Pentagon to Destroy $1.2 Billion in Surplus Ammo

[cory]

Slappy, I get suspicious when I read something that sounds terrible but vague (especially from a politician). I get even more suspicious when that info seems calculated to get some important demographic all riled up. Chances are that the information is incomplete or flat wrong.

This is what I have recently learned about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
NOAA is not just a "weather service" and more complicated than I thought. It has special agents and enforcement officers who carry firearms. They are considered federal law enforcement officers. NOAA is also tasked to enforce the US fishing laws (among other things) from 3 to 200 miles off the US coast. This is for both domestic and foreign vessels. I suspect that they also run into the occasional drug smuggler who is generally not happy to see them. There are also roughly 300 NOAA Corps Officers who have been trained at the Coast Guard Training facility.

NOAA can be "militarized" by the President, Secretary of State, etc during war or national crisis. After 9/11, their responsibilities increased dramatically. In damn near any emergency (terrorist attacks as well as other man made or natural disaster), the Department of Homeland Security can use NOAA personnel as they wish. The weather and ocean monitoring facilities, satellite communication, air sampling and other equipment are now considered "assets of importance" to the country. NOAA personnel are supposed to defend these against attack. They are also supposed to protect their ships, boats and aircraft.

After Huricanne Katrina, NOAA was given more responsibilities including to "supplement State and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States."

I don't know how many of their people must stay proficient with firearms, but it is more than most think. Hell, I worked as an intern/computer programmer at one facility back in the late 70's and early 80's and had no idea about all of this stuff.

source: http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/am...ndbook.pdf

Why does the NOAA need to be enforcing any laws!!! Let the coast guards enforce all laws off of our coast. Far to many bureaucracies have been given the power to enforce some law as they see fit.