How do you feel about soldiers being allowed to keep their weapons while on post?

I'd like to see a weapons class similar to the motorcycle classes most posts have. Firearms would be inspected, safety regulations taught and strictly enforced, and soldiers' level of knowledge and competency on the weapon carried tested frequently. I see the need, and respect the nature of our 2nd Amendment. But I've also seen what "Joe" can do with his spare time....

All for it.

As long as you know the ROE, I'm all for it. Yes, they may call it something different but, when you go to a concealed carry class, they do teach when you are allowed to use deadly force.

Weapons should never be stored in your vehicle. Your vehicle gets stolen, so does your weapon. Personnel living in Barracks should be required to store their weapons in the arms room unless they have a carry permit and then only one handgun is allowed.
Active duty or civilian personnel living or working on post should be allowed to carry on post if they have a permit and are registered with the post.

I would not leave a weapon in my vehicle. Think about it, your vehicle was about to get stolen. If you did not catch that person in the act, he would have taken your vehicle and your weapon. I am strongly in favor for our service members (and their families after taking a weapons handling class) to carry a weapon on themselves. The weapons handling class should be aligned to the State standards and laws for the CCW permit.

I am advocate strongly for allowing service members to carry on base/recruiting stations/armories, etc. It's ridiculous and ironic that we who are supposed to shoot things as part of our job descriptions can't be trusted to maintain firearms of our own on a military installation.

Would you have used a firearm if the thief didn't run away?

In the vehicles no but on post and with you at all times yes.

It falls down to this. If the consequences of ones actions are severe enough. One takes time to reconsider their actions. Black Jack Pershing proved this theory in his time. He had issues with Muslim Terrorist. He caught a bunch of them and executed all but one. He let them see his guys slaughter some pigs. He had this captured terrorist tied to post. they saw the men dip their rounds in the pigs' blood before putting them in their riffles. Then shot them. He wrapped them in pig hides and waited more then 3 days to bury them. He took the last one and told them if he had anymore problems he would continue to send as many of them to hell as possible until the bullshit stopped. After a couple times doing this he no longer had an issue. While this is an extreme example the principle still applies. Criminals tend to rethink their careers when they know attacking someone will more then likely end their lives. States that have the strictest gun laws have higher crime rates then those with less strict gun laws.
Here in town businesses with gun restrictions are more likely to be robbed then those without.

Keep your weapon in the arms room. You have no idea of the mental stability of everyone in the battalion down the block.