CHL and Military Bases

[barres]

I have never had an occasion to do this myself, but I have always heard that people who needed/wanted to visit a military base and had no method to securely store their firearms have been known to contact a gunsmith/gunshop near the base to have the gun in question "professionally cleaned" the day they needed to be on the base. They dropped the firearm off before going to the base and picked it up after they left. That way they weren't violating any of the USC for carrying a firearm on Federal property, and they weren't on their trip unarmed, except for the few blocks from the gunshop to the base and back. YMMV.

[psyfly]

I have been told (by a base security services senior NCO) that firearms policy is always set by the Base Commander and can vary widely from one military installation to another. I won't say which base nor repeat his advice to me for obvious reasons . Check with the individual base's security services and you'll be unlikely to go wrong .

Will

[bdickens]

That is true, but you can count on the answer being "no." I'd be very surprised if a post commander allowed privately owned firearms on post anywhere but signed into a unit's arms room.

When I was living in the barracks at Ft. Bragg, I had a self-storage unit off post where I kept my pistol along with some other suff I didn't need to have immediate access to.

[ELB]

At least during the 23 years I was in the USAF, ending in 2005, the basic policy was airmen living in the dorms/BOQ had to store weapons in the armory; people living in base family housing could keep them in their houses. All subject registration of course. Individual procedures about how to do this varied, as noted by AFCop above. Now that I am retired, I generally avoid going on military bases unless absolutely necessary.

[rant-on]
My more cynical (realistic?) side tells me the professional military, in particular the Air Force, is basically afraid of guns and armed airmen and soldiers. Not so much the individuals, but if anyone ever gets shot by accident/negligance, commanders/supervisors/on down can definitely count on getting punished. They can definitely count on NOT being rewarded for training their people to be proficient with firearms and getting them to be responsible enough to carry them. If some terrorist/criminal runs amok on base, the response will be more barbed wire, more fences, more ID checks, but no one will think of allowing the non-security force troops to have a gun. AFCop can comment more knowledgably, but my observations were that this extends to off-duty Security Police (now Security Forces) as well (as he noted, Lackland doesn't even trust civilian law enforcement). Heck, even on my overseas deployments, altho I had to qualify with the M-9, nobody ever dreamed of actually issuing me one, and as far as I could tell there were no smallarms for anyone other than the security forces. Even in Iraq I read of our troops of all services being either required to unload their weapons (great chance for an ND) or being totally disarmed inside the bigger encampments, altho I know some found workarounds with second handguns discreetly holstered under shirts.

When the "Fort Dix Six" would-be terrorists were caught before they could attack Fort Dix, one argument a lot of their apologists made was that they weren't really serious because "who would attack an army base with all those guns." I suspect those guys knew from their contacts what actual military people know -- that the base populace is unarmed, the security forces are ready to defend but few in number, and spread thin. If the Fort Dix attackers had launched an attack, there was a high probability they would have slaughtered quite a few military, dependents, and civilians before being run to ground. I have been through a number of gates in my career, and in all but two locations the gate search policy was random search; essentially kept the good guys honest (because the good guys could not afford a career-ending boo-boo like having a gun in the car), but plenty of chances for anyone with a bit of gumption to bring a trunk full of nastiness in. Thus the Ft Dix terrorists had a high probability of driving right in, going down to the commissary on Saturday morning, and spilling a lot of blood before anyone with a gun caught up to them.

And while I am stomping my feet and yelling, I remember in 2006 there was an Army general in Alaska who forbade all his soldiers to carry concealed weapons at any time. Not on base, not OFF base, having a CHL is irrelevant -- not at all. I can't recall his name right now, but Obama will probably make him Chairman of the JCS or something.

[/rant-off]

[Jeremae]

Fort Polk used to be open uncontrolled access, but since 911 has been tightly restricted. No civilian guns on post, no exceptions except for range competition shoots open to the public.

When i contacted the MP station, I was given slightly different information. I was just there Jan 2nd.

The rules do vary from base to base as they are entirely at the discretion of the commanding officer of the base.

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

Fort Polk used to be open uncontrolled access, but since 911 has been tightly restricted. No civilian guns on post, no exceptions except for range competition shoots open to the public.

When i contacted the MP station, I was given slightly different information. I was just there Jan 2nd.

The rules do vary from base to base as they are entirely at the discretion of the commanding officer of the base.

May I ask what the rules were there?

[cdc101]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but with some of the recent law changes, I was curious to know if this one had changed.

I will be going to Ft Hood on Wednesday (driving from Hosuton) and will be checking out of the hotel and will have my luggage with me the entire time on am on base. I am assuming that the law did not change and I will not be able to have my pistol in my bag in the car, but I thought I'd give it a shot and ask since I had a couple days before I drive north.

