Photo: Royal Netherlands Army flag

In military training, accidents happen. So, if there was ever a good time for Dutch Army soldiers to get shot during training exercises…that time is now. In the short-term, there is safety in the long-term danger of the current Dutch Army ammunition crisis.

Here is the story plain and simple about the NATO member:

“Het Nederlandse leger heeft geen munitie.”

That’s how the folks in the Netherlands would say in their native tongue, “The Dutch Army doesn’t have any ammo.”

An confidential email sent from a Defence Summit official to Army officers got leaked to the Dutch broadcaster RTL. Here are excerpts from it which tell how severe the Dutch Army ammunition crisis really is.

“You are informed of the problems with the ammunition Ministry of Defence in the broadest sense of the word. The problems were and are large…and there is a freeze agreed period. During that period, freeze all components have to surrender their ammunition…We are on the eve of the expiry of the freeze period, but that is not the problem ended. I will briefly outline some within the rest of 2015 but also well into 2016:

There is a shortage of all small caliber ammunition…

Competition shooting teams will not shoot until further notice…

Consequences and concerns over training of the staff should be indicated in the usual reports…

I cannot make it better, but there’s really no ammunition. This applies Defence Wide.”

You could say they just have the right to “bare” arms. Being banned from the ability to use bullets in their guns during training exercises, the Dutch Army ammunition crisis has soldiers faking the sounds of rifle fire, and getting frustrated doing it.

Jean Debie, chairman of the military union VBM, “Even if you have no bullets, you have to train with your weapon,” Jean Debie, chairman of the VBM (union for defence personnel) told RTL, “That means, as a soldier, you say ‘Bang, Bang!’ This is obviously disastrous for the morale of the military. You do not want to do this to a professional.”

The Defence Ministry released a statement admitting the Dutch Army ammunition crisis, saying there are “sometimes tight inventories” as part of the ongoing problem. “There is not always sufficient ammunition available for exercises and training. The Defence Ministry understands troops are not always happy with this. Once additional funding is available, the stockpiles will be replenished in 2015.”

A financial report by the European Leadership Network states 2015 will be first year in over a decade where the Dutch government will spend more on its defence budget rather than less.

San Francisco is a safe haven for some people and causes. For example, illegal immigrants and gay rights. Clearly and unfortunately, you can’t include gun owners and Second Amendment Rights under the protective arms of the sanctuary city by the bay.

Supervisor Mark Farrell is the man pulling the trigger on this latest gun control measure. It is designed to create more strict local gun laws, and more difficult access to firearms and ammunition.

Today, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is meeting to move ahead on additional gun control. It plans to draft new legislation which will require the videotaping of all gun and ammunition sales within San Francisco city limits. The proposed new law would also require the videotapes be kept in long term storage for up to five years. All sales data would also have to be transmitted electronically to the San Francisco Police Department on at least a weekly basis.

Under the plan, the San Francisco Police Department would develop the forms and outline the required information to be transmitted on a regular basis. It would include the following items and likely more:

• The date of the transaction.

• The identification of the person making the purchase, including their name, address, driver’s license, and date of birth.

• The signature of the person making the purchase.

• The brand, type, gauge or caliber, and amount of ammunition being transferred.

• The name of the agent or employee who handled the sales transaction.

The office of Mark Farrell reports it has multiple goals with this new gun control package. They include a stronger system for:

• Protecting overall public safety.

• Preventing and detecting the illegal trafficking of firearms and ammunition.

• Preventing dealers from the loss and theft of firearms and ammunition.

• Preventing and detecting any sales of guns or ammunition to persons prohibited by law from possessing these items.

Supervisor Mark Farrell said, “Easy access to guns and ammunition continue to contribute to senseless violent crime here in San Francisco and across the country. “Even though San Francisco has some of the toughest gun control laws on the books in the country – we should do everything in our power to give local law enforcement the additional tools they need to prevent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe.”

A formal introduction of Supervisor Farrell’s gun control legislation is expected to take place in September when the San Francisco Board of Supervisors returns from its summer recess.

We told ya. B. Todd Jones is leaving his post as ATF Director to work for the National Football League. According to a story in the New York Post today, Mr. Jones will be placed in charge of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. It’s definitely a pay upgrade for him, too. The report says Jones will receive a salary worth “several million a year.”

To put it into football terms, you could say Jones’ NFL (Not for Long) status with the ATF came directly on the spiked heels of the proposed M855 ammo ban which ran over him in true “Beast Mode.” Thousands and thousands of Second Amendment defending Americans stood up to the ATF. They came together. They showed themselves as tough to tackle on the issue as a nationwide army of Marshawn Lynch-like gunners who will fight for their Constitutional Rights.

Less than two weeks ago, Jones was forced to wipe green tip egg off his face. He publicly announced the ATF was going to temporarily shelve its proposed ban on M855 green tip ammunition.

The push back against the Obama Administration’s unconstitutional efforts to reclassify the ammo as “armor-piercing” was simply too much. A slew of complaints and vows to fight were fired in the direction of Jones and the ATF. They came from citizens. They came from members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. They came from Republicans. They came from Democrats.

Just last Friday, B. Todd Jones resigned as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATPE) effective March 31, 2015. The 57-year old U.S. Marine and former Assistant U.S. Attorney was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in the summer of 2013. He was handpicked for the job by President Barack Obama back in 2011.

What’s interesting about the N.Y. Post piece is the quotes the article contained. They were attributed to an unidentified source with insider knowledge of the situation. The source claimed the ATF job was really wearing on Jones. The source stated, “He was getting cranky. I think he was over it.”

The unidentified source in the article also told the Post the NFL had been wanting to draft Jones for a while. The deal with him recently heated up quickly. Jones’ new position will include “determining the length of suspensions and handing out fines” for violations against NFL policy.

A piece of advice to B. Todd Jones. The ATF didn’t get as much public backlash as it should have from the unjustified and fruitless raiding of the Ares Armor business one year ago. Raiding the homes of NFL players, coaches, and executives? That probably won’t go so well for ya.