VA Medical Letter

TTAG reader MP emailed us this letter without any explanation. No explanation needed. It’s a trap! Vets ask for their free gun locks, the VA notes their participation in the program. When a vet returns for psychological counseling, they Doc declares them PTSD. The authorities confiscate their weapons. After all, if there is some kind of insurrection, the vets will be the government’s most formidable opponent. Or maybe I/we are just being paranoid. I mean, does the U.S. government really want to disarm the citizenry? Are various federal agencies – the ATF, DOJ, NSA, etc. – all working in that direction? More to the point, are they doing so in any kind of coordinated way? Tin foil hats on boys! We’re goin’ in!

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123 COMMENTS

  1. “does the U.S. government really want to disarm the citizenry?”

    Yes.

    Next question?

    • Yes or no, who can be sure? But given the government’s past behaviours, why take a chance when it is so easy and cheap to get a gun lock elsewhere? Prepare like the answer is yes, hope that the answer is no. No tin foil hat required.

      • Yeah I’m with this dude. Whether or not they intend to is irrelevant to the fact that making it easier is NOT a good idea for anyone, though many will vehemently deny this with anti-gun sophistry.

      • Every firearm I’ve purchased has come with a gun lock of some sort. Even though only California and maybe a few other states require them. So yeah, why bother with “free” gun locks?

      • Many police departments will give you gun locks if you ask them and no questions are asked. This letter seems to be rather obvious in intent.

    • If they do, it appears to be running as well as all other government-overseen programs. Sorry, hasn’t anyone here noticed which direction the metrics for gun ownership have been going? Total guns, % of population with guns, # of guns per capita, heck, guns per 2-year old children?

      Use the tinfoil for something useful, like a nice cobbler, as the government goes about its clumsy way of getting the opposite result.

      • What better cover than to APPEAR the clumsy oaf and then spring the trap when none think you capable?

  3. “Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity”

    If there was some big government conspiracy to disarm all citizens then we will hear about it, the government is a large unwieldy structure in which it is difficult to keep a secret. That being said, it does seem that many government agencies are working towards the disarmament goal (not necessarily in a coordinated fashion though)

    • Who said they were trying to be secretive? Their efforts are out in plain sight, clear as day.

    • It doesn’t take the WHOLE government to get something done, either. Just a few determined individuals in the right position can have a huge impact on what priorities get executed with efficiency.

    • Ugh you said if …. go on you tube search Eric holder brain wash guns
      For those who do not know what is going on.
      Eric Holder was the Attorney General of the USA appointed by the pos ol bummer
      Search the above and you will find video of him talking of disarming America and how they are using Brain washing just as they did with tobacco…… that comes from Eric Holder who should be in prison for fast and furious gun running selling guns to Mexican drug lords…. the Clinton certainly were involved as well because they ran guns and drugs as gov of Arkansas …. conspiracy no documented true yes.
      Larry Nichols is on record confessed to killing for the Clinton crime family Killary and Bill .. also to drug running and being security for their criminal activity.

      These are the times we live in our govt is corrupt criminal and evil. Prepare prepare and be ready always …. bug out bag always with you. … arrange rally points for your family. Be prepared. Or be dead

    • Nah, as a person not owning a gun I’m going to point out the unfairness of providing something of utility to only a limited number of folks, particularly given the fact that I’ve heard/read above that most manufacturers are already supplying them. Then I’ll request what ‘freebies’ they’ll provide for other health issues having much wider applicablity to the retired community:

      – Can I get free fire extinguishers? Burning to death/smoke inhalation is a health issue, older retired/disabled folks have a harder time exiting the building
      – Smoke detectors/CO detectors…
      – A/C or pay the power bill for it in the summer. many older folks die of heat induced stress
      – Pay for my heating bill in the winter. Lots of older folks freeze, have conditions aggravated by the cold
      – Child car seats. Us older folks are having to watch the grand children
      – Cover for my pool, or pay for fencing or monitoring systems. Lots of kids get hurt around pools, and us older folks have trouble keeping up with grandkids while watching them
      – Child safe locks and plugs for the electrical outlets. Again, watching the grandkids a lot, and we don’t want them to get hurt.
      – Deeper discounts at the commissaries to make healthy food more affordable for me and the grandkids.

      etc. etc. etc.
      –

      • Unfortunately the VA is government agency. If you do own firearms and tell them you do not, that can be a felony. Just as Martha Stewart. This is phishing scam and like all such scams, do not reply.

