As a vet (active army 1987-1991)Base commanders tightened rules even requiring troops who live off post to register weapons stored in off post housing.
If the off-post housing is owned by the DoD, then they may be able to do so. If they off-post housing are homes and apartments owned or rented by the service members, then any order requiring a service member to register their firearms is ILLEGAL AS HELL.
No more showing up with your shotgun to hunt dove on the old tank ranges.
Yeah, we used to shoot skeet near the alert pad, and hunting deer was an annual event on the Air Force Academy.
The DoD has resisted any and all attempt to allow military members to carry even off duty.
It's not within the DoD's purview to either "allow" or "deny" a service member anything while the service member is off-duty, with a very few yet well-specified prohibitions covered under the UCMJ. Adultery and fraternization remain two of those prohibitions.
It's disgusting and needs to change but I simply don't see how it will happen anytime soon.
All it will take is smart service member unconcerned about continuing their careers who can afford a good attorney. Get noticed, challenge the unlawful order through IG chains of command, and when the chain of command begins to try and hammer the service member, have the lawyer work his magic.
Correction: It'll take a great lawyer, one experienced with the ins and outs of the military justice system.
Unless the orders come from the top down to each and every base commander and that just isn't in the cards.
If they hypothetical case I mentioned reaches the level of the federal courts, it'll become such a public faux pas with egg on the faces of the military higher ups they'll have no wiggle room but to comply.
American service members risk their lives every day protecting the rights of ALL U.S. Citizens, and that INCLUDES American service members. Contrary to popular misconception, one does NOT forfeit one's rights when they join the military. Thousands of commanders over the decades have discovered this fact the hard way, much to their chagrin.