Hegseth says he'll let troops carry personal weapons on bases

Key Points:

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new policy allowing service members to carry personal firearms on military installations, emphasizing the Second Amendment and recent base shootings as key reasons for the change.
• The memo directs base commanders to approve requests for carrying privately owned weapons with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection, requiring detailed written explanations for any denials.
• Current Defense Department policy restricts personal firearms on bases, allowing them only under strict conditions such as training or sanctioned activities, with military police typically being the only armed personnel.
• Gun violence prevention advocates, including the Brady organization, warn that the policy change could increase risks of suicide and gun violence among service members, citing that most military suicides involve personally owned weapons.
• Despite the policy shift, military installations remain highly secured, and critics urge the Defense Department to provide clear strategies to address ongoing violent crime concerns on bases.