Most people lie through their teeth when it comes to saying Assault Weapons are used for home defense in a civilian environment.
I would imagine, for most former soldiers, having one in their home is more for nostalgic reasons than anything else.
This said, I personally believe it should be a right to be able to keep yourself armed, unless you prove that you cannot handle it yourself. Besides, placing restrictions on weaponry is less effective due to it being a 'feel-good' measure; Criminals, terrorists, and insurgents don't follow laws.