It IS a political issue, because anti-gun groups are calling for more gun control where as those on the rights have called for allowing soldiers to carry on military bases. Obviously, checks are far from foolproof - duh - which is how the Ft. Hood shooter managed to get onto the base with a loaded handgun and shoot several dozen unarmed soldiers in a cafeteria. I agree, the problem is not just with bases themselves, military members should carry at all times, even at the recruiting center or when off base. Why would we not trust the people we trained to safely handle and use weapons to safely handle and use weapons?

Let me tell you a story. I grew up less than a mile from a military base (not a military family, they just liked the town). I won't mention the name of the base because I don't want to give ISIS any suggestions, but trust me to say it was a MAJOR one. Like top tier list of potential targets for an attack. When I was a kid, there was a path behind my friend's house through the woods that led directly to a remote corner of the base where the fence was dug up. We used to crawl underneath and walk around exploring the place. As a teenager - post 9/11 - we would sometimes go visit friends and such who worked on base such as at the commissary. The guards would check underneath our car, in the trunk, etc., but we didn't have to get out of the car. They would have had no idea if we all had two or three handguns a piece hidden under our clothing or inside the cabin.

TL,DR: Gun free zones don't work, not even on military bases. Members of the military are a target and should be encouraged if not required to carry and be ready to protect themselves, their fellow soldiers, and civilians if possible.