Give up almost all hope of owning any firearms if you're stationed overseas. Nevermind, I see you're going to be a reservist. Change that to deployed overseas to someplace like Germany or England where you'll fill in for some AD guy who gets sent downrange.
Does the military allow carry of non-issue arms?
- Thread starter HungSquirrel
- Start date
- Status
Langenator
Member
As stated previously, CENTCOM General Order Number One, in I believe the first paragraph, says no personally owned weapons in theater.
That being said, my wife is a Reservist, in Civil Affairs. She knows folks in the CA and Psyops community. One of her friends carried a Makarov, one that had been taken from a dead BG, around with him for most of his tour in Iraq. In addition to his M-16. There's a pic somewhere on this board of a Marine carrying a PPSh-41.
As far as weapons on base, CCW is not allowed, and if you're moving weapons around, they need to be unloaded and in the trunk. If you live in the barracks, they will stay in the arms room and be registered with the Provost Marshall (head MP), unless you arrange to store them off post somewhere. If your post has a POW range (most stateside posts do, with varying availability times-Ft Lewis was Fri-Sun, Ft Bennings was every day in spring and summer-going shooting at lunch was quite fun) you'll have to register your guns if you want to shoot there. Policy on weapons in post family housing varies by post-it wasn't allowed at Benning or Lewis, but Jackson allows it (registration required.)
That being said, my wife is a Reservist, in Civil Affairs. She knows folks in the CA and Psyops community. One of her friends carried a Makarov, one that had been taken from a dead BG, around with him for most of his tour in Iraq. In addition to his M-16. There's a pic somewhere on this board of a Marine carrying a PPSh-41.
As far as weapons on base, CCW is not allowed, and if you're moving weapons around, they need to be unloaded and in the trunk. If you live in the barracks, they will stay in the arms room and be registered with the Provost Marshall (head MP), unless you arrange to store them off post somewhere. If your post has a POW range (most stateside posts do, with varying availability times-Ft Lewis was Fri-Sun, Ft Bennings was every day in spring and summer-going shooting at lunch was quite fun) you'll have to register your guns if you want to shoot there. Policy on weapons in post family housing varies by post-it wasn't allowed at Benning or Lewis, but Jackson allows it (registration required.)
Old NFO
Member
Langeator hit the nail on the head... here is a link to the Quantico MB Instruction- http://www.quantico.usmc.mil/g1/adj/mcb/08000_1.pdf
it is pretty much the standard. Having said that, we used to carry personal weapons on fight status. I carried a Browning HP in place of the old Victory .38 that was issued, they were kept with our flight gear at all times. I've also takled to a couple of guys just back from Falluja, and they were carrying AK's in addition to M-16's.
jim
it is pretty much the standard. Having said that, we used to carry personal weapons on fight status. I carried a Browning HP in place of the old Victory .38 that was issued, they were kept with our flight gear at all times. I've also takled to a couple of guys just back from Falluja, and they were carrying AK's in addition to M-16's.
jim
CAS700850
Member
It's like everything else in the military, all of the rules aren't as strictly enforced when the bullets are flying. So, since it is a shooting war, the brass turns a bit of a blind eye to a soldier packing a .38 from home in addition to his M-249. At teh same time, remember RHIR/RHIP, meaning Rank Has Its Responsibilities/Rank Has Its Privileges. An officer can often get away with something a little more easily than a non-com.
MillCreek
Member
My wife was in the Navy for twenty years, retiring in 2000. She finished her career as a HMC (SW). That is a chief medical corpsman, for all the non-Navy types. She did three tours of duty as an IDC: one shore and two ship assignments, both on Spruance-class destroyers. An IDC is an independent duty corpsman, which is somewhat like a sea-going physicians assistant. They provide the medical care on board the smaller ships, such as submarines, destoyers and frigates and on remote shore stations.
On both her ship IDC tours, she was allowed to have a personal weapon, albeit it was stored in the armory on board. The rationale was so that if she had to go ashore as a field medic, she would have a personal weapon available. I asked if that if it had to be issue vs. personally-owned, and she replied that the chief Gunners Mate, who ran the armories on board, would allow either for a fellow chief. I do not know how that comports with any official Naval Regulations, but I do understand about the old-chiefs network.
On both her ship IDC tours, she was allowed to have a personal weapon, albeit it was stored in the armory on board. The rationale was so that if she had to go ashore as a field medic, she would have a personal weapon available. I asked if that if it had to be issue vs. personally-owned, and she replied that the chief Gunners Mate, who ran the armories on board, would allow either for a fellow chief. I do not know how that comports with any official Naval Regulations, but I do understand about the old-chiefs network.
