Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) introduced legislation Monday that would grant qualified former special operations personnel the right to carry concealed firearms nationwide — the same privileges already extended to retired law enforcement officers.
The Special Operations Forces Concealed Carry Act would amend Section 926C of Title 18, adding “qualified special operators” to the federal framework established by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (LEOSA).
Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) introduced companion legislation in the House in April 2026.
“Our Special Operations Forces spend their careers protecting the American people with unmatched discipline, judgment, and professionalism. This bill honors that reality by giving qualified special operators the same nationwide concealed carry privileges already afforded to retired law enforcement officers.”
Sheehy told Breitbart News the legislation recognizes a simple truth: elite warfighters never stop serving.
“Our elite warfighters never stop serving, and this bill ensures the law reflects the trust they’ve earned through a lifetime of sacrifice,” he added.
LEOSA established federal concealed-carry protections for certain qualified active and retired law enforcement officers. Sheehy’s bill would extend similar privileges to former special operations personnel who meet strict training, identification, and continuing-eligibility requirements.
Who qualifies? An individual would have to be a former member of the U.S. Armed Forces who attended a special operations force assessment, was screened and evaluated, completed qualification training, and was awarded a special warfare or special operations military occupational specialty as defined by U.S. Special Operations Command.
The bill specifies which Navy special warfare service qualifies: commissioned or warrant officers qualified in special warfare, enlisted personnel who served as special warfare operators, Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman Warrant Officers, and enlisted personnel who served as Special Warfare Combatant Craft Enlisted Sailors.
Qualified individuals would have to meet active-duty firearms training standards in their home state — at their own expense — no more than one year before carrying. They would also have to complete an attorney general-certified “Concealed Carry Use of Force in Society” course covering civilian legal duties, standards of reasonable belief, and de-escalation techniques.
Carry authority would remain valid only while the individual maintained honorable-discharge status, was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, remained eligible under federal law to possess a firearm, and satisfied the training requirements.
The authority would terminate immediately if any of those conditions were no longer met.
Individuals using the proposed authority would have to carry proof of identity and qualification — either photographic identification issued by the Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs, or a valid government-issued photo ID paired with official service documentation confirming honorable discharge and qualified-special-operator status. The documentation would have to be presented when requested by law enforcement.
The legislation directs the Defense Department and VA to jointly implement a photographic identification program within 180 days of enactment, while allowing qualified special operators to use valid service documentation in the interim.
The bill preserves existing federal firearm restrictions, creates no new private right of action, and limits remedies to those already available under Section 926C or other applicable law.
