Rumors of Military establishing active duty weapons registry for off-base personnel?

To protect the careers of those involved, no names or base locations can be used here. Suffice it to say, though, that a gun rights organization with which I’m associated received a rather frantic call from an Army spouse after her husband received an email from his Captain. As she relays it, the email asked for a full list of all firearms (including make, model and serial number) owned by her husband and any member of the family.

According to the report, the email went out to all members of the unit, whether or not they live on-base. The lieutenant in question lives with his family off-base.

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I know that if living on base you have to have all your personal firearms accounted for and locked up with the rest.

Is the off-base thing new?

Military trying to reduce its ridiculous suicide rates?

Or, more nefariously, are they trying to figure out who would be the staunch 2A supporters out there by counting collections off base?

Anyway, this is all from an email somebody sent. No confirmation of anything yet.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Anyway, this is all from an email somebody sent. No confirmation of anything yet.

Then probably this thread is a good candidate for skunk works.

But I'd be willing to bet their social protest predictive computer models have been going nuts and showering them with red flags over the uproar on the gun control issue. The sleeping giant was just prodded in its sleep and it just growled. LOUDLY.

EDIT: So they go into meetings, and demand to know what all their assets are carrying, even privately. They're assessing, gathering more data, and the fate of the fricken world will depend on what a silicone chip spits out.

i cant vouch for all branches.

Air Force on-base only requires them to be registered with SFS (mil cops), they can be kept in homes on base.
what just came down that affects off base also, is: your PCM (primary care manager, your Doc) can ask if you have any in your home or easily accessible, but only in instances if they question you harming yourself or others.

Sometimes it's OK to lie... this is one of those times. Another time it's Ok is when your Doctor asks you if you own any firearms... when that happens I will lie like a rug.

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
Sometimes it's OK to lie... this is one of those times. Another time it's Ok is when your Doctor asks you if you own any firearms... when that happens I will lie like a rug.

Lying to the doctor is easy. Are there consequences to lying to the military for enlisted people?

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


The military has no jurisdiction over the house off base, and what goes on inside that house.
They can demand all they like, but they can't enter the off-base residence unless the owner allows them access.

I wouldn't put it past people to try this kind of crap, but it will and should fall flat.

I will ask around to see if anyone else is seeing this.

Time to chime in, our dollar is about to lose value, ammo and guns are going through the roof on price, food costs a fortune just to feed any size of family. and now all the bills that imply the talk of taking the firearms. Haven`t we lost enough of our freedoms, Now it is even boiling down to our own military. Just when and what will it take to open everyones eyes to what is happening here. The writting is on the wall, It is time to start reading it.

reply to post by macman


Yes and no. My soldiers loved to tell me how their residence was off limits because it was where "their family lived". The tune changed when I had them moved back into the barracks and restricted to post (by my commander). The government pays for off base housing same as on base housing.

I am not a gun control advocate. I was a leader and a soldier's house should be inspected for livability, safety, and cleanliness, the same as those on base. That being said the inspections are FAR different between homes and barracks rooms (inspections are different for Privates and Sergeants too for obvious reasons).

Gun registry for soldiers is common in my experience.

ETA - Barracks rooms are inspected daily in good units, weekly or less in shoddy units. Housing for married soldiers (or tose living on or off base) is generally inspected semi-annually (in theory). Check you Command Policy Letters. The unit is required to keep a book and inspection policy will be there in black and white.

reply to post by 200Plus


Oh, don't get me wrong. I know and knew and understand that the military can recall members back on base, thus running them over with the new rules of firearms.

Being former Military Police in the Army, this is not new. Going as far back as the 90's when I started active duty the Provost Marshall could require ALL weapons registered that are owned by service members on or off post. Remember, off base housing is still required to be inspected. I worked under PM's that didn't require it and some that did. This is not some new gun grab. When I was a private and married, my squad leader inspected my apartment once a month. When I became a NCO the commander required me to inspect my soldiers housing on and off post. These inspections included checking the status of firearms.

This is normal and has been for decades. Maybe some people are just more sensitive now or new soldiers are just becoming aware of the regulations.

Another way they get around this is "on base ranges". These are usually cheaper than civilian ranges (free in many places) and offer long distance firing capability. As soldiers have little pay, this is a widely used benefit. ALL weapons brought onto base are required to be registered with the Provost Marshall's Office (base police center).

reply to post by Carreau


You know, now that I think about it, I cannot recall ever NOT being asked about my POW's (privately owned weapons). It was part of the in-processing procedures for every unit I was in.

reply to post by 200Plus


Correct, when PCS'ing to a new Post soldiers are required to register all firearms with the Provost Marshall's Office regardless of rank or where they are going to live on or off Post.

So I guess the consensus seems to be that this is nothing new and not particularly of note?

I wonder how long those records are kept after you're discharged?

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


At the Posts I was assigned to when a soldier left the Army or transferred to another Post, once he out-processed from the Provost Marshall's Office on that Post we shredded the soldiers PM file. A new one would be started at his new Post or nothing if he was leaving the Army.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Having served for 13 years, I can tell you that there are consequences, but there is no way they could ever enforce such a standard on a military member in that members private home. If the member lives in base housing then that is a different story.

I cannot say how long they are kept.

One interesting (maybe) thing about POW's:

My last PCS (move) was to Kentucky. When I had to register my vehicle for a new base decal they asked me about my weapons. Not if I had any, but the ones they had on file. They had the make, model, and serial number of weapons I had purchased 12 years before. I had moved several times prior to this and had since sold the firearms. I just told them the weapons had been sold and they removed them from my record on the spot. Maybe that is an option (though I cannot say if it would be legal or not - sorry).

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reply to post by Logarock


WTF are you on about?

So in your mind a single soldier that is 24 with five years in the military should have his living area inspected, but a married soldier that is 19 with three kids shouldn't?

I give less then a damn what you think of me as a soldier. Its lack of discipline that causes the issues we have in the military today. Enjoy the ineffective army YOU are helping to create. I am retired and won't have to deal with it

reply to post by 200Plus


The unit I was in....we kept po weapons in the barracks lockers! I had a law rocket in my locker for weeks!

reply to post by Logarock


Let me guess you were Delta/SEAL/ Astronaut qulified with a bubble badge and 30k confirmed kills.

I call BS on any unit allowing weapons in a barracks room and I 110% call BS on you have a rocket in your locker for "weeks". Pics or it didn't happen.

Livability, cleanliness, and safety. That can be done with a walkthrough inspection. I wasn't looking in their panty drawers, I was making sure they weren't living like vikings.

ETA - I never had a soldier fal to re-enlist, not one. My soldier's didn't always love me, but they respected me. I know this by one simple fact: they never hid things from me. Professional or personal they always came to me with any issues they had. I am proud of every soldier I produced, even the ones that fell short of expectations.