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In any sizable group, someone’s going to go bonkers.

Sad, but simple truth.

It's pretty much covered in the SOFA (status of forces agreement). Legal issues of GIs off base, not involving official duties, are pretty much in the purview of the German civil authorities.

Exactly. However, if I remember correctly, there are some cases where the MP needs to be involved. E.g.: Police law is state law in Germany. In some states, in order not to complete block the court system, policemen can send potheads off with just a warning, if they only find like one joint on them. They can't do that with US army personnel.

So they hate to pick up US soldiers in the Dutch-German border area, as that always means tons of paperwork. *LOL

It is possible to purchase a firearm in Germany. However, you have to have a “waffenschein” (license) for the weapon. Getting a weapons license and a hunting license is very expensive.

Actually, a Waffenschein allows you to carry a weapon (e.g. as a bodyguard etc.) in public, in that case, you need to prove first that it's imperative that you carry a weapon.

What you mean is a "Waffenbesitzschein", that allows you to own a weapon, that's way easier to get, e.g. you just need to be a hunter or a sportsman. What is expensive is the schooling you need to get your hunting license first, the figures I found on the internet are €1000 - €1500.

And, to the extent of my knowledge, you cannot store your weapons in your house, but have to leave them at a shooting club.

Depends on the type of weapon and the safety provisions you can guarantee at home (also, the police might check up on you to see if your rifles and guns are stored properly). In general, both variants exist.