What pranks were played on the new guy back in the day?

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 20:39:42 -0400

I've heard a lot of stories about the crazy types of pranks that were done back before the term "hazing" was taken so seriously. Navy SEALs tend to have the craziest stories when it comes to this type of thing, but I'd love to hear from you!

Response by SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM made Aug 5 at 2016 8:43 PM

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 20:43:45 -0400

ENS Private RallyPoint Member ,
Me personally was sent on a mission to get "Blinker Fluid" from the Maintenance team.

Response by SPC Lucas Predmore made Aug 5 at 2016 9:07 PM

SPC Lucas Predmore — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 21:07:55 -0400

We used to have guys get exhaust samples from Bradleys and Abrahms. And having then use a crowbar to check for weak spots in the armor of the commanders vehicle.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 5 at 2016 9:14 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 21:14:15 -0400

from the air force weather school not that long ago: the new guy was told to go outside and collect air samples for analysis. He went outside once an hour, every hour for 8 hours to fill a large black trash bag with air. He would then pin it up on the large bulletin board for future analysis. The next day, the NCOIC would be making his rounds and come across 8 trash bags pinned to the bulletin board for no apparent reason. unbelievably hilarious to witness.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 5 at 2016 10:11 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 22:11:03 -0400

I showed up to my tin can and the Chief sent me off to SERVMART for a squeegee sharpener. The look on his face when I came back with one was epic. There were the standard ones of getting a jar of relative bearing grease or 100 feet of chow line. Sometimes the fracking goes the other way. I was sweeping underneath a fixture on the deck when the Skipper asked what I was doing. "Just cleaning under the BRT sir!". "Carry on." Chief overheard and asked what the hell was "BRT". "Big Round Thing Chief!"

My favorite was getting 4 Stars on the Honor Roll which was in the Head. Back in the day, the toilets were simply a plank with holes and a seat over a continuously running salt water trough. Early upgrade put partitions in, but it was still a trough. I'd wait in the upstream stall for the FNGs to come in and plop down. I'd make a newspaper float, light it, and float it down stream. If you got four butt singing yelps, you're a hero. Name on the wall; there you go.

Response by PO1 Dave Bowles made Aug 5 at 2016 10:21 PM

PO1 Dave Bowles — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 22:21:10 -0400

Had a guy come in to sick bay one night looking for Fallopian tube, in the days before women on ship. We sent him back to ask if he needed right or left, and sterile or non-sterile. He came back and said left non-sterile, and we told him we were out, and could he use sterile. Never saw him again.

Response by PFC Richard Berryan made Aug 5 at 2016 10:23 PM

PFC Richard Berryan — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 22:23:14 -0400

I was sent to find a 5 gal. bucket of ROTOR WASH

Response by PO1 Dave Bowles made Aug 5 at 2016 10:28 PM

PO1 Dave Bowles — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 22:28:05 -0400

Oh, setting the mail buoy watch underway was another popular one.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 5 at 2016 11:20 PM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 23:20:43 -0400

As a young RM3 fresh out of A school at NCTAMS WESTPAC Guam, I was sent for a box of line feed. Little did my Watch Officer know that I was a fleet returnee before A school, having been a Deck Seaman for 2 years so I already knew all the tricks. I didn't let on and went back to the barracks and took a 2 hour nap before I came back and said "Sorry RM1, I can't find line feed anywhere!!!" He then told me what line feed was and I successfully acted like he got me! ;)

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 6 at 2016 1:35 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 01:35:31 -0400

I had the opposite problem in Basic Training. They kept telling me the details of how to organize my gear, how to clean the room, how to spit shine my Brogans, how to make the bed with the covers so tight that it would bounce a quarter, and even how to get the dust off of the water surface in the head before inspection, and I kept thinking they were having me on.

I kept expecting them to crack a smile when they said these things.

But they were serious.

