Opinion
Fairfax, VA – -(Ammoland.com)- Benghazi survivor and veteran John “Tig” Tiegen says veterans are increasingly concerned that gun confiscation schemes like the one Beto O’Rourke pushed could leave them defenseless. Tig, who now advocates for veterans through his foundation Beyond the Battlefield, says veterans who struggle with PTSD fear that gun control advocates are coming for their guns. Tig, a proud NRA member, warns veterans to not be complacent about their rights.
Q. What are you hearing from Democratic presidential candidates that has you so concerned?
A. It’s a whole lot of gun control from that crowd, everything from red flag laws to outright confiscations and bans of our firearms. Many veterans already feel like we’re being targeted because of PTSD and other issues. My foundation is working with a veteran right now who won a small .22 cricket rifle at one of our foundation retreats, and when he went to process the rifle at a gun store, he failed the background check. Turns out, it was because he had listed his wife as his fiduciary to help him manage his VA benefits. Under the Obama administration, the VA automatically reported any veteran using a fiduciary as “mentally defective” – a disqualifying factor for firearm ownership – with no judicial finding of dangerousness. A fiduciary is simply someone who helps a person manage their finances. It’s been a year since he was denied, and we’re still working to get his gun rights restored. This guy was in special forces and is an NRA instructor – the last person you should be worried about with a firearm. We see things like this all the time. We’re just very concerned that things like this will be used against us.
Q. Are you concerned that this amped up talk of gun control could make it less likely for veterans dealing with mental health issues to seek help?
A. Of course. Veterans want to be able to protect their families and a lot of them, like myself, live out in the middle of nowhere, so we rely on our firearms. But anytime we seek help through a Veterans Affairs hospital, it’s all well-documented, and if records get shared with NICS [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] we could lose our rights. Already, a lot of veterans are worried they’ll lose their gun rights if they seek treatment, so, yes, if we see an increase in veterans targeted by gun control laws, they will be even less likely to seek help.
Q. What do you think is really behind the push for these new gun control laws?
A. I think they are driving toward a national gun registry so when they do want to come and confiscate our guns they will be able to do it because they’ll know what guns we have. The truth is, a lot of gun control schemes aren’t enforceable without a gun registry.
Q. How can family, friends, and co-workers be supportive and helpful of veterans who may be dealing with PTSD?
A. If you think your friend or veteran buddy is vulnerable to harming themselves, the first step is always to get them aside and talk openly about what’s going on and what the next steps might be. Let them know you’re there for them. If you see something on their social media accounts that looks off, reach out to them. A lot of guys have gotten help because they posted something.
About:
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org
Mr. Tiegen is exactly right. All Americans should educate themselves as well as their friends about what happens when the government of any country has taken away the rights of the people to keep and bear arms. We need to unite somehow and tell the gun control advocates we will not stand for their attempts to infringe on our Second Amendment rights.
Starting with the first question or rather the subsequent answers are astounding. If TODAY was not 11/9/2019 I would not believe this to be true but in TODAY’S America it is totally believable. Where the truth is no longer true it is something else, whatever else. It’s a crying, sad, insane and terrible shame.
The more shit that comes out. The more I’m reminded of the reaming that the 2A has received especially recent in times. We’ll have to start buying butt plugs with our guns and ammo to keep ourselves from getting assfucked.
Tig,
No worries WE WILL NOT COMPLY.
Time these spoiled ass rotten generations do a little tree watering if it MUST come to that.
I’m a little confused about this national gun registry issue. When I purchase firearms in CA, two agencies come into play, Federal and State DOJ. I have a difficult time believing that this information just disappears after the purchase transaction ends. Even the department of motor vehicles knows if your liability insurance is or isn’t in effect and will invalidate your registration should the later be the case. Now we have background checks for ammunition for which they now know when, where, how much and probably the type. Does that disappear as well? Databases are forever. Since there is no… Read more »
The thing you have to ask yourself, is how far you’re willing to go when they do come for your guns. Are you all talk when the time comes to an actual showdown, because it’s for sure you’re going to know some of the cops that come for you because, let’s face it, many are family men with children too. It won’t be an easy decision, but it’s one you have to come to terms with right now. The knock at the door will be to first disarm your fears of why they are there. “We just want to talk!”… Read more »
FOPA forbids a National Gun Registry. FOPA would have to be repealed or amended. The Act also forbade the U.S. Government agency from keeping a registry directly linking non-National Firearms Act firearms to their owners, the specific language of this law Federal Law 18 U.S.C. 926 being: No such rule or regulation prescribed [by the Attorney General] after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or… Read more »
I know of a rather large number of firearms in private hands.. Most were purchased by the current owner through FFL’s. A huge number of them were purchased from known private parties (before UBC was the “law” where it is now) or from private sellers at gun shows (same thing), some were traded, exchanged, sold between long time friends. Many more were purchased used, off GunBroker and such, through FFL’s as required by law (but should not be), from FFL’s at gun shows, gun shops that handle used firearms, etc. In other words, likely near the half of guns I… Read more »
Yea, they should have no problem registering all those Poly 80 pistols and 80% AR’s that are being built all over the place! GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! Oh, and I forgot about the 3d printers that can make up metal as well as poly parts with the press of a button.