        Be worried if the census bureau send out something similar. They can prosecute you for not responding at all.

  6. No.
    We will be allowed to check out our ‘gun’, (singular), should we want to engage in trap or skeet shooting.
    Ice birds with enviro-safe dye.
    Ground rocks for shot…

    • Dear enthusiast: it appears that you have not participated in any logged shooting competitions in the past 30 days. As a result, your access to your community armory at your local police station has been revoked, and your firearms seized. Please contact your police chief to begin the licensing renewal process.

      Joke? Nope. See UK gun laws for an example of the system gun grabbers would like to see put in place.

  7. Define “government.”

    We live in a constitutional republic. Aren’t we the government? Or are we referring to the unelected bureaucrats?

    • “We” (POTG) aren’t a part of any national government predicated on mob rule under the “hope and change” intent of this Democrat Administration, nor any of the Democrat controlled state governments throughout the US who will relegate us to obscure oblivion any way they can.

      Organized government conspiracy, maybe not so much as a cultural “hope and change” conspiracy perpetuated by blatant and insidious government actions, media propaganda, and sheeple indifference.

      “We” aren’t invited to participate.

  8. The U.S. federal government as an entity does not, but many of the people in positions of power who seek to hold onto that power as well as gain more do want to disarm the ignorant masses.

  9. Wonder how they would react it you indicated that you had 50 guns that all needed locks? Probably lock YOU up!

  10. Is there any doubt? None on my end, anyway. They’ve got to disarm us to proceed with their ambitions for the one world government. I’m only half kidding. It DOES seem like us pesky, gun toting Americans are the last obstacle in whatever plans are being laid. I have no doubt that there are some who see the Bill of Rights as nothing but an antiquated obstacle to be overcome. Defeat them we must.

  11. Dear Flock-member. Thank you for putting your life on the line. We’re sure those trips to the rifle range were fun and educational. The sad fact is, we just don’t trust you with firearms and if you own one, have we got a deal for you! Just let us know that you have one and where you live and as a token of our appreciation, we’ll send you at least one $7 prize.

    Of course, your privacy is important. That’s why we may…or may not share your information with our affiliates (including ATF and local low enforcement). Trust us…we’re the government!

    Sincerely,
    Uncle Sam

  14. If you need a gun lock, your local Sheriff’s office most likely has them for free. You just walk in, go to the pile, and take one.

  16. I think send it back with a note, God Bless America and we don’t need the government telling us how to be safe with guns in our own home.

  17. Why would you need the VA to send you locks? Just ask me. Every friggin’ gun I buy these days comes with a lock. I got a whole box of ’em.

  18. Of course people in government/s want to completely control the citizenry. To do that they have to remove any power the citizenry have.

    It’s not a crazy idea to gain as control as you can. To use that power for your benefit. Then to pass that power down to your family and cohorts.

  19. I doubt it’s a trap, or at least It’s probably unlikely that what your suggesting is the intent of this measure. I am guessing that the offer is actually intended only for the reasons stated: to promote safety.

    HOWEVER, what is done later on when your name is on a list is scary enough to make this a non-starter. I’d shell out my own money rather than take a gamble that no one with access to this list, now or in the future, would ever misuse it in the way you’re suggesting.

    • Yes. The Weimar government in Germany passed gun-control laws in the interests of public safety. They had no conception that the laws in place would be misused by any successive government. Whoops.

      Although that is the history, making it thoroughly plausible that our government is well-meaning, I am still not buying it. Where I live people just assume you are a leftist and in casual conversation they express deep desires and hopes that someday we will disarm all the rubes, which includes vets in their worldview. It is hardly a secret.

  20. The locks themselves are dirt-cheap, but the administrative overhead to send out these letters, process the requests, and send the locks out would be expensive – and I thought the VA was mostly cash-poor. I’m far from being a conspiracy theorist, but this does just reek of being some sort of stealth/sting operation to compile a list of gun-owning vets.

