Hegseth Memo Shifts Military Base Carry Policy Toward Armed Self-Defense

AmmoLand ^ | April 7, 2026 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

On April 2, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a memo directing installation commanders to respect the Second Amendment rights of our service members on United States Military installations.  Hegseth noted the Constitution is there to protect the rights of all Americans, including the rights of service members, which are protected by the Second Amendment.

The current policies in place in the United States military made it virtually impossible for service members to be able to carry arms for their own protection unless they were military police or in some training exercises. Installation commanders have had the authority to determine who may carry weapons on their installations. Secretary Hegseth directed installation commanders to start with the presumption that a request by a service member to carry a personal weapon for personal protection is valid.“The memo I am signing today directs installation commanders to allow a request for personal protection to carry a privately owned firearm with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection.” Hegseth continued, “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 direction.”

Military bases have been, in effect, gun free zones, where only a very few people, mostly military police, were allowed to be armed. Secretary Hegseth noted recent mass public shooting attacks on military bases at Fort Stewart, Holloman Air Force Base, and Pensacola Naval Air Station.

Online commentary from declared veterans on X was often positive, with comments such as “best Secretary of War ever” and “this should have been done long ago”. Detractors claim there will be a wave of accidental shootings, murders, and suicides as the policy is implemented.

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KEYWORDS: banglist; carry; hegseth; military

[marktwain]

The U.S. Military has been used as a tool to push the concept that only very specific people should be allowed to be armed, at very specific times.

This is a push-back against that concept. It is a good start.

[rlmorel]

This is how it should always have been since day one. I was appalled to realize that our military personnel were banned from carrying firearms on the base.

I visited Dover Air Force Base about 15 years ago, and was horrified and disgusted to see this sign:

[suthener]

Impressive sign. Meanwhile ROTC students are stabbing mass shooters to death with a pocket knife. I don’t think they sheltered in place.

[Sacajaweau]

Seems like common sense...

[DIRTYSECRET]

As a young GI I drove past too many 18 year-olds guarding the gates while packing. It scared me. A city cop would know everyday he just might need to use his gun. Military bases are big and pretty safe until something bad happens.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist and Major, killed 13 people and injured over 30 others in a mass shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009.

Hasan, who targeted soldiers at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, was convicted in 2013 of premeditated murder and sentenced to death.

Hasan was shot and paralyzed by civilian police Sergeant Kimberly Munley. He was convicted and sentenced to death, though he remains at Fort Leavenworth.

[Nateman]

Nidal Malik Hasan. Islamic nutjob. Killed 13 and injured 32 people at Foot Hood in 2009. The POS is STILL waiting to be executed!

[suthener]

“As a young GI I drove past too many 18 year-olds guarding the gates while packing. It scared me. A city cop would know everyday he just might need to use his gun. Military bases are big and pretty safe until something bad happens.”

I carried a 1911 on quarterdeck watch many times. My experience with pistols was shooting about 5 rounds in boot camp (prior to enlistment I owned and shot rifles and shotguns, but no pistols). Of course it was not loaded but we carried 2 magazines.