Gun Carrying Permit (former USMC)

[Guest usmcmem]

I am looking to get my carrying permit, however, I am a former Marine (Honorable Discharge). I was told that there is special forms that we have to fill out and we don't have to take classes due to our pistol training. Can someone clarify and advise me on what I have to do in order to obtain my carrying permit and also get my concealed permit. Thank you for your help and support.

[monkeylizard]

Thank you for your service. I've never heard of exemptions for military service, and I didn't see any after a quick browse of the TN Dept of Safety website. If there is an exemption, at best I'd think it would exempt someone from the range portion, but not the class. Most of the class is spent on TN state law and when deadly force can be used legally. I don't see how military training would cover that.

Here's a sticky thread on this forum with lots of HCP information.

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/handgun-carry-self-defense/414-tennessee-handgun-permit-resources.html

[Guest pfries]

This is what I believe was being referred to;

39-17-1351. Handgun carry permits.

(e) The department shall also require an applicant to submit proof of the successful completion of a department approved handgun safety course. Any form created by the department to show proof of the successful completion of a department approved handgun safety course shall not require the applicant to provide the applicant's social security number. Any instructor of a department approved handgun safety course shall not withhold proof of the successful completion of the course solely on the fact the applicant did not disclose the applicant's social security number. The course shall include both classroom hours and firing range hours. Beginning September 1, 2010, and thereafter, a component of the classroom portion of all department-approved handgun safety courses shall be instruction on alcohol and drugs, the effects of those substances on a person's reflexes, judgment and ability to safely handle a firearm, and the provisions of § 39-17-1321. An applicant shall not be required to comply with the firing range and classroom hours requirements of this subsection (e) if the applicant submits proof to the department that within five (5) years from the date the application for a handgun carry permit is filed the applicant has:

(1) Been certified by the peace officer standards and training commission;

(2) Successfully completed training at the law enforcement training academy;

(3) Successfully completed the firearms training course required for armed security guard/officer registration, pursuant to § 62-35-118(; or

(4) Successfully completed all handgun training of not less than four (4) hours as required by any branch of the military.

Edited September 12, 2011 by pfries

[Pain103]

I believe somebody else brought this up not too long ago. I think they determined they needed dd214 with training record of handgun training. It wouldn't hurt to take the class if your not familiar with the state laws but the class is made for average joe off the street to pass. I would call down to TDOS to get the answer straight from them.

[Curiousgb]

I believe somebody else brought this up not too long ago. I think they determined they needed dd214 with training record of handgun training. It wouldn't hurt to take the class if your not familiar with the state laws but the class is made for average joe off the street to pass. I would call down to TDOS to get the answer straight from them.

+1. I didn't have to take the course when I moved to Memphis. Not because of my prior service but because I already had an CCW from SC. Luckily Range USA had a HCP update course so I could just get the legal parts. Either way I would have taken the HCP course just to get the legal info. You sure aren't going to learn anything new about shooting.

[Guest danny.larson]

How long have you been out? I didn't take any classes for mine, I just sent in all my certificates from various vendor/military shooting schools. Some of them were within the past 5 years and some weren't. I just submitted them all to ensure my stuff would go through, and I got mine back in about 10 days. If you have orders which specify shooting events (for example: if you went TDY for range time) and the orders indicate number of hours or days trained. The thing is that although the law is specific, the military paperwork is so very subjective. I had buddies submit nothing more than a memo from an O-3 stating that the individual had recieved "X" number of hours of pistol training and they got their permits... with no certification paperwork at all. If it hasn't been too long since your ETS then I would collect up all your documents/certifications/quals/orders and see how many are within the 5 year window. If you have at least one then you should be good, but send them all for good measure. I'm thinking, in the Corps do you get back a pistol qualification sheet after qual? I mean, if you have one of those in the past 5 years you should be good.

[monkeylizard]

Oooh. I learn something new every day, and this is my item for today. Good to know.

[Oh Shoot]

Oooh. I learn something new every day, and this is my item for today. Good to know.

Just about every thread on this matter contains a similar post.

I don't quite get how the military training suffices, though, since part of the course has to do with TN handgun carry/deadly force laws (however well or poorly it may be presented) and the military training wouldn't likely cover that.

- OS

Edited September 12, 2011 by OhShoot

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

Oooh. I learn something new every day, and this is my item for today. Good to know.

That happens quite a lot on this board for me too;)

Just about every thread on this matter contains a similar post.

I don't quite get how the military training suffices, though, since part of the course has to do with TN handgun carry/deadly force laws (however well or poorly it may be presented) and the military training wouldn't likely cover that.

- OS

Now that's funny OS....it seems that every time we speak of the laws, rules, regulations and or qualifications of and for our permits or the gun laws that some part of it does not seem to make a whole lot of sense.

The way DOS explained it to me was that in the "qualifications" box on a persons DD-214 if it said anything about handgun or pistol training and was less than five years old that one could use that instead of taking the class. Of course like you say that person would not be taught the legal stuff for TN. But just like it is up to us to keep up with any changes in the laws I guess for a person using a DD-214 instead of taking the class it would be up to them to learn the laws.

Unless a person becomes an MP or an Officer most do not get any pistol training in the Army, I dont know about the other branches.

I did have handgun training listed on my last DD-214 from the FL Guard but my very last one from here in TN which should include everything prior does not.

Personally I wanted to take the class anyway but was then quite a bit disappointed in what was presented. I feel like a person can learn a whole lot more right here on TGO by reading old threads than they ever will by just taking the class.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

I don't quite get how the military training suffices, though, since part of the course has to do with TN handgun carry/deadly force laws (however well or poorly it may be presented) and the military training wouldn't likely cover that.

- OS

Nothing in the TN weapons laws makes any sense.

[Guest uzzi]

You know, I would just take the class. Guns and Leather in Greenbrier does a great one, it's 60 bucks and going to the range after the classroom portion is where all the fun is! I had a great time at mine and I learned alot. It's not heavy on shooting technique, but does cover the law, which is the most important part.

[Guest Marine03]

Semper FUBAR Marine! I would take the class just for the legal aspect of things. The lethal force aspects are very similar if you have had the Marine Corps Security Guard training or similar training in the Corps. If you pistol qualified in the Corps the shooting for the licence is a joke. However the state of TN has all kinds of weird legal ins and outs that need to be understood and the class is the best way to get them. I had my permit prior to the MC. I audited the class when my wife took it to get familiar with any changes that took place while I was stationed in NC for 4 yrs. Some guys may let you sit in and listen for a reduced charge or free if you want to use your MC experience for your permit.

[Fallguy]

Just about every thread on this matter contains a similar post.

I don't quite get how the military training suffices, though, since part of the course has to do with TN handgun carry/deadly force laws (however well or poorly it may be presented) and the military training wouldn't likely cover that.

- OS

When I took the course just a few months after the law passed, I really don't remember much of anything about the law being discussed. The primary point of the class was a safety class. It seems like some in the legislature were worried about that now some may carry a handgun in public that had never touched one otherwise and thought they should be required to be at least familiar with the basic operation and safe handling of a firearm.

Over the years some instructors have incorporated aspects of the law into the class and now the affects of alcohol and 39-17-1321 are required to be taught, but not sure that was ever the intent when the law was first wrote and the exemptions in subsection (e) were put in place.

Like many aspects of TN firearms law, things/circumstances have changed, but not the law......