Ask anyone who plays a team sport and they’ll tell you it’s impossible to win every game. Even professional athletes don’t perform as well as you’d hope each time they step foot on the field. It’s the same with enlisted troops. In a perfect world, every single troop would show up, try their best, and complete tasks with a ten-star rating. Unfortunately, such a world doesn’t exist. Instead, the real world is filled with flawed human beings who, no matter how much training they receive, are bound to f*ck up from time to time. It happens.
Here are 8 times your troops failed you outside of combat
1. When troops look like a ‘soup sandwich’ in uniform
Having a spec of dirt on your tie or a slightly lopsided ribbon rack is one thing, but forgetting how to wear a uniform altogether is another story.
2. When you get a call at 0300 informing you that one of your troops got a DUI
We’ve heard stories of some leadership informing local authorities to not call them until right before formation if one of their troops is in trouble. True story.
3. When they ask a dumb question during a Q&A with the battalion commander
Every unit has “that guy.” You know, the one who doesn’t have a working brain or, worse, a working filter? For some reason, they always ask the dumbest questions. We’ve got scientists working around the clock to figure out why.
4. When troops fall out of PT
On the flip side, this one makes everyone else look great — except leadership.
5. When the short-timer shows up wearing the wrong uniform
It happens. And while seeing a trooper show up wearing the wrong uniform is a little funny, it also shows everybody that there might be a communication breakdown somewhere.
6. When they fall out of a hike
A troop falling out is embarrassing for the entire unit, especially when its done in a public setting, like a company hike.
7. When they cut unnecessary corners
The military prides itself on producing solid work and getting the job done right. So, when a troop gets lazy and decides to cut corners, the final product probably won’t be worth sh*t. Don’t get us wrong, we all enjoy shortcuts, but there’s a time and a place for that.
8. When they break something very expensive
This should be pretty obvious because their seniors are going to have to explain why a troop even had the expensive equipment at their disposal in the first place.