Should soldiers, recruiters and guardsmen be armed?

At Army posts like Fort Bliss and recruiting centers across the country — they’re still not allowed to arm themselves.

Last week’s attack in Chattanooga, Tennessee was the final straw for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

He authorized Texas National Guardsmen to arm themselves.

But recruiters at strip malls remain unarmed.

“I think we should just remain vigilant at all times and not get complacent,” one soldier told ABC-7. “We never know when things like that are gonna happen. So, as soldiers, we just need to remain vigilant.”

Recruiters were hesitant to talk to ABC-7, but they are armed with a list of talking points, stating recruiters are always in a protection and security awareness mode.

And they participate in active shooter training every year.

“People are crazy nowadays and will do anything to hurt people and it’s hard to trust people nowadays,” Army Pvt. Jacobi Riley said.

Asked if he ever feels afraid out in public while in uniform, Riley said, “Um, not me myself, I haven’t been in a situation when I feel endangered. No, not quite, not yet.”

Asked if he thought something like what happened in Chattanooga could ever happen in El Paso, Riley said,” No, from what I hear El Paso is the safest city in the country. No, I don’t think something like that would happen in El Paso.”

The owner of a woman’s body shop right next to a recruiting station in Northeast El Paso is worried that military personnel cannot have weapons at recruiting stations.

“It worries me they don’t have guns because you have to protect yourselves,” Amelia Sabochka said.