In the military, practical jokes help pass time, generate camaraderie, and send a message of where you rank socially. The truth is, practical jokes are the reason for some of a troop’s most ingenious uses of time.
If you think about it, it can take a considerable amount of time to come up with various ways to prank somebody when they least expect it and get them to laugh about it afterward.
So, what kind of practical jokes do service members play on one another? Well, the list is long, but here are a few common ones that are easy to pull off.
Go find the blinker fluid
You know, the fluid that keeps your blinker lights shining bright? It’s an essential fluid that powers the electrical current of the blinker. So, when your sergeant or corporal tells you to go locate a bottle of blinker fluid and top off the Humvee — you better do it most ricky-freakin’-tick.
Below is a tutorial video on how to accomplish such an easy task.
Getting your mattress stamped at the quarterdeck
When you check in to your first training school or unit, it’s written in some rule book somewhere that you must get your mattress stamped at the quarterdeck before you sleep on it. This means you’ll have to haul the bed to the quarterdeck, locate the Watch, and have them whip out their “mattress stamp.”
Note: The Watch may give you a dirty look when you ask for the stamp, but that’s normal.
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Getting your ID10T form signed
This is one of the most critical forms that every FNG is required to get signed by everyone in their chain of command. First, head to the personnel office and ask for it. They may give you a hard time, but it’s all apart of their SOP.
Keep demanding the paperwork until they cave.
Pouring Tabasco sauce in a sleeping troop’s mouth
Like they say, “you’ll have time to sleep when you’re dead.” As a newbie in the field, falling asleep with your mouth open just isn’t a good idea — like ever.
Tossing a training grenade into the berthing areas
It’s only funny to the guy tossing the training grenade inside. And usually nobody ever gets hurt… for the most part. Although the act seems dangerous and childish, it’s a solid way to train your troops never to let their guard down.
Service members love to spin their shenanigan bullsh*t and make it sound like legit training. It’s our unique talent.
Yell out, “attention on deck!” when you catch a troop dozing off
You never know when a superior officer is going to make their way over, so you need to be prepared at all times.
Don’t let them catch you slippin’.