Stop the madness

Tin foil hat alert

A very poorly made Memorandum for Record has been making its way around the patriot social media knitting circles. Some are even buying into its validity.  If I may, I would like to lay those fears to rest.

Let's start with what is wrong with this:

1.  You do not send a division to train with a Memorandum for Record.  For the sake of argument, assuming 4th ID did it this way, the memorandum itself is so wrong it defies reason.  It is as if someone cracked upon Army Regulation 25-50 but did not know what to do from there.  
2. No such animal as a 423rd Transportation Company.  Apparently, it does exist.  However, unless they are on some sort of standing Active Duty orders, I do not see how Division could directly task out the Reserve unit.  Different food chains.
3. Again, assuming that this is a legit document, what the hell will the 2,255 personnel going to be doing?  A vague two line summary is not how the Army does business.  On anything. Ever.
4. Who starts training on a Thursday?
5. What the funk is training on a Forward Operating Base consist of?  Wearing PT belts to go eat and watching movies in the air conditioned MWR tent? A FOB is a place, not part of the Soldier Common Tasks.
6. Why would you intentionally cut off the signature block in the picture?  That is like sending in the Declaration of Independence and cutting off who authorized it before they sent it to King George.

I have never been to Fort Carson, so I cannot speak to where it conducts its training.  This seems to be a moot point, however, because of the obvious garbage that the document is.

Seriously, I could go on, but what would be the point?  This is simply the latest in the long ling of dis-informative garbage that some people take as gospel to simply have something to talk about.  

Oh, yeah, what is the referenced bill?  Mr. Woody W. Woodward (W3) was so kind as to provide the leg work on digging it up.

H.R.2322 — 114TH CONGRESS REPT. 114–589

2d Session " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ! Part 1
PUBLIC BUILDINGS REFORM AND SAVINGS ACT OF 2016

Authorizes: (1) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to authorize contract security personnel to carry firearms, and (2) such personnel to detain individuals without a warrant. Directs DHS to establish minimum and uniform training standards for security personnel.

Directs DHS to report on: (1) the personnel needs of the Federal Protective Service (FPS), including recommendations on the numbers of FPS law enforcement officers needed to carry out the mission of FPS during the 10-year period after the enactment of this Act, and (2) the best method of funding for the FPS.

This is the cite for the report on 2016’s HR4487 which is the replacement bill for HR2322 of 2015. The best I can tell it’s been passed in the House and forwarded to the Senate. I’ve, so far, been unable to determine if it has passed the Senate. I am acquainted with an employee of DHS who has told me that the DHS has changed FPS contracted security guards’ badges to read something like “federal police officer” and that for all practical purposes the FPS guards stationed at social security offices and other federal offices are now police officers.

‘‘(1) AUTHORITIES FOR CONTRACT SECURITY PERSONNEL.— 

‘‘(A) CARRYING OF FIREARMS.—The Secretary may authorize contract security personnel engaged in the protection of buildings and grounds that are owned, occupied, or secured by the General Services Administration Public Buildings Service to carry firearms to carry out their official duties.

‘‘(B) DETENTION WITHOUT A WARRANT.—A person authorized to carry a firearm under this subsection may, while in the performance of, and in connection with, official duties, detain an individual without a warrant for any offense against the United States committed in that person’s presence or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if that person has reasonable grounds to believe that the individual to be detained has committed or is committing such felony. The detention authority conferred by this paragraph is in addition to any detention authority provided under other laws.

Did you see anything in there about Martial Law?  Me neither,

Thus endeth the lesson.