Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum Thursday titled "Non-Official Personal Protection Arming on Department of War Property," effectively ending a 34-year-old policy that restricted personal firearms on U.S. military installations.

The directive instructs installation commanders to permit requests from uniformed service members in their off-duty capacity to carry privately owned firearms for personal protection. It establishes a presumption in favor of approval, requiring any denials to be issued in writing with detailed, objective reasons. The policy overrides varying state firearm laws and aligns with Section 526 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which allows such authorizations when deemed necessary for personal or force protection.

Hegseth announced the change in a video statement, declaring, "Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones, leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed. That ends today." He added, "The War Department's uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. These warfighters, entrusted with the safety of our nation, are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American."

The overturned policy stemmed from DoD Directive 5210.56, issued in February 1992, which limited on-base carrying to personnel in law enforcement or security roles. Before this memorandum, approvals for personal carry were virtually impossible, even when aligned with local laws.

Hegseth cited recent active-shooter incidents to justify the reversal, including the 2019 terrorist attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola that killed three and wounded eight, a 2025 shooting at Fort Stewart Army Base that injured five soldiers, and a March shooting at Holloman Air Force Base, where two were shot, and one died. "Not all enemies are foreign, nor are they all outside of our borders; some are domestic," he said. "In these instances, minutes are a lifetime, and our service members have the courage and training to make those precious short minutes count."

The move fulfills a longtime goal of gun rights advocates and echoes former President Donald Trump's 2015 campaign criticism that soldiers should be armed on bases for self-defense. Gun rights groups have praised the policy for affirming Second Amendment protections for trained service members.

Some critics raised concerns about potential impacts on suicide rates, noting the Pentagon's annual report released Wednesday found firearms were the leading method in service member suicides, though active-duty rates declined in 2024. Former Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr questioned the reference to "God-given" rights in relation to military suicide risks.

The Department of War will update Manual 5200.08 to reflect the changes, and Pentagon-specific rules allow vehicle storage but prohibit carrying inside the building.