When a President makes a public appearance to a military audience, do they make sure the soldiers are unarmed?

Question

What precautions are taken to ensure a soldier does not frag the commander in chief?

Answer 1

Depends on the situation. If the prez visits an American base in America, then the soldiers will probably be unarmed. If he visits them in Iraq, then I'd be willing to guarantee that the soliders are definitely armed (our weapons never left our side when deployed).

Look at it this way though: If a solider/marine/sailor wants to frag the prez, he's going to be surrounded by thousands of other servicemen who won't let him anyway.

Answer 2

Before the president or even a high ranking general or administration official goes anywhere, the bomb-sniffing dogs are deployed, and the audience is denied anything that could contain a weapon of any kind. Yes, they go through a metal detector.

When the president came to Ft. Benning, the post was locked down, and anyone working there was given explicit orders to stay at their desks and away from the windows for the duration of the presidents trip from the airfield to the meeting hall. I doubt they can get that kind of cooperation everywhere, they are VERY cautious. This is the Leader of the Free World, a target greater even than any other head of state. There is no place the president can go that has not been secured to the best of the Secret Service's ability.

Answer 3

Soldiers don't go to meetings packing heat. I wouldn't be surprised if a metal detector is put up in the entrance. I doubt they frisk the troops. However at this stage of the game I am sure there are a few who dream of fragging the prez.

Answer 4

When President Bush made his surprise Thanksgiving visit to the troops in Iraq they all had their required personal weapon and at least one clip of ammunition.

No US President has to concern himself about the loyalty of the troops.

Answer 5

I'm sure the President's security detail is always vigilant.

PS I really don't know how to answer a question about killing the President, asked by someone with a screen name like "Peace Love and Harmony."

Answer 6

Yes...the soldiers clear security just like everyone else unless they are assigned to a security detail to augment the secret service.

Answer 7

The soldiers are there for a reason! They can't even SAY anything bad about the "commander and chief." My fiancee is in the army and he says that they get in BIG trouble if they say something bad.