US Army ‘Significantly’ Understated Losses and Thefts of Firearms: Report
The U.S. Army’s estimation of the number of firearms that have been lost or stolen is far below that of the estimation found in a new report. According to a new Associated Press (AP) report , “The U.S. Army has hidden…
The U.S. Army’s estimation of the number of firearms that have been lost or stolen is far below that of the estimation found in a new report.
According to a new Associated Press (AP) report, “The U.S. Army has hidden or downplayed the extent to which its firearms disappear, significantly understating losses and thefts even as some weapons are used in street crimes.”
The outlet reported the Army’s “pattern of secrecy and suppression dates back nearly a decade,” when the AP launched an investigation into the Military’s weapons accountability.
Army officials reportedly pushed back against the release of the information for years and proceeded to offer information that contradicted internal records.
The AP reports, “Military guns aren’t just disappearing. Stolen guns have been used in shootings, brandished to rob and threaten people and recovered in the hands of felons. Thieves sold assault rifles to a street gang.”
The information Army officials cited suggests only a couple of hundred firearms disappeared during the 2010s. The internal memos obtained by the outlet show the number is “many times higher.”
The publication noted after it first published its investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing the Pentagon needs to reinstate regular reporting.