Hegseth OKs personal weapons on military bases

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday allowing military service members to carry personal firearms on military installations upon request. Military installations are traditionally gun-free zones unless soldiers are training or members of military police, Hegseth explained in a Thursday video statement. Soldiers protect others’ Second Amendment right to bear arms, and they are entitled to that same right, he said. Hegseth cited recent violence in military institutions for the change in policy, specifically the shooting on a Georgia air base last year, and the 2019 shooting at a Florida naval station.

So soldiers can carry guns on base whenever they want? The memo directed military installation commanders to allow soldiers to submit requests to keep firearms on base. Officials should apply presumptive approval to the applications, since service members have a presumptive right to self-defense while on post, according to the department. Any request denials must be returned in writing with details explaining the denial, Hegseth said. The memo also applied to thousands of uniformed personnel on the Pentagon’s police force who protect the building, but stopped short of allowing personal-carry within the building itself.