Sorry folks I forgot to change the title, it should read:
"NG at LAX, S.F. Airport weapons UNloaded"
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[url]http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-100601lax.story[/url]

Security: National Guard is deployed at the two facilities, though without weapons loaded. Travelers seem to take the .
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National Guard members carrying M-16 rifles took up positions at Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports--creating a striking new martial presence, even though their rifles were not loaded.
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Guard members began their duty about noon in the LAX terminals, taking positions next to metal detectors and escalators at security checkpoints. They carried standard-issue M-16 rifles but kept their ammunition magazines out of the weapons.
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Capt. Tela Tisor, a Guard spokesperson, said keeping the guns unloaded is a common safety precaution, taken in this case on orders of the Federal Aviation Administration, which is overseeing the Guard deployment.

Texas National Guard from the 49th Armored are stationed at our local airports, they are locked and loaded.  

The point I was trying to make is that the NG doesn't have any live ammo IN the gun, so why give them M16s when the mag is in their belt.  The U.S. govt still hasn't learned its lesson, if you have going to have real guns, you have to give those people real bullets.  After the Marine barracks and 92 L.A. riots debacle, they still haven't learned. To me those folks are just there for show, like smoke & mirrors.  So what is the use of have the NG there? If somebody determined wanted to do something dastardly......  THE Deputy Sherirff BARNEY FIFE sydrome from TV's Andy Griffth show, Barney has only one round and it is kept in his breast shirt pocket.

The U.S. Military Dosnt trust thier soldiers with bullets...as for the TX national Guard they may have magazines in ther m16's but they are unloaded...trust me ...lock and loaded weapons are a no no for security details.

The point I was trying to make is that the NG doesn't have any live ammo IN the gun, so why give them M16s when the mag is in their belt.  The U.S. govt still hasn't learned its lesson, if you have going to have real guns, you have to give those people real bullets.  After the Marine barracks and 92 L.A. riots debacle, they still haven't learned. To me those folks are just there for show, like smoke & mirrors.  So what is the use of have the NG there? If somebody determined wanted to do something dastardly......  THE Deputy Sherirff BARNEY FIFE sydrome from TV's Andy Griffth show, Barney has only one round and it is kept in his breast shirt pocket.

Actually, the TX NG guys at DFW have loaded magazines inserted in the weapons, but do not have a round chambered.

I believe all this is just a show of force anyway, more intended to instill a little confidence in the public to get them back in airliners again.

The point I was trying to make is that the NG doesn't have any live ammo IN the gun, so why give them M16s when the mag is in their belt.  The U.S. govt still hasn't learned its lesson, if you have going to have real guns, you have to give those people real bullets.  After the Marine barracks and 92 L.A. riots debacle, they still haven't learned. To me those folks are just there for show, like smoke & mirrors.  So what is the use of have the NG there? If somebody determined wanted to do something dastardly......  THE Deputy Sherirff BARNEY FIFE sydrome from TV's Andy Griffth show, Barney has only one round and it is kept in his breast shirt pocket.

I'm sorry, but could you repost this again?  I didn't get it the first three times you posted it. [rolleyes]

I wondered if they let them load up.
Once in a while they would issue us loaded mags with some tape over the top. If you chambered a round, you`d break the tape and have to fill out piles of paperwork.

This is true in Houston.