She's either a liar, or her brain didn't work. I've suprervised grammer school kids, girls and boys that never had a problem with the first shot. You pull the charging handle back and them push the release lever. Unless the mag is empty, or somehow forced in backwards, the gun ends up cocked and locked and fires when the trigger's pulled. She's an adult in the Army and M16/4s aren't some new gizmo with quirks.