[Mike]

I am familiar with the Post Office, but what about VA facilities?

Sign at gate is standard no guns, etc.

Most folks have to travel a long ways to get there.

Is there an accepted way to enter the parking areas with a piece?

Off facility parking entails about a mile hike.

Sorry if this has been covered-I did a search but came up dry.

 

[curly1]

Around here CCW in a hospital is a no no.

 

[Mike]

I am talking about driving onto VA facility grounds.
The hospital is located in a huge area that was once a Vets home.
At the gate is the standard sign that states no firearms, etc. on fed property.
Standard govt facility sign.
The parking area is another 1/4 mile inside the grounds. Hospital and clinics beyond that.
Wondering what to do after a trip of 100 miles or so.
Sign would indicate one cannot enter any of the area.
Has this been addressed anywhere.

 

[Mosinitis]

VA is posted, usually a sign at the VEHICLE entrance and all building entrances....

Is there an accepted way to enter the parking areas with a piece?

legally... no

 

[cpw]

I may know a person who may have carried at Ft. Stuart, Ft. Hood, Ft. Polk, Ft. Rucker, Ft. Knox and Carlise, but may not have at Ft. Campbell. More should be doing so so as to be safe.

 

[VinnAY]

I might hesitate at entering the hospital with it on my body, knowing I'm there for an exam, etc.., But I'd have little problem driving on and leaving it in my vehicle. The only thing of concern is if there's a checkpoint and random searches.

 

[Clyde]

I have reason to believe that many folks have a piece in the car when they enter the grounds at the DeBakey VAMC in Houston. Some even (I do believe) have something in a briefcase or such in the hospital. I wouldn't do that, of course.... but do have reason to believe that the only control is the sign, haven't ever seen any sign of anybody looking, and there are NOT magnetometers at the hospital entrances, and never have seen an active check-point on entry except a period right after 9-11, when they had a live guard at the vehicle entrances wanting to see ID when you came in.

 

[Mike]

In Illinois you have to disarm in many places which allow you to store your gat in parking lots.
I think that will cause eventual problems but we'll see. Too much handling.
My concern is the VA parking lot is inside the posted area.
They have Fed cops patrolling and watching traffic, but don't otherwise bother anybody.
I'll just call them up and see what they say.

 

[Clyde]

In Illinois you have to disarm in many places which allow you to store your gat in parking lots.
I think that will cause eventual problems but we'll see. Too much handling.
My concern is the VA parking lot is inside the posted area.
They have Fed cops patrolling and watching traffic, but don't otherwise bother anybody.
I'll just call them up and see what they say.

They will say: "Leave the heater at home". And if they can connect the call with you and get your tag number, may search you on entry next time, just to be sure you obeyed...

 

[AmmoSgt]

I think the more important question here is "What is the penalty if you are caught? In regular commercial stores and some hospitals it is simply being asked to leave and if you comply, you walk away.. if you don't it is a trespass bust. Not sure for federal facilities.. I would think the VA would be looking to bust any vet hard if they can't kill him with crappy service.

 

[AirForceVeteran]

The facilities that I go to, have signs, "no weapons" etc. Everyone I know carries belt knives, or tool knives, with the main blade less than 4 inches.
Florida law says those are 'pocket' knives... but, I am not a lawyer, and lawyers argue what the laws really say...

I do know that the 2nd Amendment gives us all the equal Right to "keep and bear arms"...

I consider most of my tools, knives, brooms, mops, pitchforks, shovels, firearms to all be 'arms' which we may keep and bear.

But, I do not want to anticipate defending my Rights before a judge, and a stupid "rent-a-mall-cop" or lousy low level administrator...

So, I usually leave money, pocket knives, and pliers in the vehicle.

I certainly NEVER ask any question which might be answered with heightened surveillance.

It's better to stay off grid...

 

[Ranger Z]

They will say: "Leave the heater at home". And if they can connect the call with you and get your tag number, may search you on entry next time, just to be sure you obeyed...

My thoughts exactly.

 

[cpw]

They will say: "Leave the heater at home". And if they can connect the call with you and get your tag number, may search you on entry next time, just to be sure you obeyed...

Correct - he needs to be sure that he uses a pay phone and the name of someone he does not like.

 

[cpw]

I think the more important question here is "What is the penalty if you are caught? In regular commercial stores and some hospitals it is simply being asked to leave and if you comply, you walk away.. if you don't it is a trespass bust. Not sure for federal facilities.. I would think the VA would be looking to bust any vet hard if they can't kill him with crappy service.

My understanding is that there are criminal penalties that could be involved with carrying on Federal property, unlike regular commercial stores, etc.

 

[cpw]

The facilities that I go to, have signs, "no weapons" etc. Everyone I know carries belt knives, or tool knives, with the main blade less than 4 inches.
Florida law says those are 'pocket' knives... but, I am not a lawyer, and lawyers argue what the laws really say...

I do know that the 2nd Amendment gives us all the equal Right to "keep and bear arms"...

I consider most of my tools, knives, brooms, mops, pitchforks, shovels, firearms to all be 'arms' which we may keep and bear.

But, I do not want to anticipate defending my Rights before a judge, and a stupid "rent-a-mall-cop" or lousy low level administrator...

So, I usually leave money, pocket knives, and pliers in the vehicle.

I certainly NEVER ask any question which might be answered with heightened surveillance.

It's better to stay off grid...

When asked if I have any guns, my answer is always the same --- No, they can be dangerous.

 

[VA-Vet]

If you get caught, just remember its federal time. My advice is don't carry on fed land, other than a national park if that is the policy. If you work as Fed in a commercial building than the workplace is a no-no but the parking lot may be ok. Recently had a Marine Col booted for some type of weapon issue, Don't know the details.

 

[Edward Tinker]

when we had gate searches on base - folks would turn around - those that got searched would have their items confiscated. I think I would have a locked box in the trunk, if stopped and searched (unlikely) then you can say, no you can't look in trunk (if not on base) or if they look in trunk without consent than its a locked box. They will may immediately tell you that refusing entry into the the trunk or locked box is cause for a search (no, or why would they be asking) so you can say, sorry and I want to leave, I have an emergency at home....

If you call, unless you ask for the JAG equivalent they will tell you, no, sign says no entry with...

 

[VA-Vet]

I'm guessing now if you refuse search you will find yourself in handcuffs. Just my guess though.

 

[cpw]

when we had gate searches on base - folks would turn around - those that got searched would have their items confiscated. I think I would have a locked box in the trunk, if stopped and searched (unlikely) then you can say, no you can't look in trunk (if not on base) or if they look in trunk without consent than its a locked box. They will may immediately tell you that refusing entry into the the trunk or locked box is cause for a search (no, or why would they be asking) so you can say, sorry and I want to leave, I have an emergency at home....

If you call, unless you ask for the JAG equivalent they will tell you, no, sign says no entry with...

I think that there is a procedure for visitors to store weapons when entering a military base. Not a simple procedure from what I was told. (My daughter mentioned it.) This was at Ft. Hood.

I remember going to the range at Ft. Rucker. All weapons to be used on the range had to be inspected by the safety officer to verify that they were registered as being on the facility. At Ft. Knox, no such procedure.

 

[Ron J]

I really don't worry about it ( perhaps I should ) The guns in my car are concealed, there is absolutly no reason for them to search my car. there is no gate guard, I just park and do my business. I was once randomly stopped and asked to search my car at Luke AFB ( at the gate ) I said I would prefer not to because I was in a hurry, They simply refused to let in the gate, no problem, just went to another gate and did my business.