JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
Recent mass shootings and spree killings - most recently, the case of a U.S. Army specialist who killed four, including himself, and wounded 16 people at Fort Hood, Texas - have fanned the flames of the national dialogue about gun ownership, sparking new debate between highly-polarized ideological opponents as to the necessity and safety of owning firearms.
Joint Base Langley-Eustis has in place and carefully follows a series of policies at Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis that allows personnel to own and store firearms while following protocols to ensure the safety of the base populace.
Airmen living in permanent-party dormitories at Langley AFB may not store firearms in their rooms, but may register and keep their weapons at the 633rd Security Forces Squadron armory. Similarly, Soldiers residing in barracks at Fort Eustis may store their firearms in their unit's armory.
Service members residing in base housing must complete an Air Force Form 1314, Firearms Registration, which details the type and amount of weapons, as well as the amount of ammunition to be stored within the home.
Additionally, these Service members must complete a Department of Defense Form 2760, Qualification to Possess Firearms or Ammunition, which helps determine potential reasons a member may be disallowed to possess a weapon. Members charged with crimes will be unable to store weapons in their home.
Airmen and Soldiers new to JBLE may store their firearms at the 633rd and 733rd SFS armories while they complete the registration and background check process.
"Many of our [Service members] don't know they can store their weapons at [JBLE]," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mark Walker, 633rd SFS armorer. "Whether living on-or off-base, personnel have the opportunity to keep their weapons close by."
Soldiers at Fort Eustis must consult their unit armorer for weapons guidance, as individual units have varying policies regarding access to weapons stored in the unit armory. Langley Airmen must register through their first sergeant, commander and the 633rd SFS armory.
Airmen may check out their weapons from the armory for up to 72 hours. Those wishing to extend this period must receive approval from their first sergeant and commander.
Personnel transiting to and from JBLE must inform security personnel at the gate when bringing a weapon onto the installation regardless whether or not they possess a valid concealed carry permit. When carrying weapons in a vehicle, handlers must store the weapon and ammunition in different areas, said John Challis, 733rd SFS deputy director.
Additionally, personnel may not bring weapons into a government building.
U.S. Army Col. Jayne Jansen, 633rd Air Base Wing vice commander, affirmed the installation's commitment to respecting the rights of gun owners while creating a safe atmosphere for JBLE's workforce and families.
"Our goal is to ensure the safety and security of our Airmen, Soldiers, families and civilians at Joint Base Langley-Eustis," Jansen said. "The policies we have in place allow weapon owners to exercise their rights in a way that keeps our community safe.
"The policies may seem restrictive, but these guidelines strike a balance between community safety and responsible firearm ownership for base personnel," Jansen added.
For more information about JBLE's firearm policies, contact the 633rd SFS armory at 764-5295 or consult individual unit armories where applicable.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Airman 1st Class Kimberly Nagle contributed to this report.