I think I remember the 'no ammo' thing. Less an institutional approach to security, more an example of institutional panic. The NG is fine with passing out gu

I think I remember the 'no ammo' thing. Less an institutional approach to security, more an example of institutional panic. The NG is fine with passing out guns - they probably break them out one weekend a month and dust them off.[1] But passing out ammo - that's a serious step. Some officers freak the heck out when they think about troops having actual live bullets in their magazines. In the 1980s era Marines, on barracks duty, I actually rolled out to a for-real no-kidding 'we're being shot at' incident with a rifle, a radio, a flashlight and no ammunition. The reasons _why_ are complicated (and this isn't the place for a sea story) but it boils down to 'the troops weren't trusted with bullets - they might shoot someone'. [1] I understand this has changed, for the better, since 9/11. Now they break them out and _clean_ them on drill weekend.