Question on open carry for U.S. Military in Texas...

[chabouk]

Were you sure they were military?

giga04 ... I'm sure they were not Federal Law Enforcement. Two of our church members were, at the time, high ranking USBP (Deputy Chief, Chief of Operations and something else ... ). They were eating breakfast with me when these five guys came in and were invited to sit with us at our table. They were all in civvies and unarmed. My two friends later told me they were helping BP agents, but not exactly how. They are the ones who told me the guys were not Federal agents of any kind, but were specialists on temporary duty. Looking and listening to them, it seemed certain to me they were active duty something. Later I heard about military sensors and other stuff, so maybe that is what they did.

"Specialists on temporary duty" implies they were either private contractors, agents from other government orgs, or pseudo-private contractors like Blackwater/Xe.

[tboesche]

[

When I trained on missions involving locating and designating targets at night (30 years ago) I wore black denim pants (with pantyhose for warmth ), "commando" sweaters (the designation escapes me) and ski masks that started out rolled up like toboggans. We had light web gear, black with our gerber, monocular and side arm (in my case)...that's it. We did have dog tags, taped and concealed.

"Wolly Pully

[Dragonfighter]

[

When I trained on missions involving locating and designating targets at night (30 years ago) I wore black denim pants (with pantyhose for warmth ), "commando" sweaters (the designation escapes me) and ski masks that started out rolled up like toboggans. We had light web gear, black with our gerber, monocular and side arm (in my case)...that's it. We did have dog tags, taped and concealed.

"Wolly Pully

Wooly Pully...thanks but there was a designation like "Sweater, Wool, Black, Reinforced, 1 Each". There was a specific nomenclature but I can't reach back the thirty years to recall it. I do remember the panty hose though, "Stockings, Nylon, pant-type, 1 pair"...I kid you not. The quartermaster didn't blink an eye.

[Will938]

As others have said, there's exceptions for Federal military to carry. And as others said, this guy smacks of being a poser.

In the TXSG I have carried weapons in public twice. Once in a change of command ceremony and once for a funeral. Each time JAG was there to quell any issues.

[sookandy]

Was the weapon standard issue?
Look around on a base and see how many are carrying...no one unless they are headed out on a training mission or deployment.
The only time we were allowed to carry like that, that I can remember was transporting a prisoner or sensitive documents...and only 3 rds issued. (this was a while back)

[Purplehood]

When I was stationed at Camp Pendleton I used to run Payroll Teams up to the Mountain Warfare Training Center (Pickle Meadows, CA near Reno). We would stop at the local Bank of America to pick up our cash for the pay-run on base. The local California Highway Patrol guy would sit across the street and watch us all pile into the bank with M-16's and M-9's. Our Lt would wander over to chat with him and generally keep him reassured.
We carried full mags.
EDIT: I would presume that this occurs throughout the US.
Oh, and I fully agree with the conclusion that the guy that the OP observed is most likely some sort of poser with a lot of gumption. I sure wouldn't try to stroll through a school with an openly carried weapon and try to pass myself off as a Special Ops guy (and I was, but that is NOT Special Forces).

[Mando'a]

Hey guys,

Sorry that I haven't been on the forum for almost a week and half, just been real busy at work.

I have nothing new to report on this issue. So far as I know, he hasn't been around since that first time my wife saw him.

If he was a poser, maybe he wised up after my wife confronted him.

Srothstein, thanks for the post referencing the Texas PC.

[texas1234]

Yes you can open carry under certain conditions in public we used to do it in the Marine Corp right here in Houston and in West Texas but there is usually only one or two designated folks with live rounds and a 9mm. We normally carried a side arm if we were operating with other weapons, the weapons we trained with were real and in this situation a target to be stolen. His situation did not appear to be a condition where he was allowed to open carry.

However, on basic duty we never walked into a grocery store or school carrying a weapon nor were we authorized to check out a military issue side arm for general training, those who were armed with live rounds were on training missions and would stay near the staging area to protect the equipment. During an LVS training school in West Texas when I was in the reserves out of active duty we would drive all over West Texas. Our Gunny opened carried a 9mm due to those circumstance he would open carry into a convenience store to get a drink and use the restroom and the other person designated to watch the equipment open carrying would stay back. But it was obvious we were on a designated authorized military mission and we had equipment to protect.

