Hello all:
Didn't know where to post this but thought this MIGHT be appropriate:
Retired military here and there are times when the wife and I travel to San Antonio to do some shopping. There have been times when, while carrying, she says something like "let's run over to Lackland or Ft Sam to pick something up". I'm sure you can now see my problem. What do I do with my weapon????
I hate to NOT carry when we go to SA but also hate to be VERY VERY illegal and carry on the installations.
Any suggestions were most certainly be appreciated.
Thanks, <MP>
MP(Ret)95B wrote:Hello all:
Didn't know where to post this but thought this MIGHT be appropriate:
Retired military here and there are times when the wife and I travel to San Antonio to do some shopping. There have been times when, while carrying, she says something like "let's run over to Lackland or Ft Sam to pick something up". I'm sure you can now see my problem. What do I do with my weapon????
I hate to NOT carry when we go to SA but also hate to be VERY VERY illegal and carry on the installations.
Any suggestions were most certainly be appreciated.
Thanks, <MP>
Not sure about Ft Sam but in Lackland you can call one of the offices like the visitor center and ask for an escort to the armory, where you can drop off your pistol while in the base.
“Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”
― Horace Mann
suthdj: Good idea but don't think that my wife would care to walk across post.
Jaview730: Will check on this. Didn't know that Lackland would do this. Makes sense. Wish they had a "lock box" at the visitors center so I could secure my weapon. Would just make sense..but then again....
Thanks again for the information. <MP>
I just called Lackland and both the SP office and visitor center said they have never, nor do now take (secure, provide storage)a privately owned weapon other than to confiscate. Maybe I asked the worng person?? Maybe I asked the wrong question?
In 30 years or so I have not heard of any military installation, AF, Army, Navy or Marine that will store a visitors weapon for them, other than Military members that are there under orders and then it is a unit responsibility.. not post.
Id love to have it otherwise, and will continue to seek information, but would love to know from anyone that has personally had their weapon secured for them on a temp vist other then while on orders.
When?
What base/ post?
Who did you contact?
I have advocated post provide lock boxes (like at a court, jail or PD for LEOs) where a person my state law is carrying a legal weapon and that person can then secure it.
I was told, not possible for several reasons.. One, Federal law states you can not even get to the locker on federal property to lock it up.. And two, the liability in doing so is too great.
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E.Marquez wrote:I just called Lackland and both the SP office and visitor center said they have never, nor do now take (secure, provide storage)a privately owned weapon other than to confiscate. Maybe I asked the worng person?? Maybe I asked the wrong question?
In 30 years or so I have not heard of any military installation, AF, Army, Navy or Marine that will store a visitors weapon for them, other than Military members that are there under orders and then it is a unit responsibility.. not post.
Id love to have it otherwise, and will continue to seek information, but would love to know from anyone that has personally had their weapon secured for them on a temp vist other then while on orders.
When?
What base/ post?
Who did you contact?
I have advocated post provide lock boxes (like at a court, jail or PD for LEOs) where a person my state law is carrying a legal weapon and that person can then secure it.
I was told, not possible for several reasons.. One, Federal law states you can not even get to the locker on federal property to lock it up.. And two, the liability in doing so is too great.
Must of spoke to the wrong person. I called the visitor center early last year to ask if I could secure my weapon there after asking one of the guards one morning while driving in unarmed. They took down my name and number and returned my call in about a half hour and said I was good to go so long as I let then know at the visitor center so they could call an mp to escort me. Waiting for an escort every morning was a bit of a hassle so I didn't bother anymore. I didn't even carry at all times like I do now so it really wasn't an issue. After an incident I had, I carry at all times and no longer work on base.
When I called the visitor center, I told them I had a Texas chl and that I knew carrying on base was not allowed but that I was legal outside the base and had wanted to be sure I could defend myself to and from work. For me it only took one phone call. I actually read in this forum someone doing the same or similar. That's what motivated me to ask. I would suggest trying again and maybe calling their superiors if you still have problems, politely of course.
Hello MP. I too am retired military and faced a similar situation a few months ago. I was spending a night in Houston to attend a Change of Command on Ellington Field. I didn't want to make the drive and stay in a hotel unarmed.
First I called security at the base and was told "no weapons allowed." Then I found a 2 gun shops close to the gate and emailed them explaining my situation and asked if they could store my weapon for a few hours. Both replied that they would do that for me at no charge. I chose the shop closest to the gate and dropped it off about 9 am and picked it up around 2 pm, no problems. I even posted a kudos to them on the forum after I got home.
