New op-ed piece at the Pittsburgh Tribune Review: No more sitting ducks — we must arm our soldiers on their bases

My piece starts this way:

Can mass shootings be stopped or prevented? The Obama administration's political views prevent it from even considering certain obvious solutions. 

On Tuesday the Department of Defense released its report on the Sept. 16 Washington Navy Yard shooting. But the report focuses solely on how mental illness of the assailant went unreported. 

There clearly were mistakes. The Navy did not properly report multiple troublesome incidents during Aaron Alexis' active-duty service. The government did not tell his employer about any of these problems. When the private contractor noticed instances of psychological instability, it thought that they were aberrations, not part of a pattern, and didn't report these back to the government. 

However, it would be foolish to believe that all potential mass shooters will be identified in advance. Even with better reporting practices, many will slip through the cracks. Besides, it is always much easier in hindsight to realize that people had mental health issues. Besides, mentally ill employees are not the only threat to military bases. 

Determined terrorists pose a serious threat, too. 

What should be done if the screening for mental illness fails? Or when there is a terrorist plot? 

Currently, soldiers on military bases are not allowed to carry guns. . . . 

The piece is continued here.