Gun Registration at Fort Campbell-Truth! but no longer policy!

Soldiers at Fort Campbell Army Base must register personal firearms -Truth! -But No Longer Policy!

Summary of the eRumor:
A forwarded email about a new directive from the commander of Fort Campbell Army Base in Kentucky mandating that all soldiers provide registration numbers, locations and permit information of their personal firearms to the chain of command.

The Truth:
A directive to register all personal firearms was issued to all hands at Fort Campbell Army Base, according to a March 21, 2009 World Net Daily article. The directive was rescinded, when it was discovered that the base commander was not "acting within his authority."

According to the article, "The original order was issued on the letterhead of Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment and said effective March 11, any soldier with a 'privately owned weapon' was required to submit the information, along with any information about any concealed carry permit the soldier may have, and what state issued the permit."

The directive was in response to a number of privately owned weapons being negligently discharged on the base , according to Fort Campbell spokeswoman Cathy Gramling. She said, "Their goal is to identify soldiers with firearms and provide additional safety training to them, much like our motorcycle and driver safety classes."

updated 05/07/09

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Gentlemen,

I am an 11B currently assigned at Fort Campbell . I live off post, with my firearms (which I don't bring on post for any reason). A very frightening thing happened at work yesterday. I was ordered to fill out a list containing my firearm information. This included make, model, caliber, and serial number of all firearms I currently posses. In addition, I was also required to list registration information, location of all weapons individually, and information regarding any CCW permits I posses. If you are like me, then the people you work with know you have firearms. So I had to list at least some. I tried to talk to my 1sg (who is normally approachable through proper channels) to find out what this is for, and I was basically told, "I don't give a ! &@%, just put your info on the form." I don't know how high this goes, but I am hearing that this is going on in other units at Fort Campbell as well. It just seems a little coincidental to me that within 90 days: the most anti-firearm President in history is inaugurated, some of the nastiest anti-firearm laws are put on the table in Washington, and then the Army comes around wanting what amounts to a registration on all firearms, even if they are off post, and doesn't provide any reason or purpose as to why. I fear something really nasty is blowing in the wind here. I have been in almost 8 years, and never have any of my units asked for this information. If any of you out there have any info as to what all this crap is about please chime in. Otherwise consider yourself warned. I have already posted this on every other firearm forum I am a member of to get the word out.

Here it is folks.