No Air Force members carry on base, with the exception of the SPs (security police) at the main gate or other areas that require it. Two examples would be guarding a weapons storage facility or transporting classified documents.
I was enlisted, and had to qualify on the .38 (in 1986) for an assignment to the 5th Combat Communications Group (5th Mob) in Georgia. However, a pistol was almost never assigned, even in combat training exercises, and I was told that they were more or less to be issued to officers if they were issued at all.
Of course, a lot of time has passed since I got out of the Air Force. Just know that it has really never been an Air Force practice at all for people other than the security police members to carry on base.
I sent you some more stuff via email.
The security within my area of the AFB was not by air force... it was by the marine corps. and my marine escort, he was definitely carrying hot.
the armed security was for very specific types of nuclear materials.
It was also decades ago.