Not sure about the Air Force but the Army uses SPORTS in a failure to fire situation. The "T" in SPORTS is for tapping the forward assist. This procedure won't create a worse jam because the "O", which is for observe, will ensure that the feed path is clear. If the feed path is clear and you "R" release the charging handle, you should be good to go. If not, your rifle is out of commission either way, at least for the time being. I also like to use the forward assist in extremely cold weather while coyote hunting to ensure that the bolt is closed. IMHO MontanaMarine has it right - not that useful until you need it and then nothing else will do.
