A soldier’s lifeline in a combat environment is his weapon. Without his weapon he is unable to complete a mission or protect his battle buddies and/or others in the way of harm. He is, in a way, unfit for battle if he does not have a properly functional weapon. With this in mind, it is a part of a soldier’s duty in the military to properly maintain his weapon, keeping it clean, well lubricated, and ready for battle at any given moment. He should always have his weapon as if he were to use it at any moment. If he were to enter a building and clear a room with a fireteam and his weapon was dirty or not lubricated, the risk of the weapon jamming in the middle of the drill is high, and his battle buddies cannot rely on him to cover them. He would let his teammates down, or worse, get them injured or killed, and that is not acceptable under any circumstance. Therefore, making sure a soldier’s weapon is lubricated and well maintained, as well as making sure his ammo is properly loaded is extremely important.
The importance of cleaning your gun can easily be compared to that of the importance of maintaining your car. Much like any vehicle will require regularly maintenance in order to stay in good condition, so will your weapon. Some say the golden rule of lubricating is you can keep your weapon wet and dirty but not dry and dirty. That said, weapons can be forgiving about carbon build up as long as they are well lubricated. So, why lubricate the weapon? The soldier must clean and lubricate his weapon, firstly, to prevent wear and secondly, to promote a certain level of performance. Lubricating the weapon ensures that your weapon is reliable in the field of combat. The bottom line is a weapon a firearm is a machine. It is a mechanical device with moving parts that performs a function. The primary purpose of lubricant in a machine is to reduce friction between moving parts and thereby improve function and reduce wear. Many weapon