function genObjForm($array, $sel = "")
{
     foreach ($array as $value) {
          echo "<option value=\"{$value['id']}\"".(($sel == $value['id'] || $sel == $value['name'])?" selected=\"selected\"":"").">{$value['name']}</option>";
     }
}

$display_p = "SELECT weapon_id,
weapon_name
FROM weapon
WHERE weapon_type='P'
ORDER BY weapon_id";

$query_p=@mysql_query($display_p,$dbac);
if (!$query_p) {
  echo 'Error retrieving weapons list';
}
$result_p=mysql_fetch_array($query_p);

var_dump($result_p);

<select name="primary_weapon">
genObjForm($result_p, "7");
</select>




Get:
array(4) { [0]=>  string(1) "5" ["weapon_id"]=>  string(1) "5" [1]=>  string(9) "Steyr AUG" ["weapon_name"]=>  string(9) "Steyr AUG" }


Expect:
5  	Steyr AUG
6 	Enfield SA-80
7 	9mm Uzi
8 	M249 PARA LMG
9 	Minigun
10 	Jackhammer
11 	Antitank
12 	Other