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Against my better judgement I'm going to go ahead and ask the community this question. Are you, or were you, a prankster? Have you ever prank called the staff duty desk? Did you ever lovingly mess with your first line supervisor (or higher!)? Tell us your stories, and for those currently serving make sure you practice OPSEC in this thread! Wouldn't want anyone getting in trouble. Also, unless it's original try to exclude cherry pranks. Everyone knows the classics like getting a new private to go to supply for grid squares and chem light batteries. I'll start things off with one of my own pranks.
When I was in Afghanistan it was part of my job to help get the platoon sergeants vehicle ready for mission. Making sure the gunners ammo cans were secured, helping set up the blue force tracker, all that good stuff. As part of an escalating prank war with my platoon sergeant I started leaving an artistic present for him when he arrived at his TC seat. I would draw on the plastic dash right in front of his seat a big ol' wiener drawn in chalk. He had a choice, he could either have it staring at him the entire mission, or he could rub it off!
When I was in Afghanistan it was part of my job to help get the platoon sergeants vehicle ready for mission. Making sure the gunners ammo cans were secured, helping set up the blue force tracker, all that good stuff. As part of an escalating prank war with my platoon sergeant I started leaving an artistic present for him when he arrived at his TC seat. I would draw on the plastic dash right in front of his seat a big ol' wiener drawn in chalk. He had a choice, he could either have it staring at him the entire mission, or he could rub it off!
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Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 19
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While working in the Emergency Room in Germany, we sent a Soldier all over the clinic asking for a box of fallopian tubes. When he ask the Chief of the OB/GYN she laughed and said she only had two and he could not have them.
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Valentine's candy-hearts in everything the Operations Officer owned. Every piece of clothing individually, carefully re-folded with a heart in it. Every bag of chips, every hand sanitizer, battery case, shaving kit item. Every map covered with a heart ticker on key positions. The air conditioner, the coffee, every pouch of his flak, anything unsecured...like pretty literally everything, got at least one candy heart before being carefully replaced exactly as it was. He thought it was the Batatlion XO. All in good deployment fun.... I think.
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SGT (Join to see)
Capt Richard I P., absolutely perfect! These are the types of pranks that make deployments go by faster or just make serving in a unit in garrison more fun.
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I'm a bit of a prankster (or I was when I was in)...
I was on Submarines and my favorite target were our Chiefs, especially the COB (Chief of the Boat aka the Senior Enlisted Advisor).
One time, when I was driving the boat as Helmsman, the COB was my Diving Officer. Generally, a very junior NUB (non-useful body aka non-qual, not qualified in Submarines) would be part of the watch-section as the Messenger, and was responsible for doing the wake-ups for the oncoming watch section and anyone who had requested a wake-up in the "wake-up log". As we were getting off watch, right before chow, I grabbed the wake-up log and signed the COB up fo for a wake up a few hours later...
After he was woken up (about 3 hours before his next watch), he realized what had happened and who was responsible. On my next off-watch, the messenger came by my rack every half hour to do a wake up and deliver the message, "COB says never to F* with him," lol...
Another time (possibly my favorite ever), we were leaving Bahrain after operating in the area for about 6 months. While we were in port, I bought an alarm clock in Manama that sounded like the Muslim call to prayer. I took the alarm clock and set it for just a few hours after we were going to dive, cranked the volume to 11 (lol), and then took EB Green (duct tape) and taped it up so that only the speaker was open (and so you couldn't get to the snooze).
I went into the Goat Locker (the Chiefs' berthing), opened an access panel in the outboard, taped it on the backside of the bulkhead (wall), and closed the access panel. A few hours after we dived, read: just a couple of hours after the chiefs who weren't on watch hit the rack, that alarm went off. I understand they tore the entire Goat Locker apart trying to find it, lol...
On my next watch, I was driving the boat at the Helm and my COB was my Dive. He said to me, "Glade, I know you've got your ear to the deck plates. Do me a favor and find out who the F' set that MF." I replied "Aye, COB," lol...
As I was leaving the boat (roughly 6 months later, having learned my lesson with the wake-up incident), I came clean to him, lol...
I was on Submarines and my favorite target were our Chiefs, especially the COB (Chief of the Boat aka the Senior Enlisted Advisor).
One time, when I was driving the boat as Helmsman, the COB was my Diving Officer. Generally, a very junior NUB (non-useful body aka non-qual, not qualified in Submarines) would be part of the watch-section as the Messenger, and was responsible for doing the wake-ups for the oncoming watch section and anyone who had requested a wake-up in the "wake-up log". As we were getting off watch, right before chow, I grabbed the wake-up log and signed the COB up fo for a wake up a few hours later...
