Question for Air Force guys

[wannabeagunsmith]

Hey, so I have finally made up my mind on what I want to do with my life; I am joining the USAF as an aircraft mechanic soon as my semester at my community college is over. I had a quick question though, for those of you who were in the AF. After I finish basic, I know there is a brief period where I travel to tech school, and after tech school to my permanent base. My question would be, when in that period of time should I grab my guns from my hometown and take them with me? Before or after tech school? Oh, and is it relatively painless to keep the guns in the base armory? Thanks.

 

[Jim K]

If you can possibly leave the guns at home or with a trusted friend, do so.

If you must have them with you, wait until you get to your permanent base and find out the base commander's position on private firearms; some impose a ban or close to it, some ban handguns, some have no problem with multiple guns, others have a limit. It is up to the commander and you are not going to fight base HQ, period.

Often, the rule is that guns must be registered on base (regardless of local law) and kept in the unit arms room (or a base armory), to be signed out for lawful purposes (as defined by the base commander).

If things look OK, you still have the problem of getting the guns to the base. If you travel by car, you have to obey the same laws as everyone else. There are no exemptions for military personnel transporting or carrying private weapons on personal business. If you fly, or take a train/bus, same thing. You might be able to have the gun(s) shipped to you, but again that can best be judged after you reach your permanent base.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

This guys gonna be in for a little culture shock after he enlists I betcha!

The military lets you have guns.

Just not your guns, until you are well established in the pecking order and permanently assigned to an understanding base CO.

The army took my 2" Case pocket knife in Basic, and then turned around and issued me a M-14 and a bayonet.

rc

 

[MEHavey]

After getting to first permanent duty station, you may bring weapons back into your life.
If you are living in barracks, you will be req'd to keep them in the provost's armory to
be checked in/out anytime you want to use them. This is a simple security issue as too
many people wonder in/out of barracks.

If/when you are assigned actual quarters on post, you may keep the [provost-registered]
weapons in your quarters.

Transporting is roughly the same as most civilian locales -- unloaded, in the trunk, ammunition
separate. (There is no such thing as CCW while on a military post)

 

[gunnerh]

Good for you! God bless and good luck.

 

[Mainsail]

Are you married!? If not, your firearms will be stored in the base armory. And no, that does not mean Airmen Numbnutz who works there will keep his mitts off them.

If you are married and live in base housing your guns should be OK in your house but they will require some manner of registration. That's so the cops know who is armed in case they need to pay you a visit.

Dont bring them to tech school, you'll be very busy.

 

[herrwalther]

The army took my 2" Case pocket knife in Basic, and then turned around and issued me a M-14 and a bayonet.

That was always my favorite military irony. Our knives were taken away at initial training but was issued a M16A4 and a bayonet. I did smuggle a 2" blade as part of a multi-tool from a semi-sanctioned PX run. Loaning out that tiny knife felt like being a drug dealer because cutting 550 cord with an E-tool sounds funnier than actually doing it.

At basic, in all branches, they take everything away. Tech school, AIT (Army), SOI (Infantry school-Marines) are a bit more lenient but not enough to have firearms. Get through tech school. As soon as you know what unit (flight) and base you are assigned to, contact them about their weapon policy. If you are lucky, you might find out where you will be going about 2 weeks before tech school graduation.

 

[DPris]

If you are single, enlisted & living on base, your personal guns will be stored in the base armory.
You will NEVER be allowed to have them in your room.
You can count on them being played with by bored armorers.

Do not even try to take them to Basic or tech school.
Denis

 

[aarondhgraham]

Here's an option that worked for me,,,

You will never be allowed to keep your guns in your barracks.

You can't always keep your guns in base housing,,,
Two of the three stateside bases I was assigned to forbade it.

Some bases (not all of them),,,
Have some equivalent of a rod and gun club,,,
The base I was assigned to in Germany had one such club,,,
We were allowed to store our registered rifles/shotguns at the facility.

Here's another option for you.

