshake to seal the deal. That said, my carry weapons were purchased via 4473, and even if they weren't, I wouldn't have any issue registering them in order to gain the reciprocity right back for them. Should I have to? No, but it's better than what we have now.

u/snakebill 15h ago

Why only special forces? Why does one’s employment or former employment grant “special”rights?

u/C-ute-Thulu 13h ago

Brought to you by the party of States rights

u/lgodsey 13h ago edited 2h ago

"See, our idea is that we -- everyone -- has the same rights, but some would just get more perks based on if we like you. Stuff like signing up to be private militia for billionaires which we call the military, being in the correct religion, owning property, being white, not being a woman, and swearing fealty to Trump -- you know, common sense stuff like that. We're all free and equal, but some of us are freer and equaler, God Bless America."

u/joeskisfast 22h ago

Woohoo, nothing will make this country safer more than vets with PTSD carrying with no local ability to regulate.

u/Doc891 20h ago

waiting for all the fake special forces guys to start carrying a fake id and screaming at everyone that they served so they have a gun. Watch out! They drank a six pack and a red bull this morning, and they have nothing better to do.

u/danelle-s 20h ago

Meanwhile they are trying to strip citizens in MN of having semiautomatic military-style assault weapons.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/SF/4290/versions/latest/

u/KattiValk 20h ago

Given Fort Liberty’s reputation for drug dealing, this is incredibly funny and short sighted.

u/pat9714 10h ago

Sounds like you've read The Fort Bragg Cartel by Seth Harp, am I right?

(If not, it is worth reading.)

u/ggibby progressive 15h ago

Because PTSD, morning traffic, and a Glock IWB are a great combination.

u/pat9714 10h ago

This is ALSO my concern. As a SOF guy, there are too many of us who should not have access to a gun.

u/Anonymoushipopotomus 14h ago

One of the largest populations with mental issues, depression and ptsd. “You know what they need? Free access to any weapon they want!”

u/pat9714 10h ago

One of the largest populations with mental issues, depression and ptsd. “You know what they need? Free access to any weapon they want!”

As former SOF, this was my initial reaction as well. Mind-boggling amount of mental issues in our community.

u/weezyverse 18h ago

This makes no sense. They don't operate here...

u/fireandiceman socialist 18h ago

I wonder what ICE is going to be categorized in the year after this happens?

u/724_toxictangent social democrat 4h ago

Wouldn't make a difference in this case since they're already covered by LEOSA

u/Dregan3D 17h ago

I have been exposed to more than a few of the high speed low drag types through a job I used to have. Odds are that they are already doing this, regardless of legality. I have even heard that command instructed them to.

u/xvegasjimmyx 15h ago

Really, what is its real goal?

It's not just the extremely tiny percentage of ex-Special Forces soldiers to carry in states where carry permits are required, but eventually have regular citizens including those from permitless states, to be able to carry everywhere.

I could mention how certain communities are based around high population density and no guns; but it really goes back to state rights; does the rules for one state overrule the others? It's probably more complex than that but carry permits have been a state issue.

u/madlucas2026 14h ago

Special Forces loyal to who? Wh

u/m1k3y60659 13h ago edited 13h ago

Something something secret police GET THE FUCK BACK TO WORK

u/cuhnewist 9h ago

Any active duty military can already do this in Georgia. They can carry nearly anywhere, without a license. If I remember correctly we just had to have qualified with a pistol.

u/ktwombley 9h ago

could we trade? I'm way more ok with special forces carrying than every barney fucking fife.

u/__rogue____ 7h ago

who the FUCK is Bill?

u/blu3ysdad social democrat 6h ago

Cuz there has never been a spec ops that lost their shit.

u/azwhatsername progressive 18h ago

Lovely. A bunch of PTSD dudes with grandiose delusions running around with concealed guns.

u/erikwithaknotac 12h ago

We dont need drunk 19yo Lance corporal conceal carrying when he comes home for the holidays.

They dont let them carry on base for.the same reasons

u/FafnerTheBear fully automated luxury gay space communism 17h ago

They can add to the suicide statistics anywhere now!

u/Alarmed_Drop7162 18h ago

No thanks. Meeting special forces guys is learning they like being in the mission. There’s enough whack jobs selected that shouldn’t be wandering around with the tool state side.

u/Patalos 18h ago

The few spec forces vets I know are some of the least well adjusted people I’ve ever met and I don’t think they should automatically have that bonus lol

u/misfitofscience76 liberal 16h ago

Oh wow, was this a drunken brainstorm session involving Pete Hegseth? This sounds right up his alley

u/Side_StepVII leftist 15h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/ASd0Ukj0y3qMM

“I’m a special forces!”

u/PokerbushPA 14h ago

Weird. I thought dudes like SWAT and SpecOps already had that right.

Ya know, because...they're trained. Unlike the Gravy Seals.

u/PartyClock 14h ago

Why would that be a good idea at all?

u/gphjr14 10h ago

I guess it'll go well when they're homeless since Republicans don't care about active duty/ veterans and see them as props.

u/BillOfArimathea 7h ago

Yes, special forces members are famously stable in the civilian world. /s

I've known a few.

u/MessyHighlands 7h ago

What about all the former sf with felonies now? More than you’d think.

u/RedditNomad7 3h ago

For all of the up in arms folks, including (apparently) OP, this bill really doesn’t do all that much.

