TN House panel on National Guard security may hear some testimony behind closed doors

NASHVILLE -- A state lamwaker is calling for colleagues to go behind closed doors for part of today's legislative hearing on security at Tennessee National Guard facilities.

In emails obtained by the Times Free Press, Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, speaking on behalf of what he calls the Legislature's "Joint Veterans' Caucus," said he he has a "list" of questions he wants posed to Tennessee Adj. Gen. Max Haston at this afternoon's hearing.

In one email, Ragan said Haston identified six questions "as potentially having an impact on operations security for Tennessee military personnel and installations if answered in open session.

"I have spoken with the general and he has indicated that he has no objection to providing legislators the answers -- just not in public," Ragan added.

Ragan said he is proposing a motion for the State Government Committee, which is conducting the hearing, to go into "closed session."

Under House rules, a committee can go into closed session upon approval of three quarters of the panel on a "matter involving the security of the state or nation."

But Ragan himself is not a member of the House State Government Committee, which is conducting the hearing.

Another Ragan email reveals Haston voicing concerns about questions. The list includes how many Tennessee military personnel are present, on average, on any given day at state-owned military facilities, where the most vulnerable Guard members are located, in what units and where the most vulnerable personnel serve and what day of the week are most Tennessee military personnel most vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

Today's hearing was called in the wake of the deadly July 16 shooting rampage in Chattanooga in which Mohommad Yousef Abdulazeez attacked a U.S. Navy and Marine Reserve training center on Amnicola, killing five U.S. service members. Earlier, Abulazeez attacked a U.S. military recruiting center on Lee Highway. A Tennessee National Guard recruiting center is located in the same strip mall.

No service members were hurt at the Lee Highway attack but a Chattanooga policeman was wounded. Abdulazeez was killed at the Amnicola site in a confrontation with Chattanooga police.

Last week, Haston announced new guidelines for Tennessee Guard members. The list includes allowing National Guard members with state-issued handgun carry permits to go armed at armories. Under an agreement with the Pentagon, select Guard members who have undergone military training on handgun use can carry at recruiting centers in which the U.S. Department of Defense has negotiated leasing agreements with federal and state troops.