Langenator
Member
Actually, my wife's friend is an E-4, probably E-5 now. And most of the pictures I've seen of troops carrying captured weaponry have been of enlisted linedogs on the pointy end of the spear.
"Nevermind, I see you're going to be a reservist. Change that to deployed overseas to someplace like Germany or England where you'll fill in for some AD guy who gets sent downrange."
Don't bet on it. Guys from my old Guard unit (I retired in 2000) have been and are currently downrange in Afghanistan and Iraq. In stan they were out hunting bad guys. One has gotten the Bronze Star with V.
Last figures I saw indicated about 2/3 of the boots on the ground in stan are Guard and Reserves. If a person thinks going into a Guard or Reserve unit is going to keep them out of the heat of it then they better think again. One small Guard transportation unit near me has lost 5 of their soldiers to enemy action. 2 of them have been women.
Don't bet on it. Guys from my old Guard unit (I retired in 2000) have been and are currently downrange in Afghanistan and Iraq. In stan they were out hunting bad guys. One has gotten the Bronze Star with V.
Last figures I saw indicated about 2/3 of the boots on the ground in stan are Guard and Reserves. If a person thinks going into a Guard or Reserve unit is going to keep them out of the heat of it then they better think again. One small Guard transportation unit near me has lost 5 of their soldiers to enemy action. 2 of them have been women.
280PLUS
Member
I helped land a bunch of Marines and a few SEALs in an exercise on Mindinao once. They were carrying arms but were supposed to either have blanks or no ammo I don't recall. They all had live ammo. Their reasoning was, "I'm not going into that jungle with no live ammo."
I couldn't argue that one with them.
I couldn't argue that one with them.
carebear
Member
Took us 10 years but we finally got our command to authorize shotguns for patrolling. First civilian 870's, now the M4's.
Before then, we were carrying personal weapons (sometimes winked at, sometimes not) or violating the BIG rule by toting along personal mags and ammo for the rifles.
Moose and bear are not things I wanted to face with nothing more than a blank and a cleaning rod section.
It was safety versus officer risk-aversion.
Before then, we were carrying personal weapons (sometimes winked at, sometimes not) or violating the BIG rule by toting along personal mags and ammo for the rifles.
Moose and bear are not things I wanted to face with nothing more than a blank and a cleaning rod section.
It was safety versus officer risk-aversion.
fistful
member
While at Fort Hood, (97-2000) staying in the barracks, I kept my guns in a storage locker a few miles away OFF POST. Other than knives below a certain length, nothing normally considered a weapon was allowed on post. I kept a broomstick or something standing in a corner, just in case I needed to beat someone down.
Also, your weapons will not be very secure in a barracks, unless you have a room to yourself. Ours were like dorm rooms - irresponsible young men roaming in and out, often drunk, often in debt and needing something to pawn.
DO NOT keep your guns in your car. Awful advice. Ours were searched every few months, along with our rooms. You can bring a weapon on post, you just have to carry it unloaded in the trunk, and go directly to register it with Provost. You'll need to have a good reason, like using it on a POW range.
And Infantry don't carry sidearms, unless they are company commanders, first seargents, or similar.
Also, your weapons will not be very secure in a barracks, unless you have a room to yourself. Ours were like dorm rooms - irresponsible young men roaming in and out, often drunk, often in debt and needing something to pawn.
DO NOT keep your guns in your car. Awful advice. Ours were searched every few months, along with our rooms. You can bring a weapon on post, you just have to carry it unloaded in the trunk, and go directly to register it with Provost. You'll need to have a good reason, like using it on a POW range.
And Infantry don't carry sidearms, unless they are company commanders, first seargents, or similar.
Last edited:
Having talked to several guys from 2ID and 10th Mountain the rule is don't carry a personal firearm.
A big bonk on your career will come your way if you are caught.
Soldiers are still doing it but it isn't recommended.
Handguns are cheap and available just about everywhere in Iraq and the temptation to purchase a little rememberance of hell is there.
The Military is treating every single combat action as a crime scene now and they consider personally owned weapons as potential throw down to justify the shooting items.
Bad Ju-Ju to get caught with one.
A big bonk on your career will come your way if you are caught.
Soldiers are still doing it but it isn't recommended.
Handguns are cheap and available just about everywhere in Iraq and the temptation to purchase a little rememberance of hell is there.
The Military is treating every single combat action as a crime scene now and they consider personally owned weapons as potential throw down to justify the shooting items.
Bad Ju-Ju to get caught with one.
fistful
member
Bad Ju-Ju! Bad!
- Status