1. Always assume the thing is loaded.
2. Keep your finger off of the trigger until needed.
3. Don't point it at anything you don't want a hole blown into.
4. Know what your target is, and what's behind it.

From my son in Afghanistan:

"It seems the ANA (Afghani National Army) recruits only from the best and the brightest. I informed one of them to not be pointing his weapon at others and he said it was on safe. I told him either which way don't point it at others!

"I turned around and walked away and I guess Mr. Smart Ass decided to point it at himself to show his buddies it was safe, and shot himself dead.

"I ran back, saw him splattered all over the wall and told the rest, 'See, this is what I was saying." So far the Command Sergeant Major said I did the right thing on warning him and the others, but at the end of the day they're just stupid Haji's, and now there's one less...LOL."

Don't tell HCI or such ilk, but stupidity with firearms is an international event.

Oh, on a related note, http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/128...rol-agent.html