I served three tours in Vietnam as a civilian advisor.  Before my initial tour, my civilian agency refused to authorize "non-combattants" to possess weapons.  During the Tet 1968 fiasco, I was living two blocks from the cemetary from which the Viet Cong launched its initial attack.  My office was a block from the U.S. Embassy which was the primary objective of the VC.  I did have my own weapon, which I smuggled in despite the prohibition.  The next few days after the attack, we were given as many guns as we wished ... no signatures.  Rifles, pistols and even hand grenades were available.

So much for our govenment's wise decision to restrict our access to firearms.  The old adage is still valid:  It's better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it.