Should service members be able to bring personal weapons on deployment?

You can, just not common. Hell, my current deployment I was authorized personal weapons.

As long as in the orders you're good. If not it's bad juju

Because every weapon and munition we are issued down range is approved under operational law review and we will not have a violation of the law of land warfare. If there is an issue it’s on the government and not you as an individual. You freelance and there are problems.

Before the First Gulf, when everyone in Germany was deploying their gear went through customs and the local MPs (me and a company of others) combed through the those Bradley’s, M1s, and CONEXa and found a boat load of personal weapons and booze. However, I know a lot got past us. There must have been 20-30 different weapons and maybe different 6 calibers. So the moral of the story is if you can’t get the ammo from supply don’t bring it and don’t get CAUGHT.

Nah bad idea. Government issued may not always be the best quality wise, but at least the military knows what if anything is wrong with it. POWs can be some 200

Thanks for the question July

-Part of it is rooted in the Geneva Convention. Weapons and ammunition must comport to the agreed-upon standard. There’s a reason we don’t use rounds dipped in poison, or triangle-shaped bayonets from the Civil War. If you use only issued weapons, you (and the U.S. Govt) know you’re complying. If you bring your own weapon, we can’t guarantee compliance. You open yourself up to liability (like war crimes), and so does the government.

-The armorers can’t work on your personally-owned weapon. It’s not legal.
-The supply system can’t provide parts for your personally-owned weapon. It’s not legal.
-U.S. law prohibits chambering civilian ammunition into a military weapon (see liability).
-U.S. law prohibits chambering military ammo in your civilian weapon. See liability.

Police are permitted to carry their own weapon, if they choose. But it must be registered in their inventory system to make it legal. They must qualify on it quarterly, like their issue weapons. And if it’s used in a shooting, it may become evidence, and the officer may not get it back for quite some time.

When you carry your personal weapon on deployment, are you prepared to deal with all this?

As much as I've always wanted to bring my own stuff (man I wanted either my suppressed 5.56 or long barrel 6.8 while over there, 3 new receivers enroute - looking at a .458 SOCOM, 6.5 Creedmoor, and a .227 Wolverine).. I've always been told "if it doesn't say U.S. Govt Colt Hartford, CT" then it's still considered murder rather than just warfare.