By Samantha Harms
Fort Cavazos Public Affairs

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Those who are looking to bring weapons onto the installation have always been required to register those weapons with Fort Cavazos’ Directorate of Emergency Services. However, the process just became a bit easier here with a new email system and the ability to transfer from other installations.

“So previously, there was one way that you registered your weapons and that was to fill out the form, you would bring it into the visitor welcome center and then they would register your firearms,” Edgar Ford, chief of the access control branch, DES, expressed. “Now, we’ve made that a whole lot easier.”

Until earlier this year, everyone was required to register weapons in person at the Marvin Leath Visitors Welcome Center. This would mean that someone would have to print the firearms registration form and fill one out for each weapon, including any weapons that may have been previously registered at this installation or at any others. Soldiers would also need to include their commanders’ assumption of command orders. They would then need to bring the filled-out form(s) to the visitors’ center, any day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., for personnel to run a background check on the person and on each weapon.

This is still a valid option for someone.

However, now someone can also fill out the form in advance and email it to usarmy.cavazos.id-readiness.list.des-visitor-welcome-center@army.mil. Soldiers are still required to include their commanders’ assumption of command orders.

Once completed and verified, the owner will receive their registration via e-mail, typically within 24 hours. They can then proceed directly to the gate.

Additionally, if the visitors center is closed, someone can complete a temporary registration at ACP1 (the Main Gate) or the military police desk (Building 23020).

In addition to the new email registration, weapons that were registered at other installations, or previously registered at the Great Place, can easily be moved to Fort Cavazos by simply checking the box on the form. This removes a barrier of having to reregister weapons.

While this system went into place earlier this year, it was finalized this week with an updated form.

“By making it easier to register the weapons, then we’ll have more people that will be compliant,” Ford explained. “The problem is that if you come on the installation and failed to declare your weapon, and don’t have it registered, then you get apprehended, your weapon gets taken.

“And so there are procedures and policies in place to make it so that you can legally possess that firearm and take it wherever you need to go,” he continued. “And we’ve made that process simple, so that there’s no barriers to doing it.”

Please note that at no time should someone ever bring their weapons into the visitors center or the military police station unless specifically directed to do so.

For more information, or to find the weapons registration form, visit www.home.army.mil/cavazos/my-fort/visitor-information/firearms-registration.