CCW @ WORK

DSARGE · Post by **DSARGE** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:53 pm

I have read several posts on this subject, and noticed alot of people have a hard time. I consider myself lucky as most people where I work carry. The others are waiting to take the class or could care less. We talk constantly about weapons and CCW alot. I realize this seems to violate the "secret" rule, but this is no different to us than other work environments discussing sports. We even have discussed different scenarios, and have "code words" if something were to happen to watch each other's backs and sound the alarm inconspicuosly. Unfortunately, we can't carry at work because we are military (personal weapons), but we are together alot off-base. We have fun with it. We are planning a dinner where the requirement is you have to wear (properly concealed of course) a minimum of two handguns. The point to this is that I just realized how lucky I am to work with CCW like-minded individuals, and that discussing the "secret" with others can actually develop a plan to cover each other's 6's and have a little fun and "CCW themed" outings.

Venus Pax · Post by **Venus Pax** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:29 pm

You are very fortunate. I know of only one other teacher/employee at my school that has a CHL, and he and I are very quiet about our status.
(I did tell our sheriff's deputy, so he knows I'm legal in an emergency.)

G.C.Montgomery · Post by **G.C.Montgomery** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:09 pm

DSARGE, I'm glad you are fortunate enough to be able to carry "openly." Fact is however, most places aren't like that. At my last job, my boss knew I carried. In fact, be the end of my second year on the job we were both carrying tucked Glock 19's and did the entire time I was there.

The fact that I was a shooter got outted to other employees pretty early on but the sheep all assumed that I didn't carry a gun in the office. Part of that was because no one could imagine I had a Glock 19 under my tucked shirt. These were not people who knew about or understood concealed carry. It doesn't reflect well on my character but I have a decent poker face. So when confronted and asked by co-workers if I carried around the office, I flat lied and said 'No.'

My personal security, in fact my job security depended the perception that I did not wear a gun at work. I suspect the CFO and CEO, my boss' boss, might have known or at least suspected my boss and I were carrying but since we were unofficially tasked with physical security anyway, they probably took the "Dont ask, don't tell" route in dealing with the issue. The company policy stated that employees could not have "unauthorized weapons" in the office. My point of view was that I was authorized by the State of Texas to carry where ever it was legal to do so. That happened to include my office.

My boss and I did discuss the network and physical security of the office quite a bit. We went so far as to draw up plans for bounding overwatch approaches for active shooter scenarios and seriously though about breaking out the airsoft guns for force on force drills when we were alone after hours. Being that business continuity duties fell on us with respect to the network, servers and PC's, we constantly drew up plans to evac to the company's recovery site in Grand Prairie. We had plans for everything from tropical storms to NukeBioChem threats. Of course, my former boss had also spent eight years in Rangers so the plans he came up with weren't just drafted out of thin air. But all of this planning was done behind closed doors. Before I left, one person asked me what me and my boss spent so much time talking about in my office. I knew she'd think I was joking when I told her the truth...We spent most of that time planning for the present and future IT needs of the company as well as the unlikely events of natural disasters and violent attacks against the office or the city to allow for uninterrupted availability to critical infrastructure despite the loss of physical access to our office.

RPBrown · Post by **RPBrown** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:12 pm

Yes you are one of the lucky ones. I also am allowed to carry at work.

However, I have an opportunity to change jobs and had agreed to the position after much soul searching (been on the same job 11 years).

Then I recieved the company policy manual. Even though the owner and his wife both carry, the policy is no weapons. I will discuss this with him Monday but if the policy remains or if he does'nt give written permission, I will turn down the position.

GalaxyFE · Post by **GalaxyFE** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:22 pm

I guess I am fortunate as well. My office isn't too big, but a lot of us carry too. Again, like DSARGE, we can't actually carry in the workplace, but after seeing how many of us in the work place have been affected by the crime here (San Antonio) we all are of the same mindset of CCW. You know DSARGE, we need to figure a way to carry to and from base...there are a lot of fools you encounter to and from work...

Rex B · Post by **Rex B** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:20 am

RPBrown wrote:Yes you are one of the lucky ones. I also am allowed to carry at work.

However, I have an opportunity to change jobs and had agreed to the position after much soul searching (been on the same job 11 years).

Then I recieved the company policy manual. Even though the owner and his wife both carry, the policy is no weapons. I will discuss this with him Monday but if the policy remains or if he does'nt give written permission, I will turn down the position.

So RP, how did this turn out?