After he was woken up (about 3 hours before his next watch), he realized what had happened and who was responsible. On my next off-watch, the messenger came by my rack every half hour to do a wake up and deliver the message, "COB says never to F* with him," lol...
Another time (possibly my favorite ever), we were leaving Bahrain after operating in the area for about 6 months. While we were in port, I bought an alarm clock in Manama that sounded like the Muslim call to prayer. I took the alarm clock and set it for just a few hours after we were going to dive, cranked the volume to 11 (lol), and then took EB Green (duct tape) and taped it up so that only the speaker was open (and so you couldn't get to the snooze).
I went into the Goat Locker (the Chiefs' berthing), opened an access panel in the outboard, taped it on the backside of the bulkhead (wall), and closed the access panel. A few hours after we dived, read: just a couple of hours after the chiefs who weren't on watch hit the rack, that alarm went off. I understand they tore the entire Goat Locker apart trying to find it, lol...
On my next watch, I was driving the boat at the Helm and my COB was my Dive. He said to me, "Glade, I know you've got your ear to the deck plates. Do me a favor and find out who the F' set that MF." I replied "Aye, COB," lol...
As I was leaving the boat (roughly 6 months later, having learned my lesson with the wake-up incident), I came clean to him, lol...
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SGT (Join to see)
PO3 (Join to see) At least you came clean to yours. There's one prank I've never owned up to. It wasn't too bad, but there were a lot of unintended consequences as a result.
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SGT (Join to see)
PO3 (Join to see), I don't think it's along the same lines as you're thinking. I legitimately regret this one particular prank. Not because of the prank itself but because I essentially had to screw over some friends to keep myself out of serious trouble as my target had much thinner skin than I thought.
It went down like this. I was in Afghanistan and was a line medic in a cavalry squadron. I was already in the middle of a prank war with my line platoon sergeant, but being a medic I was also a part of the medical platoon. I didn't go to the aidstation much unless I was bringing one of my guys in for sick call if they had an issue above my expertise or I needed to restock my aidbag. For reasons I legitimately don't remember something prompted me to want to prank my medical platoon sergeant.
I called home and had a care package sent to me with the supplies needed for the prank and I recruited a helpful soul from my line platoon to help me out with the deed. Late at night we snuck into the aidstation were the medical platoon sergeant had his office and proceeded to use a ridiculous amount of silly string to cover everything in sight in his office, paying special attention to the Georgia Bulldogs memorabilia. Silly string was everywhere. Furniture, desk, paperwork, walls, ceiling, nothing was spared. This all happened with the medic on duty that night sleeping in the partitioned aidstation rec room less than 20 feet away.
To put this in perspective, our target was a normally extremely reserved well mannered man. Didn't curse, hardly raised his voice, about as prim and proper as you can get while being a soldier. When he came in the next morning (I wasn't there so I heard all this second hand) he snapped. Said profanity no one ever knew existed much less profanity anyone thought he knew. He went on a manhunt to find out who the culprit was, and he wanted blood. When no one owned up to it he punished all the medics who worked the aidstation by forbidding whoever was the duty medic any particular night from sleeping like they had been previously allowed to in the rec room.
I would have come clean if it hadn't been for the extent that he was looking to get even. I was an E-4 at the time and he was looking to ensure that whoever did it never saw E-5 while throwing as much NJP as he could in their direction. I've always felt bad about it though for screwing over my friends who were treatment medics working in the aidstation. Because of me their duty shift essentially turned into something resembling staff duty. What's worse (or better depending on perspective) is that I was never even suspected. Despite pranking my line PSG all the time few people ever saw that side of me and no one ever suspected that I would do anything like that. The running hypothesis was that it was one of the line medics visiting from one of the outlying COPs as Beast Troop coincidentally had a convoy at Camp Clark that night.
It went down like this. I was in Afghanistan and was a line medic in a cavalry squadron. I was already in the middle of a prank war with my line platoon sergeant, but being a medic I was also a part of the medical platoon. I didn't go to the aidstation much unless I was bringing one of my guys in for sick call if they had an issue above my expertise or I needed to restock my aidbag. For reasons I legitimately don't remember something prompted me to want to prank my medical platoon sergeant.
I called home and had a care package sent to me with the supplies needed for the prank and I recruited a helpful soul from my line platoon to help me out with the deed. Late at night we snuck into the aidstation were the medical platoon sergeant had his office and proceeded to use a ridiculous amount of silly string to cover everything in sight in his office, paying special attention to the Georgia Bulldogs memorabilia. Silly string was everywhere. Furniture, desk, paperwork, walls, ceiling, nothing was spared. This all happened with the medic on duty that night sleeping in the partitioned aidstation rec room less than 20 feet away.
