This is a Guidance on HQDA message – Final Implementation of the Lautenberg Amendment Information Paper.
- Purpose: To highlight important updates to HQDA guidance (Message, HQDA, 161400Z, subject: Final Implementation of the Lautenberg Amendment) on the reporting of soldiers affected by the Lautenberg Amendment, to include deployment eligibility, assignment and retention of all Active Component, Reserve Component and National Guard soldiers.
- Summary: The Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act makes it unlawful for any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence to ship, transport, possess or receive firearms or ammunition. The amendment also makes it a crime for any soldier, including armorers and commanders, to issue a firearm to anyone they know, or have reason to believe, has a conviction for domestic violence. The M-60 machine gun and squad automatic weapons are considered individual weapons for the purpose of this law. However, the Lautenberg Amendment does not affect crew served weapons such as tanks, missiles and aircraft.
- Definitions:
- Effected soldiers: Those soldiers known to have, or whose commanders have reason to believe have, a “qualifying conviction” for a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence.
- Qualifying conviction: A person has a qualifying conviction if they meet one of the listed definitions.
- What does not qualify: A person conviction is one of the listed definitions for not qualifying.
NOTE: This document is in MS Word format