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From the forums

SERVICE RIFLE SLAMS

I’ve carried the M4 carbine for years and used it in more than a few firefights at ranges between 100-500 yards. It’s a good weapon. The M16A4 has outlived its usefulness and needs to go away. There is no way you can square up to the target and see through the [Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight] using an M16. It’s just too long.

— AMERICANWARFIGHTER

Why are the Army and Marine Corps going through separate avenues to procure a new rifle for the average G.I. Joe on patrol? If there is no real difference in their rifle requirements, they should seek a single solution equitable for both services. Obviously, special operations forces would be excluded. I’m just talking about Pfc. Jones carrying a rifle in the performance of his daily duties. We spend too much money in research and development between the services, essentially looking for the same things.

— SailorDave

STOPPING SEX ASSAULTS

My only fear of the “crackdown” on sexual assaults [“Zero tolerance,” Dec. 28] will be male Marines fearing to even speak around female Marines because they’re afraid of nonjudicial punishment for offending a woman.

I hope that the actions to eliminate sexual assaults in the Marine Corps are effective and successful. No female Marine (or any female, for that matter) should have to walk around her office, workplace, Marine Corps Exchange, commissary, or even out in town and be afraid of being sexually assaulted.

Being married, I see how a lot of Marines are like hound dogs when they see [my wife] walk by them. As bad as I see it when I am with her, it’s worse when she’s out by herself.

She’ll tell me the stories when she gets home. She can barely even pump gas by herself without a Marine trying to “holla” at her.

— NRTrackChamp2004

When you have aggressive, young, alpha-male types who join an organization to kill and have limited contact with women … there will be a problem. The only real solution to this issue is to not have women [in the Marines] at all.

It’s sickening that the military has become a big social experiment. My buddy on Okinawa says he’s not even allowed to enter a female’s room in the barracks. Then the command will turn around and talk about how there are no female Marines, only Marines.

— ivantense

CHOOSING BENEFICIARIES

Regarding the story of the dad of the fallen Marine who was denied death benefits [“Dad denied benefits,” Jan. 11]:

The bottom line is: If you are in an active-duty military status and love your family, then you better review your paperwork and choose your beneficiaries wisely.

— DAG48