To the editors:



Re: “Fighting With Sticks and Stones,” Op-ed, Feb. 1.

Mr. Kim’s information ranges in quality from outdated to laughably incorrect. For example, the M4 carbine is now being fielded to most deploying units, and is not in any way “a specialty weapon mainly issued to elite operators in Special Forces units.” In fact, many SF units are now being issued the HK416. I have personally seen the difference between a well-maintained weapon and a poorly maintained one. In short, the former works. Soldiers who expect to clean their weapon once a week, or only after firing, are begging for disaster. Your weapon must be cleaned daily, and will run best with copious amounts of lubrication. The Army has now realized this, and advocates lubing weapons heavily. “The wetter the better,” as it is.



JACOB SEBENS

Columbus, Ohio

February 4, 2008



The writer was a sergeant in the United States Army.