It was the Germans in WWII that started the assault weapon phenomenon, not the NRA.
I guess a lot depends on the unit. Here in Jersey, the guard does call them assault rifles. They do it in NY, as well.
It was Colonel Rex Applegate who cleared up the definitions for me, when we met in Philiadelphia. If anyone knows, he did.
The Army constantly gets things wrong, unfortunately. I once attended a survival course, where the soldiers were told to melt their boots and use the steel shanks as knives, if they needed knives. When I asked if it would not be easier to just have a swiss army knife, i was told that if you needed a knife, the army would issue it. You did not need any gear that was unissued, ever.
The Armed Forces tend just to do as told, and repeat as trained.