Military academy tours and firearms

deerslayer

Milforum Swamp Dweller
Hey,

If you recall (it's been a very long time) I planned to take a senior trip to Idaho and spend two weeks backpacking in the Sawtooths. That plan fell through, so I'm visiting my brother in St. Kitts this year and traveling to Colorado next year to go to the Air Force Academy (beautiful campus, been there before) to visit one of my best friends who's waiting on his acceptance letter now. I'll also be camping and backpacking with some friends.

I'm about to buy a Springfield XD as a starting pistol for competitive shooting as well as for self-defense, and if I decide to carry it when I go backpacking in CO (bears seem to love me and my family, but we've been safe so far), I'll probably have to declare it when I set foot on the campus. I'd assume that if they ask (it'll be in my car), the weapon will be confiscated during my time on-campus. However, would I have to worry about my $500 investment being destroyed or otherwise permanently removed from my possession once and if I have to check it at the gate?
If this question falls under the area of OPSEC, mods, please feel free to do with it what you wish.


Thanks in advance,


Deerslayer
 
Yeah, but once he's on USAFA property, he's on Federal land and local/state laws on concealed carry don't apply.

Unless you're going to be escorted by someone who's military onto the Academy grounds proper, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Make sure it's unloaded and locked in the trunk, and don't get caught speeding. USAFA doesn't allow visitors onto the Academy grounds, unlike USMA or USNA -- you can only go to the visitor's center and the Chapel, which is right next to the visitor's center. Everything else is fenced off.

EDIT: dang, I really need to read through the whole post. If you're visiting your friend, but not staying over, leave your car at the visitor's center and have him take you around. Otherwise, have him check with the Provost Marshal to see what the procedures are. Given how hard it is to get into the service academies, no need to risk your friend's appointment by illegally/improperly bringing a firearm on station.
 
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Right, I've been to the Academy before (my old man was a cadet there) but I will be 19 at the time that I'll be there (underage for a concealed carry permit), and the only armed person in the bunch, and don't want to have any unnecessary trouble. I'd also hate to risk his appointment to the academy like you said, AJChen. I'll probably have it unloaded with my other gear, since I'm carrying it to go backpacking just in case my reputation with bears turns ugly. Thanks for the advice.
 
Yeah, but once he's on USAFA property, he's on Federal land and local/state laws on concealed carry don't apply.

My point was that carrying concealed should never identify one as carrying at all.

I am NEVER unarmed. Most people never even know I own a gun, much less carry one.

Keep it hidden, do not declare it. What they don't know won't hurt them.
 
I'm not going to argue the validity of your point, I completely agree, but the fact is that I am on US Government property and they do have the right to search my person, the person of the other five people in the car, and the vehicle itself, so I'm just trying to avoid any unpleasant situations.
 
Allow me to rephrase myself: The weapon will be in my car and unloaded as long as I'm on USG property. Once I'm in the backwoods or off USG property, it will be on my person in a thigh rig.

This is not a question about self-defense, this is a simple matter of policy at a university. Let's stick to the question at hand.
 
Allow me to rephrase myself: The weapon will be in my car and unloaded as long as I'm on USG property. Once I'm in the backwoods or off USG property, it will be on my person in a thigh rig.

This is not a question about self-defense, this is a simple matter of policy at a university. Let's stick to the question at hand.

Gotcha, bro. My apologies for misunderstanding. :drunkb:
 
No problem, and for the record, I agree with you completely. I just don't want to risk my friend's appointment or my new pistol, thigh rig, and magazines/ammo, and want to go about this as ethically as possible.
 
Can we please stick to the problem at hand? Should I just leave my weapon and magazines separate and have it in the case in my car? Because, damn, I'm not going to carry a thigh rig around the academy.
 
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