Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memorandum directing military installation commanders to permit service members to carry privately owned firearms while off duty on Department of War property within the United States, marking a significant shift in how the Pentagon approaches personal firearms on military bases.
Hegseth announced the policy change in a social media video, saying the previous system made it virtually impossible for personnel to get permission to carry or store personal weapons in alignment with state laws where installations are located. He framed the move as a restoration of Second Amendment rights for those in uniform.
Under the new policy, installation commanders must review personal carry requests with a presumption of approval. If a request is denied, the rejection must be made in writing and include a detailed, individualized explanation for the decision. The memo instructs that reviews be conducted as a straightforward application of applicable law and standards.
Hegseth cited several recent active-shooter incidents on U.S. military installations as part of the rationale, arguing that armed service members could have reduced casualties in each case. He pointed specifically to a 2019 terrorist attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, that killed three and wounded eight; a 2025 shooting at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in which five soldiers were wounded by a fellow soldier; and a March 17 shooting at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, that left one person dead.
The policy is grounded in a provision of the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes the secretary of defense to allow armed forces members assigned to an installation to carry a firearm if the commander determines it is necessary for personal or force protection.
The memo also addresses the thousands of personnel working at the Pentagon itself. While personal carry inside the building is not permitted under the new policy, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency is directed to apply the same presumption of approval for requests to store privately owned firearms in vehicles on the Pentagon Reservation.
The undersecretary of war for intelligence and security has been tasked with updating the relevant War Department manual to bring permitting procedures in line with the new directive.
By DNU staff