What is your favorite military "Urban Legend"?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 13:35:36 -0400

As current and former Service Members, we've all heard those "Urban Legends" about the military.  <br><br>My favorite was being told prior to Army Basic Training that there were snipers posted in towers at the rifle ranges during Basic Rifle Marksmanship , in case someone "got stupid". <br><br>What is your favorite military "Urban Legend"?<br>

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Mar 28 at 2014 1:37 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 13:37:12 -0400

"Stress cards", the contents of the truck of the flag pole, and "if you get a sunburn, that's destruction of government property"... It kills me that people still fall for these...

Response by SPC Joshua Meadows made Mar 28 at 2014 1:45 PM

SPC Joshua Meadows — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 13:45:09 -0400

Gasp! You mean that's NOT true?? ;)

Response by SPC David Wyckoff made Mar 28 at 2014 2:54 PM

SPC David Wyckoff — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 14:54:45 -0400

Grenade range - BCT - Fort Dix 1989.

The range master told the story about a SFC having to dive on a grenade because the soldier in training had tried to throw it baseball style and dropped it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2014 3:04 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 15:04:00 -0400

There's saltpeter in the food at basic training DFACs.<div><br></div><div>If you drink milk before the NBC chamber, you'll get violently ill.</div><div><br></div><div>If you're an only child, you can't be deployed because of the Sole Surviving Child law.</div>

Response by SGT Suraj Dave made Mar 28 at 2014 5:52 PM

SGT Suraj Dave — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 17:52:12 -0400

The reason why mothers can not keep their placentas in Army Hospitals (For which I still have not heard an explanation as to why) is because they are testing and feeding it to Special Operations soldiers.

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Mar 29 at 2014 1:59 PM

MAJ Jim Woods — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 13:59:06 -0400

Saltpeter in the chow and DI's prowl the barracks at night to catch the bed wetters.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2014 8:19 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 08:19:50 -0400

It would have to be that 12B's can not wear boots with medal rods in them.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2014 2:22 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:22:23 -0400

Always heard that a 9 mil round, match, and razor was in the truck of the main flag pole on every post, and a disassembled M9 was buried at the base. This was so if the post was over run, the last surviving Soldier could lower the flag, cut the field of stars from the stripes, and burn both, in order to properly put the flag to rest. The M9 and last round was to commit suicide as to not be taken prisoner.

Never seen any evidence to support, yet never saw any evidence to disprove.....

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 30 at 2014 7:22 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 19:22:37 -0400

That eating Charms from a MRE was bad luck!

Response by SGT James Elphick made Mar 31 at 2014 5:05 PM

SGT James Elphick — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:05:03 -0400

Being Airborne at Ft. Bragg I had heard there was a female rigger, some stories say she was an LT, that had jump wings and "Jumpers hit it" tattooed as a tramp stamp.

Also, there was a ghost in 2nd Plt A/2-58's bay in basic at Ft. Benning from a PVT that committed suicide there.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2014 10:41 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 May 2014 10:41:26 -0400

Does anyone here have some great buffer stories?

I like the one about the AIT students at Ft. Rucker, who were trying to strip the old wax off the hallway in the barracks. Apparently, since Ft. Rucker is the home of Army aviation, one of the students got a hold of JP-4 and decided to use it as a wax remover. The JP-4 was laid down, and a as the buffer was going over the fuel covered floor, a spark from the electrical outlet, where the buffer was plugged in, ignited the floor and exploded, sending several of the AIT students to the hospital.

Response by PO1 G. Leslie /Stiltner made May 20 at 2014 2:33 PM

PO1 G. Leslie /Stiltner — Tue, 20 May 2014 14:33:58 -0400

How about the Petty Officer that was closed in the Bomb Bay Door of a P-3 Orion. They cut a hole in the floor so his family could say their good byes because once they opened the Bomb Bay Doors he would die instantly because they had cut him in 1/2.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 20 at 2014 6:06 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 20 May 2014 18:06:14 -0400

As part of the Electronic Warfare Community it would have to be the "Philadelphia Experiment" Like any good legend there is a very small kernel of truth. I suspect the device tested and yes there was one was a predecessor of the SLQ-32. Does emit a bit of juice, might even get a little warm but you don't disappear in the visual spectrum and you don't melt into the ship.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 4 at 2014 10:55 PM

SGT Richard H. — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 22:55:23 -0400

One of the urban legends I heard in what seems like every school I ever attended was that "some guy in the last cycle" was soooo miserable that he decided to end it all, and set about doing so by tying a buffer cord around his neck and tossing the buffer from an upper story window, only to find out that he had left too much slack in the cord, resulting only in a smashed buffer, a severe smoking by the cadre, and an article 15.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 5 at 2014 3:10 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 15:10:41 -0400

I always THOUGHT this one was an urban legend, until I saw the video....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwP_PSNxsf8

MAN SUCKED INTO JET AIR INTAKE (ORIGINAL)

dude on USS Roosevelt gets sucked into jet and lives.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2014 9:01 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 09:01:19 -0400

Is the little white mint gum in an MRE really a laxative?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2014 8:41 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:41:03 -0400

That any AR, besides AR 670-1, can be added to but not taken away from. No where does it say that and it specifically states in all regs how to submit or recommend changes to the regulation.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2014 8:51 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:51:06 -0400

You can believe everything the recruiter promised you. Well, you can believe in fairy tales too!

