Dwavinchi sent us this photo of the M14 EBR (Enhanced Battle Rifle) he was issued Afghanistan.

The US Army M14 EBR is one of many variants of the US Navy Mk. 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle created in the early 2000s at the request of the Navy Seals who needed a compact M14 battle rifle. By 2008, four years after the Seals began using it, all four armed services had adopted it, each creating their own customized variant.

The M14 EBR, in my opinion, is one of those guns that would never have existed if not for the DoD’s firearm procurement policies, interdepartmental politics and Congressional interfered. For any one service to upgrade their weapons, or procure a brand new weapons platform, it is relatively straightforward, even if the only part left from the original gun is the receiver. To replace an existing platform  is a complex can of worms.