Veteran pushes for special-ops veterans to receive nationwide concealed-carry rights

Gavin Glasenapp, a former Army special-operations member with 12 combat deployments, is lobbying for a bill that would give qualified ex-operators the same nationwide concealed-carry access currently granted to retired law-enforcement officers. The legislation, called the Special Operations Forces Concealed Carry Act, was introduced in the Senate by Tim Sheehy and earlier in the House by Pat Harrigan. Glasenapp, who serves as training operations manager at Delta Defense for the USCCA, says the elite training and experience of these veterans make them ideal candidates for such a privilege.

The Senate proposal mandates yearly firearms qualification and a Justice Department-certified use-of-force course, whereas the House version does not require additional certification. He points to a recent Idaho case where a concealed-carry permit holder, Jordan Salinas, used his training to confront a mass shooter, illustrating the potential public-safety benefit. Glasenapp stresses that civilian gun-carry responsibilities differ from combat duties and supports broader reciprocity reforms to simplify travel for gun owners.