Quote Originally Posted by Krupski View Post
What the heck is sticking out of the upper handguard? It kinda looks like a gas tube... but if the gas tube is out there something is VERY wrong......
Looks like a cleaning rod. IIRC they thought the then new M16 didn't need much cleaning so initially they weren't even issued cleaning kits. Maybe wedging the rod in the forearm like that was his way of keeping track of it?