Hood strengthens rules for gun registration - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Hood strengthens rules for gun registration

The commanding general at Fort Hood, Texas, where 13 people were gunned down by an Army officer on Nov. 5, has issued a new policy governing possession of privately owned firearms on post.

The policy signed by Lt. Gen. Robert Cone went into effect Tuesday and was announced in a news release.

It requires all service members and their families living or temporarily staying on Fort Hood to preregister any privately owned firearm with the Directorate of Emergency Services.

Those same people will have to notify DES of any sale, purchase, trade, gift, exchange or any other action that changes the ownership or long-term possession of a private firearm kept on post.

Soldiers living in barracks or in post temporary housing must notify their immediate commander and keep the weapon in their respective arms rooms in accordance with Army Regulation 190-11, which is also Fort Hood’s policy.

The policy also states that commanders at individual installations may use their own discretion with regard to the transportation of privately owned firearms.

Until now, individuals entering Fort Hood with a privately owned firearm were not required to register or declare the weapon, nor were there any restrictions on how the weapon was transported onto the installation.

Individuals could come through the gate with a weapon and say they were going to a firing range or into a hunting area. Now, weapons being transported on or off post by all persons must be preregistered. Owners will be required to carry proof of registration and declare the weapon.

What is unclear is whether individuals who have valid state concealed carry permits can carry a privately owned weapon on their person for activities that fall outside firing range or hunting areas.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who had been assigned to Fort Hood in July and was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan, is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.

Hasan allegedly carried out his attack at the Soldier Processing Center with two handguns — a .357 caliber magnum and a semiautomatic 5.7 mm pistol.

The new Fort Hood policy is punitive in nature and applies to all III Corps and Fort Hood service members, major subordinate units, tenant activities and family members across Fort Hood.

To download a printable copy of the registration form, visit http://www.hood.army.mil/corps.policies.aspx.