In UK a few years ago, the UK prison services contracted out to a private company the transport of prisoners to and from court. Within days they "lost" quite a few prisoners.

I must admit I find it extraordinary that security for military units is contracted out to civi's.

Just for the record, re. real infantry battalions, it is true that in the 1950's the main guard was largely symbolic, in that they went on guard in full parade ground battledress, shining brasses, everything highly polished, which led me always to feel very exposed on barbed wire perimeter guards, marching a few hundred yards repeatedly in full sight of desert eyes. Each man's personal 303 was lined up with the others in the Guard room and taken out on stag , with limited ammo.

HOWEVER, on occasions I have led, in addition to those guards, real business sections, in denims, nothing showing, nothing shiny, surprise packages, targetting those targetting the guard rooms or perimeter wire. Even in England, waitng all night with the guard room under surveillance from a close emptied barrack room, no lights, and armed with a bren gun trained on the main entrance. Unknown to the official guard.

In the desert, I have taken a couple of guards, in similar style, OUTSIDE the perimeter wire, perhaps 100 yards, laying in the sand surrounded by a trip wire.

I guess this was the army looking after itself.

Originally Posted by Wallabies

Put rifles and ammunition in the guard rooms then. And improve that metre high chain link fence. What you said was that you couldn't send people to guard, which you can.

Easier said than done... deconflict with all the other agencies, base security, contractor services, it'd have to be handled through Bde HQ (which means it wouldn't).... I'd love to be able to do that, but trust me, an infantry LT cannot make his soldiers guard the base, there are a few people about who might get a bit upset at being undercut by an LT.

Yeah, it could potentially end the LT's career pretty quickly. Probably by means of refusing/delaying promotion to force him out.
Decisions to outsource base security is one made by the top or at least very close to the top and approved by the top brass. A LT acting on his own contrary to this decision could be seen as a form of mild insubordination (though I don't think it would be hard enough of a case to send him to a court martial or anything because to call it an "illegal order" would be a hard sell).

Exactly. Not possible. Even a CO would have trouble on his hands if he arbitrarily decided to change security measures.