Two veterans are standing outside a recruiting center after the shootings last week in Chattanooga.

The soldiers in the Army career center are not allowed to have guns. An Air Force veteran carrying a loaded AR-15 and an Army veteran carrying a loaded 9 mm handgun are standing outside the center.

“We’re protecting those who protect us,” the veteran said.

The Air Force veteran told WSOC-TV he gave police a heads-up he would be out at the center in case they got calls. WSOC-TV verified that it is legal for him to carry the weapon.

WSOC-TV reporter Liz Foster is asking why calls for increased security from the governor of North Carolina have not helped the centers.

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller