A roundup of wire stories of the efforts in multiple states considering arming members of the National Guard after last week's attack at two Tennessee military facilities.
Republicans ask Missouri governor to arm National Guard
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Republican lawmakers and gubernatorial hopefuls are calling on Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to act after the recent attack on two Tennessee military facilities.
Some GOP leaders have since asked the Democratic governor to arm the National Guard.
A Nixon spokesman says the office won't comment on "continued security procedures."
A gunman attacked a recruiting center and a Marine-Navy reserve facility in Chattanooga last week. Four Marines and one Navy sailor were killed.
The governors of Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indiana and Oklahoma in response ordered guardsmen to be armed.
A number of Missouri's GOP senators and others want Nixon to take similar action.
Republican Sen. Dan Brown and GOP gubernatorial candidates Sen. Mike Parson and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder also want Nixon to order flags at half-staff.
Haley: More armed officers at Guard facilities likely
COLUMBIA, S.C. — More officers will likely carry guns at National Guard facilities across South Carolina following a safety review prompted by last week's shootings in Tennessee, Gov. Nikki Haley said Monday.
"The safety of our men and women in uniform is paramount, and I fully expect that this rolling review, starting this week, will result in the arming of some of our Gguardsmen," Haley said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Last Thursday, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez opened fire at a military recruiting office and a Navy-Marine operations center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killing four Marines. A sailor wounded in the attack died Saturday.
Haley said she authorized Adjutant General Bob Livingston to send review teams to all National Guard recruiting stations, armories and installations over the next week, then designate armed officers based on vulnerability.
Maj. Gen. Livingston oversees the state's 11,000-member Military Department, which includes the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.
A Guard spokesman, Maj. Cindi King, said some Guard members already can carry a gun because of their security duties. The review will determine whether that needs to be expanded.
Livingston's office continuously assesses security at Guard facilities, especially amid rising Islamic State concerns, King said.
Any changes following this review will not be released "because it's counterproductive to security," she said.
It will include evaluating whether any physical changes should be made to the sites, which could range from windows to entry gates, King said.
Tennessee shooting prompts Nebraska Guard to arm personnel
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska National Guard is arming more of its personnel after last week's shooting in Tennessee that killed five service members.
Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday that he has authorized the Nebraska National Guard to arm more personnel where necessary at its installations, including recruitment offices.
Authorities say 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez fatally shot five service members at a pair of military sites in in Chattanooga before he was killed by police. The first shooting took place at a military recruiting office at a strip mall. Counterterrorism investigators have not released a motive.
Ricketts says his authorization provides additional protections for service members.
Branstad seeks review of security at National Guard sites
DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Terry Branstad is asking the Iowa National Guard to review security at its facilities in Iowa, in the wake of last week's shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Branstad on Monday asked Iowa National Guard Maj. Gen Timothy Orr to assess the protection for those working at the Guard's military facilities and recruitment sites.
The Republican governor also plans to ask the federal government to review the protections at all military facilities. He'll make that request during a meeting this week in Washington for a group of governors who advise federal officials on security matters.
Last Thursday, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez opened fire at a military recruiting office and a Navy-Marine operations center in Chattanooga, killing four Marines. A sailor wounded in the attack died Saturday.
