Lile Outdoors: Properly bringing weapons onto an installation

  • Published
  • By Airman Daniel Lile
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  (Editor's note: This is the second article in a series about hunting.)

So there he was; a young Airman waking up on a lazy Saturday morning in the dorms. He opens his door to stretch in the sunlight only to run into a Military Working Dog and other security forces personnel.

He then realizes he forgot about his shotgun in the back of his truck and that he illegally brought the weapon onto base last night. A Letter of Counseling and a serious discussion with his first sergeant later, he learned the importance of following proper weapon procedures on a military installation.

Bow hunting season kicked off Oct. 1, so if Airmen want to hunt on base, they must first learn how to properly escort weapons onto the installation. The proper paperwork needs to be filed so that security forces is notified that you have a weapon.

"Whenever you are traveling with a weapon on base, the weapon and the ammo have to be separated," said Staff Sgt. Charles May, 14th Security Forces Squadron NCO in Charge of Combat Arms. "Always be sure to inform the defender at the gate that you have a weapon in your vehicle and where you are taking them."

"When bringing weapons onto base you have to either go to the Security Force's Armory, base housing, Emergency Control Center (if hunting on base), or skeet range, "May said. "You are allowed to store weapons in base housing and the armory."

"When checking weapons into the armory you just go there and they will give you an AF Form 1297 and AF Form 1314, and the AF Form 1314 has to be signed by your commander," May said. "You bring it back to us and our commander will sign it as well. Then you can check your weapon out whenever you want for up to 72 hours. Anything after 72 hours has to be approved by your commander or first sergeant."

"When checking weapons into base housing, you still need to inform security forces with via AF Form 1314," May said. "You can print the form off of electronic publications on the Air Force portal and bring it to security forces."

The possession of privately-owned firearms and ammunition in dormitory living quarters or transient facilities is prohibited. These items may be stored in the Security Police Armory, according to Air Force Instruction 31-101, 8.4.2.4.1.1