It would have been highly unusual for him to have used a military issue weapon because those are kept locked up in the company arms room except for training when they are needed. He could not have just walked up to the company armorer and said “I need to check my pistol out for a couple of hours.” The armorer would have to check with his 1st Sergeant and/or company commander first. Just because he was an officer, he could not legally order the armorer to give it to him because the company commander is “owns” all of the unit’s weapons and is the only person who can authorize them being issued while a unit is in garrison.
At least these were the rules at Ft. Hood in 1979-80 when I was there and when I was a squadron and brigade S-2 in Germany 83-89. And knowing the “anal-retentiveness” of the Army, those rules would not have been loosened over they last 30 years.
Thanks for the info. That makes perfect sense. I suppose MPs and such are armed, right?
Thanks for the info!