USPS joins list of federal agencies

[+OverSword]

From the article:

Add the U.S. Postal Service to the list of federal agencies seeking to purchase what some Second Amendment activists say are alarmingly large quantities of ammunition.

Earlier this year, the USPS posted a notice on its website, under the heading "Assorted Small Arms Ammunition," that says: "The United States Postal Service intends to solicit proposals for assorted small arms ammunition. If your organization wishes to participate, you must pre-register. This message is only a notification of our intent to solicit proposals."

Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Washington-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said: "We're seeing a highly unusual amount of ammunition being bought by the federal agencies over a fairly short period of time. To be honest, I don't understand why the federal government is buying so much at this time."

Jake McGuigan, director of state affairs and government relations for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said widely reported federal ammunition purchases have sparked conspiracy-type fears among gun owners, who worry that the federal government is trying to crack down on Second Amendment rights via the back door by limiting the ammo available to owners.

It's not just the USPS that is stocking up on ammo.

A little more than a year ago, the Social Security Administration put in a request for 174,000 rounds of ".357 Sig 125 grain bonded jacketed hollow-point" bullets.

Before that, it was the Department of Agriculture requesting 320,000 rounds. More recently, the Department of Homeland Security raised eyebrows with its request for 450 million rounds — at about the same time the FBI separately sought 100 million hollow-point rounds.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also requested 46,000 rounds.

Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, asked: why exactly does a weather service need ammunition?

Source

[Keel M.]

[aztek]

i shot at least a thousand rounds when i go to the range, sometimes more, along with my friends we leave few thousands empties, i asked range attendant once how many aproximately rounds their customers shoot on avarige day, she said about 40-50k. so it does not sound that much to me, if anything i'd say ss agents, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration do not train enough.

[+OverSword]

i shot at least a thousand rounds when i go to the range, sometimes more, along with my friends we leave few thousands empties, i asked range attendant once how many aproximately rounds their customers shoot on avarige day, she said about 40-50k. so it does not sound that much to me, if anything i'd say ss agents, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration do not train enough.

Why would NOAA need guns at all? Aren't they basically a weather monitoring agency?

[aztek]

Why would NOAA need guns at all? Aren't they basically a weather monitoring agency?

pirates, lol

but it is a good question, but if they do have few guns, they have to train with them, dep also carries guns, why do they? they only monitor enviroment

Edited April 15, 2014 by aztek

[RavenHawk]

Why would NOAA need guns at all? Aren't they basically a weather monitoring agency?

It's so that they can arrest (shoot) Anthropomorphic Climate Change Deniers or those wielding deadly carbon atoms.

[aztek]

dhs employs about 240k lets assume only 80k are actually armed agents, so they only get about 5600 rounds each., if they use as much during their single trip to the range, as i do, it does not sound too many to me.

[Sweetpumper]

Of all the agencies to arm.

[RavenHawk]

I would think that obvious questions would be:

1) How many ammo makers are there in this country?

2) What are their yearly output per type and caliber?

3) Do they have a continuous cycle making ammo or is it seasonal or based on demand?

4) What kind of regulations is on the raw material or sources?

5) What is the carbon footprint and waste byproduct?

[Space Commander Travis]

They appear not to be familiar with the phrase "going postal". Or perhaps they hope to make it more cost-effective by supplying their employees with ammunition now.

[+OverSword]

I would think that obvious questions would be:

1) How many ammo makers are there in this country?

2) What are their yearly output per type and caliber?

3) Do they have a continuous cycle making ammo or is it seasonal or based on demand?

4) What kind of regulations is on the raw material or sources?

5) What is the carbon footprint and waste byproduct?

Why number 5?

They appear not to be familiar with the phrase "going postal". Or perhaps they hope to make it more cost-effective by supplying their employees with ammunition now.

Dude!

[Rafterman]

Most Federal agencies have an enforcement division. In the case of the USPS, there are armed postal inspectors - about 1,500 of them in fact. And while I see no reference to an actual amount of ammo they wish to purchase - although lots of references to words like obscene, large, huge, etc. - keep in mind 1,500 people shooting a few hundred rounds a year at a range adds up pretty quickly.

If it makes you feel better, here is a conservative, pro-2nd Amendment website that says it's not big deal:

http://gunssavelives.net/blog/yes-the-us-postal-service-is-buying-ammo-no-its-not-some-big-conspiracy/#

As for NOAA, the ammo order was erroneously attributed to the weather division when it should have said NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement.

Due to a clerical error in the federal business vendor process, a solicitation for ammunition and targets for the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement mistakenly identified NOAA's National Weather Service as the requesting office. The error is being fixed and will soon appear correctly in the electronic federal bidding system. The ammunition is standard issue for many law enforcement agencies and it will be used by 63 NOAA enforcement personnel in their firearms qualifications and training.

