Florida Expedites 82,000 Carry Licenses to Military Personnel After Chattanooga Terror Attack

FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 file photo, a Glock representative explains featur
AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File

The state of Florida has expedited 82,000 concealed carry licenses to military personnel in the two years since the heinous attack on unarmed members of USMC and the U.S. Navy.

Florida responded to the attack by announcing an expedited concealed carry permitting process which allows military personnel to acquire a carry permit quicker–and at a younger age–than regular civilians. The issuance of the permits has been overseen by State Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

The Chattanooga terror attack occurred July 16, 2015. The following day, Breitbart News reported that retired Marine Colonel Gary Anderson pointed to gun control as a problematic contributor; one that kept the victims from being able to shoot back in defense of themselves and their fellow military members. Florida’s response was to be sure more military personnel are carrying guns in more places.

According to News4Jax, the Sunshine State “has fast-tracked concealed-weapons licenses to 82,000 military members and honorably discharged veterans since [the] terror-related shootings.”

Putnam commented on the issuance of the expedited permits, saying, “This is just one example of what we do through our department to make Florida the most veteran- and military-friendly state in the nation.”

Looking at concealed carry broadly, since 2010 Florida has gone from roughly 800,000 to nearly 1.8 million. It is one of the most gun-friendly states in the union for military personnel and civilians alike.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.