Hegseth Authorizes Off-Duty Service Members to Carry Private Firearms on Installations

View Online Hegseth Authorizes Off-Duty Service Members to Carry Private Firearms on Installations April 2, 2026 |  By Matthew Olay Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum directing military installation commanders to allow War Department personnel — namely, uniformed service members — to request to carry privately owned firearms while in their nonofficial duty capacity on DOW property within the United States.  "Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations. … Well, that's no longer," Hegseth said during a social media video released today.  "The memo I'm signing today directs installation commanders to allow requests for personal protection — to carry a privately owned firearm — with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection," he continued.      At the video's outset, Hegseth said the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment applies to all Americans, including those in uniform.  "The War Department's uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. These warfighters — 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," Hegseth said.     He then cited several active-shooter incidents on U.S. military installations in recent years as examples of when personnel having the ability to return fire on the threat could potentially have reduced the human damage inflicted.  Specifically, Hegseth mentioned the Dec. 9, 2019, terrorist attack at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, which killed three men and injured eight others; the Aug. 6, 2025, shooting and wounding of five soldiers by one of their fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia; and the shooting of two individuals — one whom died — at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, as recently as March 17. "Recent events … have made clear that some threats are closer to home than we would like," he said, adding, "In these instances, minutes are a lifetime, and our service members have the courage and training to make those precious short minutes count." The memo to senior Pentagon leadership, defense agency and War Department field activity directors titled "Non-Official Personal Protection Arming on Department of War Property," states that the new policy is consistent with section 526 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.   That section of the FY16 NDAA reads that the secretary of [war] "may authorize a member of the armed forces who is assigned to duty at the installation, center or facility to carry an appropriate firearm on the installation, center, or facility if the commander determines that carrying such a firearm is necessary as a personal, or force protection measure."  The memo goes on to state that the undersecretary of war for intelligence and security will be responsible for updating War Department Manual 5200.08 — the document that lays out physical security measures for DOW, and that will authorize permitting officials to review service member requests to carry personally owned firearms.  The memo also makes clear that, when considering personal carry applications, permitting officials must apply "a presumption of approval."    "If a request is for some reason denied, the reason for that denial will be in writing and will explain — in detail — the basis for that [decision]," Hegseth said.  "Again, the presumption is service members will be able to have their Second Amendment right on post," he reiterated. The memo further elaborates on Hegseth's point by stating, "If the rejection of an application is necessary, the rejection shall be in writing and explain the objective, clearly describable, and individualized basis for such decision. The review shall be a dispassionate and commonsense application of applicable law and standards."  Additionally, the memo addresses the thousands of uniformed personnel who work at the Pentagon, stating that the building's police force — the Pentagon Force Protection Agency — shall also apply a presumption of approval to all personal-carry applications.  However, the memo stops short of allowing personal-carry within the walls of the building.  Rather, it states that the Pentagon Force Protection Agency must allow fair consideration for Pentagon personnel to "store a privately owned firearm in a vehicle on the Pentagon Reservation," pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations.   Hegseth ended his video message by underscoring the importance of recognizing the Second Amendment rights of men and women in uniform.  "Not all enemies are foreign, nor are they all outside of our borders — some are domestic," he said, in reference to the oath all U.S. uniformed service members take upon swearing to serve their country.  "Confirming your God-given right to self-protection is what I am signing into action today, and I'm proud to do so," the secretary concluded, just before signing the memo.

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