Firearms ownership and military on-base housing?

[Frog48]

Do rules pertaining to keeping privately owned firearms in on-base housing vary base to base, or is there a uniform policy that governs all military installations? If it varies, is it the base commander's prerogative to draft a policy?

A college buddy of mine moved to Columbus AFB for pilot training, and because he's a married officer, they got an on-base duplex (apparently officers and married personnel get priority). That got me thinking about whether or not the military allows folks to keep firearms in their home.

I've done a google search, and get conflicting answers, and none from what I'd consider "reputable" sources.

 

[Jimmie]

Every AF base I've been on (including CBM) had the same policy. If you're in the dorms, your firearms go in the armory. If you have a house, you can keep your guns in your house, but you have to register them with the cops (serial number, make/model, etc).

 

[748]

That is why I live off base.
The cops a lot of the cops at langly don't have a clue, they tell people all these laws that doen't exist in VA. The tryied to tell one guy he had to register all his guns with the state. Another new guy was told you have to have a permit to have guns in VA and that his paint ball gun was illegal to have there(like this is freaken new york or some thing).
On an air force base you should ask the Combat Arms Training guys, they are cops but the train and retrain people at the small arms range the guys I have talked to know their stuff. Your higher ups my not have a clue or maybe anti gun or some thing, I would not ask them unless you trust them.

What ever you do, don't give the base armory a functional 9mm, 308cal or 223 cal weapon. They will shoot the **** out of it for you.

 

[Jimmie]

Here's the actual Columbus policy off the .mil site. Your friend will get this in a briefing.

Firearms, Fireworks
If you live in military family housing, you may store your firearms at home. If you live in unaccompanied officer quarters or are staying in the Magnolia Inn, you must bring your weapon and ammunition to the security forces squadron armory for storage. All firearms, whether stored in family housing or in the armory, must be registered with your orderly room. Fireworks are prohibited on Columbus Air Force Base.

 

[kermit315]

sounds like a standard across the board. same policy here on Mugu, and Im Navy.

 

[spartacus2002]

Unless things have changed, Department of the Army regulations leave it up to each installation commander to set his or her own policy. The installation provost marshal generally drafts a policy for the commander's signature. Most of the time, if you live in the barracks the firearms go into the company arms room, and if you live in onpost housing you can keep them there with you.

 

[Deanimator]

When I was stationed at Fort Knox in the early '80s, the BOQs were full of guns. They only required you to register with the MP station.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, you can have them in base housing, rules are:
1. Have to register with police, with your command's CO permission as well, and copy registration to base housing office.
2. Have to be unloaded whenever on base and stored in a seperately locked container within the house - mine are in a hall closet that I changed the doorknob on to include a lock.
3. Can only be transported on base in a vehicle only in plain sight and unloaded and can only transport the firearms from your housing unit directly off-base for whatever reason - no stops on base.

 

[Titan6]

This is up to the installation commander and varies from post to post. Generally: no guns in the barracks, post wide registration and no open or concealed carry unless moving or going to the range. But it varies a lot.

MPs/SPs are often clueless on state laws as they are often not from the state they are stationed in and they are not required to learn most of the laws of the state.

 

[Hanzerik]

Hhmm, glad I don't live on base anymore. I don't remember having to register my firearms with the base armory when I lived on McGuire housing. But It was a long time ago...moved into housing back in 1998 until 2005, moved offbase for a year, and then PCSd last year, maybe things have changed since the late 90's?


But it doesn't matter now, I bought a house here in Wyoming.

 

[Jdude]

My experiences are this:
Having firearms on post requires registratin with the provost marshall. If you live in family housing, the commander (0-3) of your unit can order you to lock them up in the arms room for a reasonable purpose. Reasonable purpose pretty much boils down to opinion.

Registering your firearms on post is also required if you want to use a post range, which is a serious PITA. You must have a range safety certified person present and wear ballistic vest, helmet, protective eyewear- the whole deal. You are also responsible for cleaning the range when you are done. Makes that few dollars for the local range a whole lot easier, i think.

When I was at Carson, the post commander required all firearms within 50 miles of post to be registered. I am no longer there, but even when I was, I 'forgot'- I lived off post and it really isn't their damned business.

If you live in the baracks, you have no choice. Your weapon goes into the arms room. The post and your unit commander determine how easy it is for you to draw them for your own private use.

Like a prior poster has said, if you have a firearm in commonly avaliable military ammunition, it gets really really dirty all by itself. So if you do put them in the arms room, get a trigger lock and cable lock and secure the entire damn thing to a 25 lbs barbell.

 

[Titan6]

jdude- What post requires a kevlar and flack vest at the privately owned weapon range? Certainly not Ft. Carson unless this is new? I used the range many times and never saw a single helmet. The Rod and Gun club at Ft. Bliss is a first class facility with many civilians and retirees. Never saw a helmet there either. Nor any post I have ever been to now that I think about it.

But installation commanders are pretty much a law unto themselves in their domain. They put whatever prejudices they have against guns into policy at the stroke of a pen.

 

[748]

They make you ware all that stuff when you shoot M9 or M16. They say its for training. Its really safty.

I ware my IIa vest when I go to the range near my house, you shoud see the bullet holes in the sides of the lanes .
"is it loaded? BAM!!!"

 

[Jdude]

I apologise for not being clear. Carson required these items on govt ranges. Private ranges set their own rules. Consequently, I use Dragonmans [sic] almost exclusively when shooting in that area.

I am not affiliated with Dragonmans range except when donating ammo into the burms at a high speed. : )

Edit: Spelling

 

[tulsamal]

I had to submit a serial numbered list the Post Commander when I lived on Schofield Barracks, 1985-1989. Of course I had to also register them with the state of Hawaii but that wasn't the Army's fault.

My favorite day within this topic was when my DCM M1 Garand was delivered. There was just something deeply satisfying about being an NCO in the US Army and having a US Post Office employee hand me a long cardboard box at my home on post. A box that contained a very fine example of a Garand which I'm sure some other NCO had taken care of in the past. It was like passing the colors at a change of command ceremony!

Gregg

 

[Titan6]

Jdude- Of course you have to wear a vest and helmet when firing your issue weapon. This is because we train as we fight. This is also for safety as well but mainly for training. If you get used to aiming your rifle without a helmet you will shoot differently.

Dragonman has an excellent facility out there. I don't think there is a finer one on the Eastern Range.