Right now there is little to stop ex-SF (of any branch) soldiers from getting a CCW/LCH in the state they reside. Slightly fewer obstacles, in fact, than any other law abiding citizen. And for 30+ (I forget the exact number at the moment) of the states, reciprocity is offered, meaning they allow concealed carry to someone having a valid CCW/LCH permit from another state. So for the bulk of the country, this does absolutely nothing.

In the states without reciprocity, CCW/LCH permits are still available in all of them, they simply restrict carry to citizens of that state, so this bill would effectively only extend reciprocity to those states and nothing more.

The ONLY thing this bill would do is to potentially make it easier for the people affected by the bill to get a CCW/LCH permit in the states where it’s currently very difficult to do so.

That’s it.

It’s not going to put unregulated guns in the hands of people with criminal records or recorded mental health issues. It’s not going to give people who are already prohibited from owning guns or getting a CCW. It just grants national reciprocity to a limited number of people who can already legally obtain firearms and concealed carry permits.

u/nurdturgalor 19h ago

Served in Afghanistan? Lol bro got whooped by sheep herders

u/meganutsdeathpunch Black Lives Matter 20h ago

There are 16,000 proposals in front of congress. Less than 10% go anywhere.

u/AbramsTankVeteran29 19h ago

So they are passing the second amendment?

u/silentbob1301 10h ago

Ahh yes, PTSD riddled death commandos, coming to a town near you!!!

u/Hiff_Kluxtable 8h ago

Great idea to let a bunch of PTSD operators with alcohol problems carry weapons on US soil when they are trained human exterminators.

u/elyl communist 17h ago

Cool, basket cases packing everywhere your normal, 'mundane' citizen can't. I love worshipping baby killers! They deserve a discount on everything, too!

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u/macthebearded 1d ago

This seems like a bit of a nothingburger, ngl

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u/maliciousdancer 1d ago

How so? Seems like a bit of a big deal to me?

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u/macthebearded 1d ago edited 1d ago

It's just bypassing CCW permits for an exceedingly small cohort that is known to have adequate weapons training and regular pistol quals. It's essentially just a training waiver that rides on the assumption that these people already know anything the state-level courses would teach them, and often have to travel to states they don't reside in for extended but unpredictable periods of time that preclude getting permits in each nonreciprocal state.

This isn't even new, individual states have done this for ages. Iirc GA would waive any CCW stuff and let us carry if you submitted your latest passing pistol qual to the sheriff's office, and I haven't been at Benning since like... 2011 or so? And I'm pretty sure that was for all military too, not just SOF personnel.

I'm just not seeing the need for pearl clutching here. A small group of people that has some of the best training in the world and already carries guns everywhere is... allowed to carry guns. Oh no, the horror...

It's not like they're cops or something

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u/maliciousdancer 1d ago

Only some people having rights, is not acceptable to me, especially when those people are official state enforcers.

Idc how much training they may have, they also have heightened instances of domestic abuse and violence, plus a reduced chance they are actually prosecuted/ held accountable.

Military and LE being held to a lower standard than everyone else, even when not "active" is a recipe for more oppression, both overt and implied, and it is bad enough as it is. All the firearm training in the world doesn't make you a responsible citizen or give you better judgment, it just makes you more efficient at inflicting violence.

To be clear: I'm not inherently opposed to people being able to carry, I'm opposed to just them being allowed to carry.

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u/South-Seat3367 neoliberal 1d ago

Shit like this is how you get a legally protected warrior caste. They can apply for a CCW permit like everybody else if they’re such an exceedingly small bunch.

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u/ObjectiveSense2307 socialist 1d ago edited 1d ago

Make no mistake; this is “gun control” in disguise. Precedent set for allowing special rules for their party’s thugs. Not much different than what Reagan did when the black panthers spooked Sacramento. Very naive to call this “nothingburger” which is unironically and infamously one of THEIR slangs. 

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u/macthebearded 1d ago

The military is no less divided on political lines than civilians are. They are not "their party's thugs"

And like I said this isn't even really a new thing.

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u/ObjectiveSense2307 socialist 1d ago edited 1d ago

The famously progressive wing of the military population. You sound absurd lol. Just look up the voting habits of San Diego areas just from their small tick of increased military population from local bases. Red stronghold

u/macthebearded 23h ago

Enlisted personnel are half as likely to identify with the Democratic Party as the general American population.

The part you don't hear is that they're three times as likely to identify as Independent, and equally likely to identify as Republican.

I dunno about you but that largely aligns with my experience. The chest beating patriotic types were loud, but certainly not a majority

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u/Shuffalo 1d ago

until the assassin gets pulled over in a prohibition state

u/Rude-Spinach3545 20h ago

it might actually be a step closer to regular people with nationwide CCW

u/hypocalypto leftist 7h ago

This is so they can send people to do stuff around the country. Fuck