Every Child Needs an Ally in Era of School Shootings

As Americans, the Second Amendment of our Constitution is intended to prevent our government's infringement upon that right. Journalists and anti-gun organizations try to misdirect the conversation into one of hunting rights and gang-related shooting crimes.

Like it or not, the world will always consist of good people and evil people. Good people do not need laws to tell them how to behave. No amount of laws will ever stop evil people from committing the crimes that they desire.

I, like millions of others in this country, choose to carry a firearm in case I should ever need it to defend myself, my family or anyone in my community that is under the immediate threat of death or imminent bodily harm. Obviously, we cannot always be around our loved ones.

My son understands firearm safety. He knows how to handle a rifle, a shotgun and a handgun. Under Tennessee state law, he will not be allowed to legally carry a firearm until he is 21 years old (18 if he is on active duty in the military).

With some of the tragic school shootings of the past couple decades, I always worry about my son while he is at school. My wife and I would do anything to protect him when he is with us. I’ve always wondered what I can do to help him survive any horrible incident that might occur while he’s in class.

Sadly, going back to his time in grade school, we’ve had discussions of what he should do in the event of an emergency. I’ve taught him to use his wits and be ready to depend on himself. However, recently I’ve discovered an item that could give him an added resource to protect himself from the most horrible of outcomes.

Angel Armor of Fort Collins, Colorado, has a defensive option that is tested, affordable and portable, and perfect for individual children. I researched this product and wanted to share what I found with other parents.

Ally One is a Level IIIA concealable shield that provides ballistic protection. In layman’s terms, that means it is a sheet of armor that is rated to be able to stop bullets up to a .44 Magnum. There are videos which show the plate being tested with larger ammo up to .50 caliber rounds.

Weighing less than a pound (0.96 pounds to be exact), the ballistic protection area measures 9” x 12″, or just bigger than your normal sheet of paper. The finished product dimensions are 10.25” x 13.25". Its thickness is 0.22 inches. It is made to easily fit into a backpack or laptop carry bag.

To some reading this article, this will scream “prepper” or “survivalist.” To those people, I say “You are correct.” When it comes to our children’s safety, is "preparing" such a bad thing? Who doesn’t want their child to survive?

The development of the Ally One started because of customer feedback. Emily Chatterley, marketing manager for Angel Armor, shared the following story with me.

The company primarily makes body armor, see-through window armor and ballistic door panels. During industry shows and conventions, company representatives would hand out smaller pieces of the door panels inserts. The handouts were very popular. Comments were made about using the samples as portable and concealable protection. As in many instances, casual words struck the right chord in someone’s ear. The resulting product after designing, development, and testing is Ally One.

The armor plate will fit into almost any backpack. The light weight allows you to put it into your child’s schoolbag and forget about it until the end of the year. The difference of adding less than a pound is imperceptible. Should there be any type of active shooter incident (God forbid), you child will have an additional opportunity to protect himself/herself and survive. That is worth any price, however, the plate is available online through distributors for less than $150.

In a world where evil exists and thrives on the claims of those who deny that very existence, we must be vigilant and savvy in the protection of those that we love, especially the most vulnerable — our children.

The Ally One is not a guarantee. It is merely an asset. In safeguarding our schools and families, the more assets you have, the more likely you are to influence any outcome to end in your favor.

Consider giving your child an additional chance at survival. Every child really does need an Ally.

John Cylc is an eight year U.S. Army veteran. He is also a contributor to LifeZette. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.