To put this in perspective, our target was a normally extremely reserved well mannered man. Didn't curse, hardly raised his voice, about as prim and proper as you can get while being a soldier. When he came in the next morning (I wasn't there so I heard all this second hand) he snapped. Said profanity no one ever knew existed much less profanity anyone thought he knew. He went on a manhunt to find out who the culprit was, and he wanted blood. When no one owned up to it he punished all the medics who worked the aidstation by forbidding whoever was the duty medic any particular night from sleeping like they had been previously allowed to in the rec room.
I would have come clean if it hadn't been for the extent that he was looking to get even. I was an E-4 at the time and he was looking to ensure that whoever did it never saw E-5 while throwing as much NJP as he could in their direction. I've always felt bad about it though for screwing over my friends who were treatment medics working in the aidstation. Because of me their duty shift essentially turned into something resembling staff duty. What's worse (or better depending on perspective) is that I was never even suspected. Despite pranking my line PSG all the time few people ever saw that side of me and no one ever suspected that I would do anything like that. The running hypothesis was that it was one of the line medics visiting from one of the outlying COPs as Beast Troop coincidentally had a convoy at Camp Clark that night.
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PO3 (Join to see)
Yikes! I guess I was just fortunate that Submariners are notoriously thick-skinned... I'm SURE the alarm clock prank could've blown back on me something fierce if I had come clean right away...
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Yes, that's me filling a fellow NCO's workspace with packing peanuts... :)
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CMSgt (Join to see)
MSgt Michael Durkee
I know! I got a little sad when I saw it.. Then I saw pink packing peanuts and I laughed. :)
I know! I got a little sad when I saw it.. Then I saw pink packing peanuts and I laughed. :)
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I was on the receiving end of this sort of thing when I first reported to the 82nd Aiirborne, back in 1975. After being yelled at ("Cherry! Cherry!!") when I stepped off the bus - the guys were literally hanging out of the windows yelling this - I reported to my unit, and one of the first things I had to do was go to the Supply Sergeant and get a key to Area 37 (I don't remember the actual number, but you get the idea). The Supply Sergeant didn't have the key, so he sent me to the next guy, who sent me to the next guy, and so on and so on. It was fun for them to watch and all in good fun. No harm done.
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SGT (Join to see)
CW5 (Join to see) Ah yes, another classic. Messing with new guys is just tradition.
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We had a prank ware going at Camp Shelby. I saran wrapped (using the moving-van version) our MAJ's van (he created a WICKED OPORD as a response), tin-foiled our civilian receptionists desk (including the mouse, chair, pens, note pads, etc), post-it note wallpapered our NCOICs desk, switched the keys on our LTC/Chief Doctor's keyboard and stole his pens and mouse, replacing them with bedazzled pink/neon blue replacements, and created a food drive for my OIC's desk, where the whole department purchased more than $200 in canned foods that was organized into a "Great Wall" that was 5 feet high and 2 cans deep, forcing him to climb over his desk to access his workstation.
Our civilian (whom I knew VERY well wouldn't get upset) also had her car moved, saran wrapped, and confetti was placed in the AC vents (I wouldn't advise this if you know someone will get upset about this....as this is the "HIV of pranks"....you NEVER get rid of it....months later a piece or two of glitter will blow out).
In exchange, they placed balloons filled with confetti in my office and sprinkled it all over my office.....vaselined under the door handles of my car. I DID get upset when they placed Vaseline on my windshield wipers because of the safety component, but everything else was done in good spirits.
My MAJ (the van prank recipient) attempted to get our Dustoffs to slingload my car on top of the pharmacy CONNEX....when that failed, he attempted to enlist the help of the engineers help to forklift my car onto a Bailey bridge segment and float it to the middle of a lake, then have me land-nav my way out there (I was a 1LT at the time).
I don't think I've laughed so hard that he talked to EVERY NG unit in the So Mississippi area, and even the Navy Seabees stationed nearby......nobody had one to spare, otherwise they were going to authorize it.
v/r,
CPT Butler
Our civilian (whom I knew VERY well wouldn't get upset) also had her car moved, saran wrapped, and confetti was placed in the AC vents (I wouldn't advise this if you know someone will get upset about this....as this is the "HIV of pranks"....you NEVER get rid of it....months later a piece or two of glitter will blow out).
In exchange, they placed balloons filled with confetti in my office and sprinkled it all over my office.....vaselined under the door handles of my car. I DID get upset when they placed Vaseline on my windshield wipers because of the safety component, but everything else was done in good spirits.
My MAJ (the van prank recipient) attempted to get our Dustoffs to slingload my car on top of the pharmacy CONNEX....when that failed, he attempted to enlist the help of the engineers help to forklift my car onto a Bailey bridge segment and float it to the middle of a lake, then have me land-nav my way out there (I was a 1LT at the time).
