MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Moody AFB started the distribution of gunlocks for Airmen and civilians as part of the US Air Force Suicide Prevention campaign: Safes, Locks, and Outside the home storage options (“Going SLO”). Its goal is to increase safe use and storage of lethal means, particularly firearms. Securing firearms and other lethal means allows us to protect our families and community from intentional and unintentional firearm death.
Going SLO is good practice regardless of an Airman’s suicide risk. Properly stored firearms prevent risk of accidental gun injuries and deaths, reduce firearm theft, and can prevent subsequent crimes perpetrated with those firearms.
Airmen should be encouraged to exercise responsible gun handling and storage practices consistent with those exercised by our Defender community, range safety is home safety. Airmen should apply professional firearm practices to their personal firearms.
In addition to using Safes, Locks, or Outside the home storage options, Airmen should avoid using firearms when not in the right emotional state, always wear proper eye protection, perform preventative maintenance, use correct ammunition, never use alcohol or drugs before firing, and store firearms and ammunition separately.
When it comes to suicide prevention, any storage method that puts time and distance between a person in crisis and a method of suicide, can save a life. The gun lock interrupts a distressed individual’s train of thought and provides him or her time to think and reassess decisions concerning self-harm.