Privately Owned Weapons on Base

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Justin T. Armstrong
  • Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Hunting, sporting, self-defense and collecting are just a few of many reasons service members choose to own firearms. According to base security personnel, few members know the policies allowing you to personally store weapons on base.

According to Staff Sgt. Justin McCoy, 5th Security Forces Squadron assistant NCO in charge of armory operations, if you reside in base housing, you are authorized by the installation commander to keep your personally owned weapons in your home, provided you register them with the 5th SFS Armory.

To register your weapon with the armory:

· Fill out an AF Form 1314 Firearms Registration form. All personal and weapon information must be typed. The only exception will be your "wet" signature.
The form is available on www.e-publishing.af.mil by searching "AF1314."

· Fill out a DD Form 2760 Qualification to Possess Firearms or Ammunitions form. This form can be handwritten or typed.

This form is available from the Armory located at 330 Tanker Trail Bldg. 547.

· Turn in a completed and signed hardcopy of both forms to your unit commander's support staff and 5th SFS Armory. The Law Enforcement desk will direct you to the armory.

"When an individual properly registers their personally owned weapons, we put it into Security Forces Management Information System," said McCoy. "So anytime law enforcement has to respond to any kind of possible hostile situation in housing, the desk sergeant can look it up and inform their patrols that there are weapons present on the scene, thus better preparing patrolmen for the situation at hand."

Personnel in the dormitories, visiting quarters and temporary lodging facilities are required to store their weapons at the Armory, according to the memorandum from the 5th SFS Armory for the permanent entry or removal of personally owned weapons.

According to McCoy, the reason weapons are not allowed in dorms, VQ or TLF, is because they are government buildings, whereas base housing is considered to be 'private dwellings'. This information can be found in the Minot Installation Defense Plan, which is where 5 SFS OI 31-301 is reflected.

To store your weapon in the armory:

· Bring your cleared firearm(s), any separately stored ammunition and your military ID to the armory. After presenting your firearm(s) to the armorer, you will be given an AF Form 1297 Temporary Hand Receipt.

· Fill out and return the Temporary Hand Receipt. The armorer will make you a copy to keep. You will need this receipt if you wish to check out your weapons at a later date.

· Attain and fill out a typed AF Form 1314 and a DD Form 2760 form from your unit commander's support staff. The AF Form 1314 requires signatures from your unit commander and storing unit commander. You must file a copy of these forms with the armory within five duty days.

These are the steps to registering your privately owned weapons at Minot AFB and guidelines and procedures may vary slightly by installation.

Contact the 5th SFS Armory at (701) 723-6568, if you have additional questions about registering your firearms at Minot AFB.