MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Any personnel living on or visiting Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, must take the proper steps of registering their privately owned firearms to be allowed to store them on base.
While personnel can follow certain guidelines to store and transport weaponry on base, this does not authorize them to carry a concealed firearm while on the installation.
A firearm is defined as any weapon which will or may be readily converted to expel a projectile through a barrel by the action of an explosive, according to Minot AFB Integrated Defense Plan 31-1.
The Minot AFB IDP 31-1 has three categories for weapons. Category I weapons are instruments capable of propelling a projectile by compressed air, gasses, springs or other mechanical or physical means. Category I weapons include, but are not limited to, pellet guns, bows and arrows, throwing stars or electrical shock and other similar self-defense weapons. Category II weapons include, but are not limited to, knives with blades in excess of three and a half inches, swords, metal knuckles and nunchakus. Category III weapons are defined as explosive material. This material consists of, but is not limited to, ammunition, gunpowder, firecrackers or any substance prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or an audible effect by combustion, explosion or detonation.
Base Housing residents are authorized to store and retain firearms and category I weapons, however, they must be pre-registered with the 5th Security Forces Squadron armory and should be stored in a locked container separate from ammunition. Category II weapons are authorized only when the weapon is part of the owner’s lawful “tools of the trade”, such as craftsmen, hunters, fishermen and those individuals practicing self-defense methods.
Firearms and Category I, II or III weapons are not authorized to be stored in dormitories or on-base lodging and under no circumstances are to be stored by on-base housing residents for people within these living quarters.
“Airmen living in the dorms are not allowed to store their weapons in their rooms,” said Staff Sgt. Alexander Northrup, NCO in charge of police services at the 5th Security Forces Squadron. “They are required to bring their unloaded weapon in a container that can be locked while stored within the armory. If dorm residents want to check it out at any time they must have a letter signed off by the commander.”
There is no limitation to the number of firearms registered by personnel or the quantity of ammunition owned.
Unauthorized weapons include, but are not limited to, switchblade knives, fully-automatic firearms, nitroglycerin, dynamite or any other dangerous explosive, and fireworks, unless approved by the commander of the 5th Maintenance Support Group for special events, such as July 4th.
The use of approved weapons is limited to and approval is required prior to firing from the following areas: base firing-range complex, indoor archery range, outdoor archery and paintball range and other areas approved by the 5th MSG/CC for entomology purposes.
Residents of Minot AFB may only transport weapons to and from authorized storage facilities for off-base activities, such as purchase or sale, collector’s events and gun shows.
“The weapon and ammunition needs to be separated as much as possible during transport,” said Northrup. “The ammo can be in the glove box, while the firearm is in the back seat away from the driver. The weapon should be behind the driver where the weapon cannot be reached easily.”
Team Minot personnel who live off base may transport firearms and associated ammunition onto the installation for authorized activities such as target, skeet and trap shooting or hunting, if such activities take place immediately after duty hours and if properly licensed during valid North Dakota state hunting seasons.
Base-housing residents that sponsor guests onto base may retain their weapons within the sponsor’s base-housing quarters. However, if the guest resides on base for more than 15 days, the weapon must be registered by the sponsor at the 5th SFS armory.