Really serious.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2016 6:26 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 06:26:24 -0400

I was sent to the back shop avionics to get a Pricky Six, Pick E6. I was told it was a radio. the look on the avionics NCOIC was priceless.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Aug 6 at 2016 6:58 AM

PO3 David Fries — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 06:58:40 -0400

My first assignment out of school was as an Anesthesia Tech at NMCSD. We did pranks all the time. The worst was putting nitro paste on the ear piece of our tech room. It would cause a person to pass out and wake up with a bit of a head ache. A more benign one was putting iodine into a 5cc syringe with a 26ga needle, cut off the top of the cap, walk behind someone, depress the plunger and write on the back of their scrubs without them being aware.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Aug 6 at 2016 7:04 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 07:04:28 -0400

Bn. maintenance would send the new guy down maintenance row to get 1 lb. cans of compressed air, and light bulb repair kits.

Response by Maj John Bell made Aug 6 at 2016 10:09 AM

Maj John Bell — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 10:09:27 -0400

I grew up with Dad that told me lots of "sea stories". So as a Midshipman on "youngster cruise" I was ready. I was sent to look for 30 feet of shore line. I gave my supervising Petty officer a cheery "aye - aye". I Headed for a space where the boastswain's (bosuns) mates made kept canvas and sewing supplies. I then took a nap. I reported back in about 3 hours, feeling well-rested and smug.

The Chief of department didn't find the "situation" funny. The Petty Officer, when not on duty, was confined to "space that provides continuous observation of Mr. Bell", noting in a log book every time I changed spaces.

I was assigned to the quarter deck for "non-relief" night watch and "daylight" supernumerary for the first three liberty ports. Oh Joy!

Response by SSG Clarence Blackburn made Aug 7 at 2016 2:17 AM

SSG Clarence Blackburn — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 02:17:03 -0400

We sent a new Soldier to the unit to as Top for the key to the Impact Area. Top was not very amused about that one. LOL

Response by SPC Louis Kennedy made Nov 19 at 2016 4:12 PM

SPC Louis Kennedy — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 16:12:18 -0500

I had a field artillery meteorological SSG got a new troop and sent him to the supply to get more Bravo Alpha 110 Oscar Novembers.

Response by PO3 Ricky Foster made Nov 19 at 2016 6:09 PM

PO3 Ricky Foster — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 18:09:36 -0500

Batteries for a sound powered radio was always a good one and getting 50 feet of water line. If you didn't like em you would send em to the chief for a prickly 7 (Prick E-7).

Response by SPC James Anderson made Nov 19 at 2016 9:06 PM

SPC James Anderson — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 21:06:49 -0500

I had the opposite problem. Having read extensively about the military I knew a lot about military jargon. So when I got sent to comms at my new unit to pick up a multiplexer I joked around with the E-6 sending me there. Ya right, multiplexer. Sure, beam me up Scotty. He started getting pissed so I decided I better just do what Im told and get the joke over with. Minutes later I learned that a multiplexer allows 4 radios to run from one antenna. Joke still ended up being on me.

Response by SFC Don Ward made Nov 19 at 2016 10:11 PM

SFC Don Ward — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 22:11:40 -0500

Send privates for Chem light batteries,

Response by SPC Joel Beavers made Nov 20 at 2016 11:56 AM

SPC Joel Beavers — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 11:56:15 -0500

I got told once to go get a spare tire for a fifth wheel...

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2016 12:27 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 12:27:43 -0500

We sue to send people to get a "BT" punch. Well BT is the rate for the large Boiler Techs on the ship. Usually would send the to the BT berthing.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2016 12:31 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 12:31:03 -0500

We created a "seabat" watch schedule. then we old have them go to the signal bridge and with brooms and such shoo away the seabats from the antennas. Making strange noises scare them off too. HA

Response by L. O'Connell made Apr 19 at 2019 11:20 PM

L. O'Connell — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 23:20:23 -0400

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Home - Satellite Drop

Based on a true story. A young Marine on his first deployment, and the jaded sergeant charged with training him are given Satellite Drop Duty – to retrieve a canister of intel. and deliver it to the Watch Officer before time runs out.