Make friends with the base range master,,,
I did this at my first base and it worked out wonderfully.

It's not well known but you are entitled to small arms proficiency training,,,
They are required by regs to maintain a stock of ammo for that,,,
Most people don't want to do it so the ammo goes unfired.

Make friends with the range master gets you into that source.

For two years I got to shoot 100 rounds of .223 or 100 rounds of .38 each week,,,
It was all documented as training and was perfectly legitimate.

Not a lot of choices in firearms but I didn't care,,,
I was shooting on Uncle Sam's dime.

Just find the range,,,
Tell them you would like additional small arms training,,,
I only had one base where this was difficult but I eventually got my commander to sign the request.

Most of the range people are happy to find someone who wants to train and learn,,,
Take advantage of that and you should have no problems shooting every week.

I was Air Force but one year duty station was on a small Army compound in Korea,,,
I met the range master and bought him the service of a "business girl",,,
I had a friend for life and got to play with great toys.

Stateside you are better off to join a private range,,,
Most of them have some sort of storage at their facility.

Aarond

.

 

[chris in va]

Word of advice...live off base as soon as you can. The base 'dorms' get annoying, quickly. I didn't have guns when I was in (92-96) but it was a giant relief when I got an apartment off base.

BTW I wouldn't count on tech school being 'brief', especially working toward aircraft mechanic. I was in for 7 weeks, and that was just a computer operator position. We had computer programmers spend two years at tech school, one was waiting for a duty station for 8 months after that. They had him mowing lawns the whole time.

Bottom line, it could be quite a while before you can get your guns.

 

[USAav8r]

A note if you do live off post ( I'm army so post=base in Air Force lingo). In accordance with the Ike Skelton national defense authorization of 2010 (I'm pretty sure that's the name) , I don't recall the subsection but bottom line, it states that if you live off post, and don't bring your guns on post, your chain of command has no right to ask you wether you own weapons or not, types, serial numbers, etc.

Now, exercising your rights as an E1 when everyone above you is an expert in everything because they have been in 6 months longer is another case. Know the rules, and be able to show it to people in writing.

Thinking about it I believe it is subsection 1062. Haven't looked it up, just my memory.

Edit: looked it up. It's a 2013 amendment to the 2012 NDAA. Section 1062 c.
Of course as with any rule like this there are exceptions. Notably, if it's part of an investigation they can ask, as well as if they have reasonable grounds to believe you may be a threat to self or others.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

That was always my favorite military irony. Our knives were taken away at initial training but was issued a M16A4 and a bayonet. I did smuggle a 2" blade as part of a multi-tool from a semi-sanctioned PX run. Loaning out that tiny knife felt like being a drug dealer because cutting 550 cord with an E-tool sounds funnier than actually doing it.

I knew I wasn't supposed to bring any knives or anything with me, so I didn't, but some people on some of the knife forums where I also participate thought they'd do a favor and send me a Kershaw as a gift for joining. That was retrieved by the senior drill sergeant during mail call. He got a new Kershaw. I got the opportunity to strengthen my upper body.

 

[Tony k]

I was in the AF as a jet engine mechanic from 94-98. Tech School was something like 12 weeks, IIRC. Spent the rest of my time stationed at Grand Forks AFB, ND. I lived in the dorms most of the time.

Through basic and tech school, I left my guns with my dad. I went and picked them up when I went home on leave after I'd been at GFAFB for a few months. I kept them at the Base Armory. It was right by the main gate, so it was pretty easy to drop them off and pick them up.

Don't bother bringing anything of value to basic training or even to tech school.

Good choice on aircraft maintenance. Honest work and you tend to stay busy doing your actual job, assuming things haven't changed that much.

But bottom line in my opinion is to keep your guns and other valuables with family or trusted friends until you get settled in at your first permanent duty station.

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Thank you all, that pretty much confirms what I had been thinking. I will be fine with leaving them with my parents until I get a permanent base.

