Originally Posted by
Failure2Stop
Can't speak for the Army, but in the Corps a weapon will change hands quite frequently.
Remember that there are other weapons platforms we use, and not many of them are given to new-joins.
Generally, the weapon will be a plt or company asset, so if the individual changed platoons, companies, or billets, it is likely that he will de-issue his weapon and optics suite and be issued another.
In the mean-time he will clean the weapon far more than necessary.
Another note- whenever the weapon finally breaks (happens to everything eventually) he will be temporarily issued a different weapon in the mean-time.
Hope that helped.