    Folks who get this letter need to dutifully fill it out – with their dog’s name at a fictitious address.

    • Tin foil hat says “It is probly coded so they know where they sent it.” Now your in the extra special pile of retuns.

    • No, indicate you’re not a gun owner and there are safety/health issues that are applicable to much larger percentage of the retired/disabled vets. Fire extinguishers, smoke/CO detectors, child safety locks for cabinets and drawers, (lot of retired watching grandkids these days)

  21. Rember as a kid, you took a box, propped it up on one side with a stick, tied a string to the stick, then sprinkled some bird seed under the box, paid out the string to an undetectable distance and waited.

    Question, are we smarter than birds?

  22. Anyone who doesn’t realize that there is an active ongoing and accelerating agenda to disarm the American public is dangerously asleep at the wheel.

  23. Yep. NSA,CIA,FBI,DOD,IRS,OBAMA CARE,ATF,etc. No tinfoil needed. It’s all about control. And Republicans aren’t much better.

    • Which is a HUGE problem. We have the appearance of choice with the two-party system, but how much choice do we really have in a leader? Blech.

      • We don’t have a choice. Almost everybody around her will tell you that, then they’ll tell you that if you aren’t voting for the “right” guy come election time, you’re voting for the “wrong” guy. It’d be f*cking hysterical if it wasn’t to tragic.

    • Well, this IS TTaG. The community is obviously extremely pro-gun and mostly has a healthy distrust of the government. Is it any surprise that very few of us here actually believe that “nobody wants to take your guns”?

  25. One more thing:
    I have and I’m sure every reader here, has more than enough of those cheap cable locks that we could donate to the cause if there is a true need. Maybe ttag could be the collection center.

    Sorry, but I’ll keep have my Ruger ones because they have that cool Phoenix emblem. Every other company seems to include the generic red ones.

    • Ruger locks ARE nice, and very useful here and there, as well. The rest of ’em….well, I’ve got my own junk box for that.

      Tom

  26. i used to think i was paranoid.. then snowden and 2013 proved true everything i thought impossible.
    to answer your question: yes, yes, yes.

  27. Is this even seriously a question? Of course there are elements of the government working as hard as they can to disarm the American population.

  28. How come I haven’t received my letter? That’s dated Feb. 11, and I haven’t received my letter. Maybe a hoax?

    • The program’s existence may depend on the Management at a given VAMC. For example, the DC VAMC does not do this; instead they allow a local group to set up a table in the atrium from time to time. The group gives away gun locks, no questions asked, no names taken.

  29. A gun is only a piece of equipment. Disarm a vet and you still have a vet with all that entails.

    • Ther are .9 guns for ever man women and child in the U.S.
      Looks like if need be, we can lend/lease the childrens guns to the disarmed Vets.

  30. Our government does not want to disarm its citizens, never spies on its citizens, does not discriminate based on political views and goes out of its way to give returning soldiers a wonderful, wonderful welcome home. Because our government loves us as much as we love it.

  31. The question you should be asking is “WHY does the government want to disarm the citizenry?”

  32. Do I have to have gun to get one of these locks. I have this German Shepherd who knows how to unlatch the gate to the yard and a cheap cable lock might just be the thing to halt his neighborhood exploration.

  33. Local PDs here in PA pass them out to anyone, no questions asked and free of charge.

    • What’s the difference? “The U.S. government” is made up of “certain government officials.” Enough of them from both parties have voted for infringements on the 2nd amendment that “The U.S. government wants to disarm the American people” is a fair generalization.

      Our government is constantly changing (superficially, at least), so that statement is as flexible as the politicians who come and gObama…. and as inflexible as the ones who Feinstay in power ’til they’re senile.

      My personal take on the question is this: the U.S. government is and has been engaged in 2nd amendment violations since 1934, and actively continues to infringe upon the right to keep and bear arms.

      Is that not disarming the American people?

  37. They don’t want to completely disarm us! they will let you keep one shotgun as long as it is capable of only one shot at a time, is no bigger than a 28 gage, and you keep no more than five rounds of ammunition on the premises (locked up) and stored far, far away from the gun.
    And, I almost forgot, the barrel must be at least 30″ long! Have a nice day!