 

[RustyShackelford]

active duty military CCWs, gun laws, SOPs...

To wait before you buy any new firearms or to store your guns in a secure location is a smart idea.
Id add that you might want to look into the service member's legal rights guide or the USAF base SOPs re: firearms.
When I was on active duty in the early 1990s, someone wrote a legal aid/legal information book for enlisted service members. It may still be in print or as a E book.

I'll close by adding some states allow special considerations for military service members or active duty re: CCW, open carry, hunting licenses, etc.
For example, a resident may need to be 21 years old to get a concealed license but a active duty or reserve service member who was 18-20, might get a valid CCW.

 

[DPris]

And DO remember the warning about armorers playing with your property.

I wouldn't store much of any value in the base armory.
Happened to me at my last base & I seriously doubt things have changed.
Denis

 

[RustyShackelford]

Armed forces, small arms....

In my view, the US armed forces & DoD have become extremely risk adverse/anti 2A in the last 10 years or so.
The tragic events on military installations like Fort Hood Texas, Fort Dix NJ, the US Navy Navy Yard complex in DC, the Penagon, etc have really shaken up the DoD & services.
The sharp increases of suicides & domestic violence episodes are problems too.
Even my former duty station(CONUS), Fort Lee VA, had a soldier shoot herself.
As DPris stated, unit armorers or arms rooms may not be a smart move.
In my MP company arms rooms, the weapons & gear were packed.
The CO & 1SG(US Army First Sgt) would go in often to conduct "inspections" too, .
I served with several MPs who owned or had handguns, rifles, shotguns, even SMGs(select fire Uzi). Some troops were "cool" with it, others were whiners or cry babies about guns/2A issues.
My mom lived about 2.5hr away from my post so I could have stored firearms safely there. I never really did because I couldn't shoot often or carry a CCW.

 

[DPris]

Much of the rationale behind the prohibition of guns in enlisted barracks & dorms has to do with either theft or....poor judgment.

And that poor judgment can be anything from general mishandling to incahol-induced stupidity in a number of forms.

Since it's been way too long for any sort of prosecution now, I'll admit to....knowing.... a guy who kept a percussion .36 in his dorm room at his first duty base. Easier to just go out & shoot it anytime without the hassle of check-out & check-in.
Also....a guy....who took a derringer overseas & carried it in a pocket at work (SP) every shift for two years.
Not recommended.

The reason I know the armorers played with a pistol I stored with them at my last base was because when I separated & checked it out, it was cocked.
They stored the pistol & the mags separately, apparently didn't know anything about magazine safeties, and whenever it was being dinked around with somebody ran the slide & couldn't figure out how to lower the hammer again.

Fortunately, no damage, but I'd not leave anything nice in a base armory.
People get bored, mischief ensues....
Denis

 

[1911 guy]

I've been out for 20 years and it's not gotten any better or worse. The military has always been risk averse when it comes to junior enlisted doing dumb things. I know this because I was at one time junior enlisted and did dumb things. Then I became an NCO and went on to new and different dumb things.

Some good advice has been given so far. Leave them at home until you've finished school and gone to an actual duty station. When you do bring some along, take a plinker or two and something to hunt with, if you enjoy hunting. Leave the nice stuff at home because, as mentioned, it ***WILL*** get played with by the armorers. And since it isn't theirs, it will be mis-handled and abused.

I was lucky. My CMC was a gun guy and let me keep my stuff at his house. At a later duty station, I kept them at a good friends off base.

A note about keeping guns at someone's house: It's easy to make friends in the military. However, many of those friends will be generally fun people to hang with, but with no sense of responsibility to you or your property under their control. Be selective. Better to leave them at home than loaned out to a third party without your knowledge. And that third party will no doubt be the dumbest idiot you've ever met. And he will do something stupid, in epic proportions, with your gun. Be selective. If you wouldn't drop your kid sister off for the night, don't drop your guns there, either.

 

[Panzerschwein]

It'd probably be best to get your guns after tech school when get your first "real" PCS (Permanent Change of Station).

