Wrong
The Air Force was the first to adopt the AR platform but it was the AR15 NOT the M16 .
The M16 was a modification of the AR15 that the US Army adopted .
Neither the AR15 or M16 had a forward assist .
The forward assist came about as a result of the Army changing to ball powder in the 5.56 cartage .
Ball powder burned dirtier than the powder the cartage was originally loaded with & what Stoner designed the rifle around .
Not to mention the Army never issued cleaning kits with the M16 in Vietnam