Agents and officers are required to have 200 rounds in his or her duty bag, and twice-a-year firearm qualification and training calls for agents to use another 500-600 rounds. In addition, firearms instructors with more than one pistol may need more rounds in a year. In 2011, the guidance was that each agent and officer would need 700 rounds per year to meet these requirements.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-why-the-noaa-supposedly-ordered-46000-rounds-of-ammunition-2012-8#ixzz2yyfMQ23F

So, again, no big conspiracy. These are simply Federal agencies ordering their needed ammunition in as cost-effective a way as possible. Isn't that something we should all be applauding instead of criticizing?

[Space Commander Travis]

So why do they need it?

[Rafterman]

dhs employs about 240k lets assume only 80k are actually armed agents, so they only get about 5600 rounds each., if they use as much during their single trip to the range, as i do, it does not sound too many to me.

The Department of Homeland Security also includes all of these agencies:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Transportation Security Administration

U.S. Coast Guard

National Protection and Programs Directorate

U.S. Secret Service

So, yeah, they shoot a lot of bullets.

[Rafterman]

So why do they need it?

Who? NOAA or the USPS?

They have enforcement divisions and the members of such divisions are sworn law enforcement officers.

Here's what postal inspectors do:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Inspection_Service

Here's what fisheries enforcement does:

From tackling seafood fraud nationally to helping crack down on illegal fishing internationally, we're here to make sure that those who obey the rules reap the benefits of fair competition and an even playing field in the market. We protect marine resources and their habitat and help safeguard the health of seafood consumers and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ole/

[aztek]

So why do they need it?

lol, to serve you better

[Space Commander Travis]

I can see how the Fishery protection people would need precautions against illegal fishing & so on, but I'm still not sure why Postal inspectors should need to, unless it's just that everyone else is so why shouldn't hey?.

[aztek]

postal police.

[Space Commander Travis]

* Ah, maybe this is why:

Aviation and Homeland Security: USPIS investigations also include the securing and protecting of transportation of US Mail and any risk that might compromise the security of the homeland because of these mails. Security Audits are conducted by these teams to ensure that postal service maintains facilities secure from not only theft and robberies but also natural and manmade disasters."

Yup, that all-purpose justification, National Security. We're just here to reassure you, citizen.

[Sweetpumper]

lol, to serve you better

[Rafterman]

* Ah, maybe this is why:

Aviation and Homeland Security: USPIS investigations also include the securing and protecting of transportation of US Mail and any risk that might compromise the security of the homeland because of these mails. Security Audits are conducted by these teams to ensure that postal service maintains facilities secure from not only theft and robberies but also natural and manmade disasters."

Yup, that all-purpose justification, National Security. We're just here to reassure you, citizen.

Postal Inspectors have always been armed. They investigate all types of illegal shipping of goods - drugs, firearms, explosives, cigarettes, money - and all kinds of mail fraud. They investigate anything to do with the mail from stolen credit cards, Nigerian scammers, and mail terrorism (Anthrax scares, etc.).

You tend to run into a lot of nefarious people when you do stuff like that.

Here's a recent piece on marijuana busts carried out by PIs.

http://www.usnews.co...-inspectors-say

Besides, who do you think comes and arrests your ass when you destroy a mailbox?

Edited April 15, 2014 by Rafterman

[RavenHawk]

Why number 5?

Because it would be a means of government control. Deplete stockpiles, then apply new controls in the manufacturing of more. Maybe put restrictions on the kind of power used that is less reliable, causing more misfires. Not as much bang for the buck.

[Jeremiah65]

Not going to read all the posts....I just have this to say...

When the GOV starts arming and providing ammo for every single branch of the GOV...then there is something profoundly wrong. We have security forces...we have offensive forces....why are we paying to arm others in double, triple and quadruple redundancy?

It's because they do not know who they can count on to fire on US citizens and who they can't. Maybe the postal worker with a gun will be happy to tap two into your temple...

The Oathe keepers say they will not fire on American Citizens on American soil...is that truth or just words that sounds nice? I don't really know...do you?

The most unnerving thing of all of this is that it appears to be preparation for "something"...now none of us have a clue what that might be. Maybe...the gov is stocking up on ammo so when we are invaded...johnny citizen, deer hunter extraordinaire... can head to the post office and get a rack of 30-06 rounds to sniper off our invaders...doubtful but possible I guess...

[Michelle]

Law enforcement agencies[edit]

Postal Inspection Service[edit]

The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Founded by Benjamin Franklin, its mission is to protect the Postal Service, its employees, and its customers from crime and protect the nation's mail system from criminal misuse.^[91]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service#Law_enforcement_agencies

So apparently this isn't a new thing...

[RavenHawk]

Let's not forget how the Corps was involved

https://www.mca-mari...y-bring-marines

http://www.angelfire...mailguards.html

Edited April 15, 2014 by RavenHawk