It bothers me that as a CHLer I can't just drop into a base without planning ahead to store my weapon or leave it at home. Same for other federal facilities, especially the VA since they won't allow weapons to be left in your vehicle. Today I took my father in law to the social security office in Benbrook. Assuming the same rules as the VA were in place, I left it home. When I got to the office,they are in a stand alone building but the parking lot is part of a strip mall so I would have been ok to carry and leave it in the car.
What I don't get is that some BXs are now selling firearms. I bought an M&P Shield at Randolph BX recently.
The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
I've bought several guns at exchanges. The ones in Alaska had huge selections and would special order for you! Most recently, 6 months ago, I bought a gun at the JRB in Ft Worth. It was an interesting experience. When I entered the base I was asked if I had any weapons in the truck. I'm asked that about 50% of the time I go on the base. I said "no" but thought about saying "not yet" since I was only way to buy one. For some reason I kept my wise crack to myself and drove on thru the gate.
At the exchange they have a computer terminal for self service to complete the paper work. After waiting 15 minutes or so, I was told I was good to go and purchased the gun. They don't care if you have a CHL, they run the background check for all purchases. Once the purchase was complete the clerk asked me if I was leaving the base immediately. I told him I had other business on the base and he said he had to keep the gun until I was finished with all my business and was ready to depart the base.
About an hour later I went back to the gun counter and he got my purchase out of the safe. He then called the security office and gave the gun description and my name. He handed me the phone and the security office verified my name, what was purchased, which gate I would be using to leave and to tell me I wasn't authorized to make any stops on the base while I had the gun.
While I don't agree with policy of not being able to carry on military facilities, I will obey it since I don't want to face felony charges. It can be a pain sometimes!
BTW, the JRB Ft Worth main gate is the only military entrance I have seen that has a 30.06 sign along with the federal warning. All others I've seen have just have the federal waring.
Petition the Osama administration to change the laws regarding current and former military and their right to carry personal firearms on government property:
"You may all go to H3ll, and I will go to Texas." - Davy Crockett
"Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything." - Wyatt Earp
NRA Life Member
לעולם לא תשכח
Bitter Clinger wrote:Petition the Osama administration to change the laws regarding current and former military and their right to carry personal firearms on government property:
It's a nice thought, but they aren't going to change that in the least. The Democrat Party (and who knows how many Republicans) really hate armed citizens and armed self-defense. The military brass don't like anything that might pose a "safety hazard" so they aren't going to push for it. Call me cynical, but I believe most of them just don't care what happens to any of us in the least.
I take my POF (personally owned firearm) onto Fort Hood two or three times per year when visiting son in law. You have to:
1. Register the firearm each time you go. http://www.hood.army.mil/dhr/forms/fhform190-19.pdf
2. You must enter via a manned Access Control Point
3. You must declare the weapon at the ACP or if you are stopped at at time
4. You must carry registration paper with you at all times
5. You can NOT carry open or concealed. Weapon must my locked in transportation container in the trunk or behind the seat of a pickup. Out of reach.
6. Direct route from entering to destination. No side trips on base.
Granted my info is dated, my base permits all expired in the early 90's. I just don't remember the pricing being that much better, if at all than any retailer in town. Most of it seems to have been same or higher even. Are there any reasons to even go on a Military Installation?
MP(Ret)95B wrote:Hello all:
Didn't know where to post this but thought this MIGHT be appropriate:
Retired military here and there are times when the wife and I travel to San Antonio to do some shopping. There have been times when, while carrying, she says something like "let's run over to Lackland or Ft Sam to pick something up". I'm sure you can now see my problem. What do I do with my weapon????
I hate to NOT carry when we go to SA but also hate to be VERY VERY illegal and carry on the installations.
Any suggestions were most certainly be appreciated.
Thanks, <MP>
Not sure about Ft Sam but in Lackland you can call one of the offices like the visitor center and ask for an escort to the armory, where you can drop off your pistol while in the base.
Most bases are like that in states where carry is the norm. Just came from Whiting NAS in FL where it is inform, surrender, pick up on your way out.
Added in Edit: Wish the policy of bases was published somewhere. I know that base commanders have some discretion so each base may vary, and each individual base may change according to changes in command.
I Thess 5:21
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<MP> 
