to the LCPL

You're correct, L/CPL. The AF E9 is elegant in his rhetoric, but misses the point. I had a .45 pistol break a sear pin in Qui Nhon, 1965. In all of RVN they couldn't find a part, NOR a new weapon! What a way to fight a war?! They sugested a .38, but where the hell would a grunt corpsman find ammo for a .38? Ditto an M-1 carbine with a USMC rifle platoon toting M-14s!! Politics and career building, for sure. Krulak, etc....all LtCols at the time...their result: Lots of costume jewelry (Dist, Svc, Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, etc.) while we received a replica of the flag of a now defunct country? Politics, yes!