  38. My RTBA is an extremely vital right which MUST be protected vehemently. If I risk ridicule as paranoid, I am fine with that.

  39. A novel way to go about gun registration.

    Want a FREE gun lock? Simply give us your name, dob, and address. Make sure to let us know what size of gun lock you need pistol/rifle/shotgun/ar/rpg launcher/tank so you will get the correct type!

    • You forgot a few things,
      They will need:
      Caliber or gage of firearm
      Serial number
      Number of cartridges the magazine will hold
      Number of cartridges you have on hand (any more than 10 will trigger a search warrant)
      Style of bullets, hollow point, FMJ, dum dum etc.
      Home phone number
      Cell phone number
      social security number
      drivers license number
      Number of large dogs on premises
      and last but not least: mothers maiden name

      • Well I was going to include a few of those… but I figured I would keep it semi-realistic. I would bet someone at some point will try something like this to get some people’s gun information.

        Nice list though

  40. It used to be that some people would claim that there was a vast monitoring system in place by the NSA, recording all cell phone traffic and internet traffic it could get its hands on. I dismissed it because I thought it was not feasible, it would require the cooperation of too many parties.
    But now we know it’s true, and the “cooperation” of these parties was secured via secret court order and gag orders they couldn’t reveal.
    So, the question is, can the government make a concerted move to disarm the citizenry?
    Well I’m not getting fooled again.

  41. That’s the thing. Conspiracy theorists have been babbling about disarmament, spying, new world orders and the likes for years. For decades. Laugh? We thought we would die! But I dunno, the more the government is revealed, the more diabolical it seems to be. I pretty much scoff at nothing these days.

  43. Of course why else has the doj and dhs and all the other alphabet soup groups keep buying billions of rounds of ammo. ??? Why do you think they have been spying on every one ???? The elites are planning a hostile takeover of this country that’s why !!!! But first they must disarm the citizenry to give them selves a fighting chance at winning

  44. The .gov considers vets potential domestic terrorists, so yeah, they want them disarmed.

  45. Does a bear s–t in the woods?
    Does the sun rise in the East?
    Are we all going to die?
    If you jump out of an airplane; do you fall downward?
    Will an AK go bang every time you squeeze the trigger?
    Is it still difficult to find .22lr ammo to buy?

    These questions are less certain in their answers than the certainty that government wants us disarmed.

  46. A gun lock is only going to delay me getting my gun into operation when the bad guy gives me advance warning when they break in… in the middle of the night.

  47. I would take that letter back to the person who sent it, tell them they made an enemy, tell them to dust of their resume, tell them to F**K off..and leave….

  48. The libs brought two cases of “Lock up your safety” devices to the PD…..In the trash they went.

  50. Quite honestly, as a veteran, I would NEVER tell the VA that I had/have access to any firearm(s)…there are lots of other programs out there that will furnish free locks…

  51. Absolutely they do. They fear us, and an disarmed society can be ruled like China, the Jews of WW2 and so forth.

  53. Well, the government is not encouraging people to own them so I think we know the official position.

  54. Yes , they are trying but I feel that everyday more and more people are waking up to what is happening in our nation . This takes me back to what radio commentator Paul Harvey said back during the Clinton administration , that Russia was becoming more like us while we were going the other way and becoming more like what the Soviet Union was , I believe this is happening and there seems to be only one way to reverse course , but there seem to be so many who are either too blind to really see the truth or are just too scared to do what has to be done , I for one when they come for our freedoms will not get on my knees and be a slave , I am 58 but I still have enough fight and balls to take care of what needs to be done . Be prepared and ready. Keep your powder dry.

    • I have Russian friends who say the same thing…they moved to America to get away from socialism, but that socialism has followed them here.

  55. F*ck yeah! The whole point of the Second amendment is to ensure that the militia is armed when they *overthrow the government* Shall I repeat-OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. I don’t think any of you are naive enough not to realise that the government DOES NOT want to be overthrown by an armed populace! Call me paranoid, but I think those stubborn buggers are going to violate the Founding Fathers’ ideals WAY before they let themselves overthrown!

