NEWS

Citizens stand guard at recruiting center

Anna Bisaro
abisaro@gannett.com

NEWARK – When Michael Ackron drove by the Army and Navy recruiting center on Deo Drive Monday morning, he returned later in the day, automatic weapon in hand, to relieve the two men standing guard over the center.

"I'm protecting recruitment officers and standing for what America stands for: freedom," Ackron said.

Ackron stood watch outside the Armed Forces Career Center all afternoon Monday accompanied by his dog, Brock. One of the men standing guard Monday morning, Bryant Varns, returned toward the evening and promised to come back again Tuesday.

"Recruitment officers don't have a way to protect themselves," Varns said.

Ackron and Varns were adament that recruitment centers need formal military protection, especially after a shooting at a recruitment center last Thursday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, killed five servicemen, including Lance Cpl. Squire K. "Skip" Wells, son of Buckeye Lake resident Kip Wells.

Wells spoke with local media Sunday and shared details about Skip, a 21-year-old marine who was supposed to have been transferred from the Chattanooga military center in the coming weeks.

Civilians all across the country had taken to guarding recruitment centers in light of the Chattanooga shooting.

"They are soft targets and they need protection," Varns said. "We're doing rotating shifts until that's changed."

Even approving bulletproof glass would be a start, Ackron added.

Ackron, 44, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during desert storm. Varns, 27, has military ties in his family and friends.

He was just a civilian, Varns said, exercising his second amendment rights.

Neither Ackron nor Varns received any trouble from law enforcement or civilians Monday as they stood guard on Deo Drive, they said. Several people even came to thank them for what they were doing.

Newark Police Chief Barry Connell said that, as long as citizens are not committing any crimes, they have a right to openly carry weapons.

Dispatchers at the Licking County 911 Center told The Advocate shortly before 5 p.m. there had only been two calls county wide about people standing armed in front of recruitment centers Monday.

abisaro@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @abisaro_NEW