On a smillar note, I will be attending a job fair on post and the company I work for, Air Liquide, is actively recruiting (some pun intended) veterans and will have a booth at the Ft Hood job fair on Wednesday. I will be going to translate military speak to the Air Liquide recruiter.

If anyone is in the Ft Hood area and will be looking for a job after ETS or retirement, come one by! Last time I was there was when I ETS'd in 97.

[DEB]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but with some of the recent law changes, I was curious to know if this one had changed.

I will be going to Ft Hood on Wednesday (driving from Hosuton) and will be checking out of the hotel and will have my luggage with me the entire time on am on base. I am assuming that the law did not change and I will not be able to have my pistol in my bag in the car, but I thought I'd give it a shot and ask since I had a couple days before I drive north.

On a smillar note, I will be attending a job fair on post and the company I work for, Air Liquide, is actively recruiting (some pun intended) veterans and will have a booth at the Ft Hood job fair on Wednesday. I will be going to translate military speak to the Air Liquide recruiter.

If anyone is in the Ft Hood area and will be looking for a job after ETS or retirement, come one by! Last time I was there was when I ETS'd in 97.

Nothing has changed. Fort Hood Regulation 190-11 covers all the requirements. Short answer: You cannot bring a weapon on post, unless it is specifically permitted by the Command. (Which isn't going to happen, except where authorized IAW FH Reg 190-11). I won't go deep into the; must be registered at the Visitor Control Center, if you live on post, permitted by your Commander, if you live in the barracks, must be in Arms Room. For you or me, which doesn't fit into the above, unless you are just going to the range or hunting, you cannot legally bring on the Installation and they still must be registered at the VCC and with the Directorate of Emergency Services or Provost. So, I would suggest perhaps storing with someone you know here, off post, until you leave. I have also heard of folks leaving their weapons with a local pawn shop, paying the fee when you depart. or paying for another day at the Hotel? I read the blotter everyday and they are catching folks all the time at the gates with firearms, so be aware.

[cdc101]

Very much appreciate the reply, DEB...and just as I suspected. Since I don't have any place to store it while I am on post, and don't feel comfortable with leaving it in a pawn shop, I will just leave it in the safe here in Houston and pray for safe travels.

Again, I appreciate the reply.

[txglock21]

Wow...times have changed. My first duty station was Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, Montana back in 1986-1988. We kept our hunting rifles in our personal vehicles and I kept my .38 in my dorm room. Nothing was ever said. I don't think is was against base policy, but could have been. Everyone I knew had some form of gun and never had any problems. I was an SS (Security Specialist) and assisted the LEs (Law Enforcement Specialist) many times on gate duty. We never checked for weapons in vehicles. Guest vehicles were checked for bombs and drugs and I guess maybe guns, but I never had any problems myself. Maybe it was a different time or maybe it was just MAFB?

[Waco1959]

You might these two dealers:

http://www.gunsgalorellc.com

http://www.justglocks.com

I've never used either, and have no idea if they can help, but friends in the area like both places.

[RiverCity.45]

Now, toss into the mix the recent addition of firearms sales at the Randolph BX.

[DaveT]

Now, toss into the mix the recent addition of firearms sales at the Randolph BX.

Exactly. I was at the BX at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene last week and they have a large selection of handguns for sale. The prices were not all that great, most were at or above what my local gun range sells the same gun for. The savings on sales tax might appeal to some, but the new Glocks I looked at were priced higher than I can buy them for elsewhere, including sales tax.

I wonder how the no guns on base regulations affect the BX sales ? How are customers authorized to get them home, or off base? Anyone know?

[donkey]

Now, toss into the mix the recent addition of firearms sales at the Randolph BX.

Exactly. I was at the BX at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene last week and they have a large selection of handguns for sale. The prices were not all that great, most were at or above what my local gun range sells the same gun for. The savings on sales tax might appeal to some, but the new Glocks I looked at were priced higher than I can buy them for elsewhere, including sales tax.

I wonder how the no guns on base regulations affect the BX sales ? How are customers authorized to get them home, or off base? Anyone know?

I don't know about Dyess but the base I was at required that you immediately leave the base if you purchased a firearm. Originally you had to be escorted off the base by Security Forces but so many people were buying guns that the policy tied up too many patrols.

[DaveT]

Now, toss into the mix the recent addition of firearms sales at the Randolph BX.

Exactly. I was at the BX at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene last week and they have a large selection of handguns for sale. The prices were not all that great, most were at or above what my local gun range sells the same gun for. The savings on sales tax might appeal to some, but the new Glocks I looked at were priced higher than I can buy them for elsewhere, including sales tax.

I wonder how the no guns on base regulations affect the BX sales ? How are customers authorized to get them home, or off base? Anyone know?

I don't know about Dyess but the base I was at required that you immediately leave the base if you purchased a firearm. Originally you had to be escorted off the base by Security Forces but so many people were buying guns that the policy tied up too many patrols.

Thanks, I appreciate the information !