Response by SFC Gary Fox made Sep 26 at 2014 12:07 PM

SFC Gary Fox — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:07:34 -0400

1974 at Ft. Knox for Basic Training during Escape and Evasion we were told about the left boundary called "Civilian Road" where if you crossed it you would get a butt load of bird shot; and the right boundary called "Water Moccasin Creek." You will know when you reach that one because you'll get bit and die.

We were also told that it never fails while out in the field, someone always wakes up with a Rattlesnake with them in their sleeping bag.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Sep 26 at 2014 12:55 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:55:44 -0400

Not sure if it's an urban legend (because I have seen it once), but I've heard that back in the old days, the troops who were assigned as guards for the weapons vault were issued 3 rounds to deter anyone from trying to break in.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Sep 26 at 2014 1:05 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 13:05:50 -0400

One urban legend that I keep hearing and irritates me because if you think about it, makes absolutely no sense, is that the M1 Carbine round cannot penetrate a frozen Chinese jacket. This has been proven to be absolutely bunk (check out numerous tests on boxoftruth and youtube). An .30 carbine round will punch through light steel at 100m. A icy quilt jacket isn't going to do squat. Now what I DO believe is that the people who started the myths is THEY believe it. However, remember combat is crazy and confusing, and even the best riflemen will miss easy shots under the stress of a life or death firefight...particularly when the bad guys are coming in human waves. The most likely scenario is that the rifleman missed, or that they were shooting at targets at the very edge of effective range (which for the M1 carbine is at around 400m) and were getting non-incapacitating hits, so it would appear that the bullet didn't penetrate.

Response by SSG John Bacon made Sep 26 at 2014 1:10 PM

SSG John Bacon — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 13:10:03 -0400

Mine was the one where a Drill Sergeant or Cadre would ride the bus as a "recruit" get off with everyone else, and when the yelling and screaming began from the other Drill sergeants he takes off running. One Drill pulls out a Weapon and "shoots" the runner then turns back to everyone else and asks "Anyone else want to Run!"

Response by PO2 Christopher Morehouse made Sep 26 at 2014 2:10 PM

PO2 Christopher Morehouse — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 14:10:02 -0400

My favorite was how Mr. Roger's belonged to [Insert your favorite service's special forces unit] during Vietnam. I also enjoyed claims that Jimmy Buffet used to be in the Navy assigned to a boomer, which is where he got the inspiration for "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Sep 26 at 2014 5:38 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 17:38:39 -0400

The myth that nerve agent makes you spasm so hard that you break your own back. Uhm.....no. That was a movie. Nerve agents bonds to your nerve endings so they are turned "on" permanently, but you don't have spasms, so you actually have rigid paralysis. You'll twitch, a bit (called fasiculations) but you don't break your back. You die from paralysis of your diaphragm and asphixiation.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Sep 26 at 2014 9:44 PM

CPO Jon Campbell — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 21:44:05 -0400

A signature is not legal unless it is signed in black ink. (I think it originates from early copy machine instructions.)

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2014 11:00 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 11:00:07 -0400

When I was in Basic at Lackland AFB, there were static aircraft displays seemingly every fifteen feet. We were told, in the event of WWIII, all of those planes could be refitted and recommissioned into active flying status.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Sep 30 at 2014 10:56 AM

Cpl Dennis F. — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 10:56:41 -0400

Recon Marines shot-gunned in the street outside of the Camp Geiger armory while trying to qualify for a weekend pass by liberating a weapon. (1960s during ITR) Recon would attempt dog tag thefts from the company squad-bays.
Actually I had so many strange first hand experiences that I tend to believe most urban myths as they are usually more believable than the reality.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2014 11:22 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 11:22:23 -0400

Pershing’s Pig Solution Against Muslim Rebels: According to the story, Pershing played on the belief that any Muslim who touched a pig could not enter heaven. Prior to a scheduled execution of 50 Moro insurgents, he ordered his men to dip their bullets in pig’s blood before shooting. Afterward, he buried the executed men along with dead pigs. Pershing spared one of the insurgents so the man would spread the story to his peers. Sure enough, Pershing’s actions single-handedly stopped further juramentado attacks for the rest of the American occupation.

Just how much of this legend is true has been debated by historians. Although Pershing had the reputation of a hard military man, he also actively sought out peaceful solutions. During his campaign in the south, Pershing and his officers learned the Qur’an and spent a good amount of time negotiating for peace with Moro leaders. In fact, the Moros even made him an honorary datu (local chief) as a token of goodwill.

Response by MSG Mark Million made Mar 6 at 2017 3:23 PM

MSG Mark Million — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 15:23:40 -0500

My Favorite is the origins of the term Pogey Bait. As we all know pogey bait is a collection of creature comfort our soldiers like to take with them to the field. Legend has it that it came about due to use of bribes for getting things from the rear by those in the field. Back in the WWI,WW2 era my understanding that it was common to refer to administrative personnel attached to rear echelons as POGUES. Legend has it that it was common practice in those days and for some years later for certain personnel to acquire things or get things done by bribing the Pogues with Pogey Bait. True or Urban Legend?

Response by SPC Jim Hannon made Mar 30 at 2017 1:27 PM

SPC Jim Hannon — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:27:57 -0400

Seriously, no one else heard about the Black Syphilis?!?