  56. The answer is no, take off the tin foil hats.

    The problem is that government is fluid and the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

    See also, Weimar Republic.

  57. Wouldn’t wise to do thirty seconds of research before this kind of junk is posted? This kind of hysteria/conspiracy theory BS makes gun owners looks like a bunch of idiots. Beginning in 2008 the Dept of Veterans Affairs began participating in a program called Project Childsafe. Project childsafe was developed by the NSSF.

    I sometimes wonder if this blog isn’t being paid off by gun makers to post this kind of BS.

  58. This letter heads states :
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Medical Center
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    The funny crap is it is sign by :

    Chief, Police ( W T F ! ! ! ! ! REALLY? ? ? ? ? )
    The medical center letter from a police chief?

    • Yes, like virtually every FEDERAL RESERVATION, they have police or security departments and Chiefs run the departments. VA Hospitals and Medical Centers have Police Departments, have a specialty Police Academy in North Little Rock AR, carry guns in hospitals (OMG!), carry ASPs or PR-24s Batons, and pepper spray. They even have a MANDATORY 9mm 124 gr Golden Saber hollow point duty ammo specifically so it fragments and won’t kill a patient in his hospital bed 5 doors down. They take classes at local and state police academy’s, go to advanced specialty training through FLETC, and even practice search & clears in teams with local CLEO, county sheriffs and state police – after all, most hospitals have 2 to 6 officers on duty on average an still have to secure the facility when a gunman barricades in a psych ward. As often as not, my back up was a couple local city guys and a deputy and maybe a state trooper who happened to be close enough to respond. USUSALLY even the statie too my lead as the duty Sgt, FTO, and Tactical Officer…

      Whenever possible they hire Veterans or at least former military members to be the cops so they boys ad girls in blue have some idea what the Vet’s they’re dealing with went thru. I did 21 as an MP, 5 as a DoD Contractor then Corpse of Engineers Cop, and did it for 10 years in the VA. I the VA I spent 80% of my duty day playing counselor for Veterans having really bad days. You know Veterans like me, I shoot as often as I can, carry religiously, live by the two is one & one is none rule, always carry a fixed blade knife, a folding knife and a utility tool. Or Veterans who do all this and medicate themselves with alcohol and prescription drugs, and illegal drugs when their docs stop their legal ones. Then show up stoned, and drunk, and more than a little crazy, and scare the hell out of some clerk trying to ask for help.

      On the side – up until June 2012 I was one of the guys sending these letters out managing what the VA calls the Gun Safe Program. We let them pick up the locks on their next appointment visit and DID NOT track how many they took. Hell, I saw some of the locks on kids bikes here in the town I live in. Gimme a break folks, my kids are grown and I still keep my non-self defense guns locked up or locked. Free locks ain’t a bad thing If nothing else, makes them hard to turn on me and mine since I live in the boonies and don’t see a cop for 45 minutes between 11PM and 8AM.

      VA ain’t perfect or even really very customer oriented sometimes, took me years to start using the VA I now work at…but go look up what the Under Secretary of the Veteran’s Health Admin told NY when they tried to get the VA to share Veteran’s Psych issues under the new NY rules. A polite “Hell No” is still a hell no. If this Chief IS keeping a list of who got what, and the certainly IS possible, he or she is playing some political game for their hospital Director, Associate Director, or are looking to make their own mark politically.

      • At the VA hospital near where I live they were giving the locks out for free. No signature or address or any personnal information required. They had boxes of them sitting by the front door and you could take as many as you wanted. This article is total BS, the locks are not being used to track or monitor your guns. That being said, I do feel that many politicians want us to give up our guns and may try to take them by force eventually but this isnt how they are doing it.

  60. Everything on God’s green earth is moving toward and away from something. Plants, animals, humans and governments included. Ask yourself, do the laws (past and proposed) encourage or restrict gun ownership. A government interested in preserving 2A right would be offering tax credits for range fees and ammo purchases, not restricting size, shape, color (evil BLACK rifle) and location (gfz) of citizens’ guns. Is there a concerted effort or conspiracy? It doesn’t matter! Our Office-holders are moving to disarm law abiding citizens; defacto.

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