Defense secretary signs memo letting members request permission to carry firearms on military installations
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday that would allow military service members to request permission to carry their personal firearms on military installations such as bases, naval yards and recruitment centers, claiming the new policy will allow soldiers and other military personnel to defend themselves in case of an attack.
While the full text of the memo has yet to be made public, it appears to loosen the current policy that allows for personnel to get permission to have their weapons on base on a case-by-case basis, and requires that they are registered with the base’s authorities and stored in a secure device.
In a video posted on social media, Hegseth said current policies have essentially turned US military installations into “gun-free” zones, leaving those who live and work on the installations vulnerable. It’s a sentiment long shared by second amendment fundamentalists and staunch gun rights activists who have lodged lawsuits against these policies in states across the country.
“The war department’s uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. These war fighters, entrusted with the safety of our nation, are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American,” he said.
