abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/investigators/wabc_investigators_111803gunlube.html

my view is that it was a combination of both rifle maintenance neglect, and poor or non-existing leadership, and not the CLP that caused the rifles to not function. I don't care if they invent a lube that is impervious to sand, it doesn't make up for neglect in maintaining it . you just can't go days, weeks or months without cleaning a rifle and expect it to work. and the maintence folks are notorious for doing just that, they figure they're mechanics then soldiers.......if you want to point the finger at anybody, it's the so called NCOs of that unit for failing misserably in their responsibilities, and it got soldiers killed. it's a sad lessons learned on what sorry, piss poor leadership or more accuratly a lack of leadership can ultimately do to a unit.

it's so easy to blame this and that for a unit's failure, or it's equipment....but it's the section/squad leaders, Plt Sgts, First Sergeants, they are the ones that are responsible for insuring that the soldiers are trained, inspected and do what is neccesary to keep themselves and their equipment in combat ready condtion...wheather in peace time or in a war. and it's my belief that is what caused those soldiers to get killed, not becasue CLP is a bad lube or a "killer" lube.

it's ironic, that a infantry squad has the same M16 weapons and cleaning supplies to include CLP that the maint unit had, yet there is no indication of mass jamming of their weapons...........hmmmmm what do you suppose could be the key indicator there?

the root of the problem isn't the lubricant.

I had CLP and a M16 in DESERT STORM, as well as my squad...and we didn't have jamming problems.....it boils right down to training and leadership.