You will most likely have to live in the dorms for a while... so I believe you can store them at the base armory but I am not entirely sure. I am working on an Army post, living off base, but I think one of my buddies from work said he can keep his guns at his on-base house but he had to register them on post. I registered a few of mine just so I could use the free public range on base, and it was a hassle and I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to.

Oh, BTW, good job going Air Force. I've been Active Duty for over 4 years now and while it has it's ups and downs, without a doubt it was a good choice and I can afford to buy quite a few guns and plenty of ammo. !

 

[d2wing]

Having been in the Army, I would not bring anything with me that was very valuable. Some guys will be amazingly smart and/or honest. Then there is the rest.

 

[RustyShackelford]

True story....

It's a bit off topic but in-directly related....
When I served in USFK(Korea) in the 1980s/1990s & in my AIT, we had MP Sgts who told us how in the 1960s/1970s era, enlisted MPs & guys on the "Z" would ask spouses & family members to mail them .45acp rounds.
Then while on DMZ patrols or UN areas where the North Koreans may pop up, the MPs would cap off a few rounds at them .
When the US Army troops returned to unload and check the small arms, they'd have "all" the rounds assigned to them, .

Fun fun fun....

 

[tark]

Best to leave the guns at home. Are you considering a career in the AF of do you just want to put in a few years, learn a skill and get out. If the latter, re read the first sentence. If you are career minded you will find that everything changes when you become an NCO. You have more freedoms and getting off post housing is much easier. That would be the time to get your guns.

If you live on the base, you will not be allowed to keep your guns in your quarters, and the Armorers will play with them. In Germany, I caught one of the armorers actually taking my Sako 308 out of the arms room and shooting it without my permission! He was severely dealt with, but that didn't fix the scratch in my beautiful stock he left behind.

 

[Mainsail]

It's a bit off topic but in-directly related....

As well. When I was stationed state-side in the 80s EVERYONE kept their guns in their barracks room. Usually hidden in the half wall next to the sink, but others had some pretty clever hiding places. Well, apparently not clever enough because while I was down at FE school the Shirts all got together and did a sweep of all the barracks. I think they drag-netted something like 500 privately owned guns. Since I was gone TDY they didn’t cut the lock off my locker and mine all went undiscovered, but lesson learned.

While I was at FE schools I bought a Glock 17. After having been out the gate shooting all day I got stopped inbound at the gate for a random vehicle inspection. How the SP didn’t notice the beads of sweat on my forehead I’ll never know, but he shined his flashlight under the front seat of my Mustang II and between the black tupperware, black carpet, and the rib from the unibody- he missed it. That was the last time I ever did that.

Sorry OP, but one of my retirement benefits is the telling of long boring war-stories…..

 

[HRnightmare]

After I finish basic, I know there is a brief period where I travel to tech school, and after tech school to my permanent base.

Probably not between tech school and BMT, typically you leave for tech school the weekend you graduate.

My question would be, when in that period of time should I grab my guns from my hometown and take them with me? Before or after tech school?

You absolutely WILL NOT be allowed to store or bring guns to tech school as you are considered a NPS (non prior service student) and have very little freedom's outside of eating, sleeping and hanging out around the base.

Oh, and is it relatively painless to keep the guns in the base armory? Thanks.

Once you are out of training and make it to your first duty station you may want to check with your armory. The only places I have stored firearms is when I went back to Lackland for a different AFSC training as an E6 and drove with my concealed weapon. They were accomodating but it took nearly an hour for them to check it in and an hour to check it out. When I would come to get it for the weekend they were accomodating but it was their last priority.

I have tried to store a firearm in homestead while I was doing some training there. The base is a reserve base and is guarded at night by the local Homestead PD rather then SF. I asked him where I needed to goand he said "there closed, unload it here, stick it in your bag, take it straight to your room and do not say anything, leave it where the attendant won't find it, Don't leave here at night without it".