Its too bad another military person didnt see him because anyone who has served in the Marine, Army, etc. can tell immediately if his uniform is legit just by how he wears it etc.

In Summation if he was real he used really poor judgement, if he wasnt real that is kind of frightening.

[Purplehood]

Yes you can open carry under certain conditions in public we used to do it in the Marine Corp right here in Houston and in West Texas but there is usually only one or two designated folks with live rounds and a 9mm. We normally carried a side arm if we were operating with other weapons, the weapons we trained with were real and in this situation a target to be stolen. His situation did not appear to be a condition where he was allowed to open carry.

However, on basic duty we never walked into a grocery store or school carrying a weapon nor were we authorized to check out a military issue side arm for general training, those who were armed with live rounds were on training missions and would stay near the staging area to protect the equipment. During an LVS training school in West Texas when I was in the reserves out of active duty we would drive all over West Texas. Our Gunny opened carried a 9mm due to those circumstance he would open carry into a convenience store to get a drink and use the restroom and the other person designated to watch the equipment open carrying would stay back. But it was obvious we were on a designated authorized military mission and we had equipment to protect.

Its too bad another military person didnt see him because anyone who has served in the Marine, Army, etc. can tell immediately if his uniform is legit just by how he wears it etc.
In Summation if he was real he used really poor judgement, if he wasnt real that is kind of frightening.

LOL, I don't know about that. Having been in both the Marines and the Army, I am nevertheless not always aware of what proper wear of a uniform is from time to time (of other services). When I was a young Jarhead I was walking through the MCAS El Toro PX Mall and saw a Soldier walking around with so much brass on his uniform that I snapped him a salute. He looked at me funny, returned my salute and continued on his way. I turned around to see why he had looked at me funny and finally noticed his Sergeant First Class stripes underneath all the fancy Army doo-dads on his uniform. I thought he was a General or something. Needless to say, I was embarrassed.
My point is, some posers can pose pretty well and we may not even know it (those of us that really should after 24 years of service).

[texas1234]

Then lets call it my superior and super human gut intiution and my ability to look for small details that would be tell tale signs distinguising him from a real soldier, such as dress, demeanor, etc. I didnt mean to imply all folks who serve in the military have my super keen ability to read people like a book. I humbly apologize.

[chabouk]

I couldn't tell if someone is wearing current Army uniforms correctly, or not. They have changed considerably from my time in the service (when I joined, we were transitioning from 501 to BDU). Now they have the digital/ACU/whatever, and the green Class A is about to go away in favor of Army Blue.

One huge change is sunglasses: in my day, they were strictly prohibited while in uniform. Now you see soldiers wearing them all the time. And the policy on headgear has either changed, or just isn't enforced.

[G26ster]

I couldn't tell if someone is wearing current Army uniforms correctly, or not. They have changed considerably from my time in the service (when I joined, we were transitioning from 501 to BDU). Now they have the digital/ACU/whatever, and the green Class A is about to go away in favor of Army Blue.

One huge change is sunglasses: in my day, they were strictly prohibited while in uniform. Now you see soldiers wearing them all the time. And the policy on headgear has either changed, or just isn't enforced.

I served 23 years (14 active, 9 RR), and couldn't tell you if any modern soldier was in "proper" uniform or not. Army uniforms especially have changed dramatically since my time. As for sun glasses, when I was Infantry I don't recall the policy, but they were rare, if allowed at all, in uniform. In my Army aviator days though, Ray Bans were a "must" as one had to maintain the proper "image"

[Purplehood]

In the Corps only "Wingers" wore shades...

[Medic218]

He was open carrying? Was he using a thigh holster?
Reason I ask is I remember my BDUs being quite roomy and since the top doesn't have to be tucked in I don't see why he wouldn't just use a belt holster in the first place. I can't think of a pistol/holster combo that a properly fitted set of BDUs/ACUs wouldn't cover up. Also, if it wasn't an M9 then the possibilty he is a poser is greatly increased.

I knew two or three SF guys while I was in and I don't recall them carrying openly off post...ever.
On post you are to follow the UCMJ, off post you are to follow the UCMJ AND civilan laws. Seems fishy to me.