Yeah, back when I was a Drill Sgt at Ft Benning... (Thank you God)
Oh, and once in Iraq too at MWR. (Thank you God again) Was walking out of MWR with it when a panic stricken soldier came running back in. Yes, I went right the hell back into DS mode. I walked that soldier back to tent city to his PLT SGT. Thankfully NOT from my own unit.
I found one in a similar situation in Afghanistan. In the DFAC. A unsecured M4 under a table. I immediately secured the weapon and as I walked out with it , like what you experienced a panic stricken Airman (SSgt) came running up to me almost in tears and sweating like a whore in church.I did pretty much the same thing you did. I am pretty sure his 1st Sgt made the SSgt a Senior Airmen within a few days after that.