Let me address a few things here. First off, it is quite evident that the rotorhead has never been involved in ground combat - a live prisoner is always better than a dead body. You can't get info from a dead guy. The major, if he is guilty, will most likely be sentenced to death and be housed in the disciplinary barracks at Ft. Leavenworth. He is a military prisoner. That means that he can be fed bread and water if the commandant so directs. He can be made to break big rocks into little ones all the way up until his execution. Military prisons aren't like civilian ones.
As far as being promoted to major, the selection rate is like 98%. So, unless this guy got a DUI or something along those lines, it's just a matter of time for him to get promoted.
It's not a surprise to me that he lives cheaply. There are a lot of guys who do. It's usually the wife who wants to live in a big expensive house. I've known of a colonel who lived in a trailer court. He saved a shit load of money toward retirement.
As far as the gun thing, I don't find it unusual. He's in the military. Doctors in the military carry pistols in combat. I'm a signal officer and I own a machine gun. If I manage to get into vet school in a couple years, I won't lose my passion for firearms. The only odd thing really is the whole Arab get up. I would think that would stand out in Texas.