I don't think I've laughed so hard that he talked to EVERY NG unit in the So Mississippi area, and even the Navy Seabees stationed nearby......nobody had one to spare, otherwise they were going to authorize it.
v/r,
CPT Butler
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3rd ACR got our deployment orders for Iraq on Valentines Day. I went home with flowers in one hand and the FRG list in the other. The ex thought I was trying to pull a prank.
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SFC Mark Merino
Back in those days I often went home with a raw piece of meat and flowers. I never knew how the ex would welcome me home. First throw in the raw meat. If a wild beast attacks it and rips it to shreds, drop the flowers and return to work. If the wild beast was tame,.......present the flowers. Pregnant, angry woman with hormones raging can be a nightmare.
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Yep, always have been and probably always will be. I've never really been a "mean prankster", but one of my favorites was when I was stationed in England in the late 80's.
I worked Swing Shift, from 1530 - 2330hrs as did my roommate. I had a fairly convincing "British" accent (although probably more Australian), but my coworkers and I gathered around as I called him claiming to be from the East Anglia Television Council and noticing that he hadn't purchased the mandatory television tax for the year. Mind you, we lived in the dorms/barracks and although it was allowed...we didn't have a TV in our room.
It went back and forth for a bit, and he admitted to not having a TV, but he came up with a list of everyone else in the dorm that did!
I never fessed up to it being me on the phone, but once we were back in our room after shift...he told us all about it, well except that he Blue Falconed us :P
I worked Swing Shift, from 1530 - 2330hrs as did my roommate. I had a fairly convincing "British" accent (although probably more Australian), but my coworkers and I gathered around as I called him claiming to be from the East Anglia Television Council and noticing that he hadn't purchased the mandatory television tax for the year. Mind you, we lived in the dorms/barracks and although it was allowed...we didn't have a TV in our room.
It went back and forth for a bit, and he admitted to not having a TV, but he came up with a list of everyone else in the dorm that did!
I never fessed up to it being me on the phone, but once we were back in our room after shift...he told us all about it, well except that he Blue Falconed us :P
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SGT (Join to see)
MSgt Michael Durkee That's what I'm talking about! Great stuff, but unfortunate that you had to find out how easy it was for him to throw you all under the bus.
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Afghanistan. I was the oldest person in my company. 48. Always caught shit from command about being old enough to be there dad.
PT test I am on a permanent profile for running due to multiple ankle surgeries.
Doing the 10 k on the stationary bike. 1SG in the gym working out. He was on treadmill next to me. When I finished he of course had something to say about my age.
So I rolled my eyes back, grabbed my chest and fell down.
Hint.
Don't fake a heart attack for the 1Sg. Things went southh real quick.
CW4 in the shop a few months younger tham me.
Great horseshoe haircut. Kind of self conscious about it.
Stencilled his name and EXTRA STRENGTH ROGAINE on a 55 gallon drum and had it delivered to his office.
Tons more but........
PT test I am on a permanent profile for running due to multiple ankle surgeries.
Doing the 10 k on the stationary bike. 1SG in the gym working out. He was on treadmill next to me. When I finished he of course had something to say about my age.
So I rolled my eyes back, grabbed my chest and fell down.
Hint.
Don't fake a heart attack for the 1Sg. Things went southh real quick.
CW4 in the shop a few months younger tham me.
Great horseshoe haircut. Kind of self conscious about it.
Stencilled his name and EXTRA STRENGTH ROGAINE on a 55 gallon drum and had it delivered to his office.
Tons more but........
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I dare admit, I was punked. When I worked in Honolulu, I work with two Army ladies (one SNCO, one junior Enlisted) that would feed each other with wicked ideas when they were bored. I was typically in on the gag, but they felt a burning desire to make me the mark.
They simply taped the mouthpiece of the phone. I genuinely did not see it, since if I had, the following would not have happened. I started by dismantling the phone. Then I called Comm. They came up with a team of guys that had to crawl down underneath the floor tiles to test lines. The line testing had to extend to the other office spaces. Work order had to be extended therefore approved by Commander.
The Army SNCO had innocently been on appointments and had no idea this sh*t-storm was occurring. It swept so fast and far, she returned to work to hear about the onslaught of activity. She was mortified and sheepishly had to stand on the carpet and explain her shenanigans to the Commander.
Oh, yeah. I was right there smiling as she hemmed-hawed through the story. I believe that she uttered something under her breath to me when I laughed as the story unraveled to the less-then-amused Commander. :)
They simply taped the mouthpiece of the phone. I genuinely did not see it, since if I had, the following would not have happened. I started by dismantling the phone. Then I called Comm. They came up with a team of guys that had to crawl down underneath the floor tiles to test lines. The line testing had to extend to the other office spaces. Work order had to be extended therefore approved by Commander.
The Army SNCO had innocently been on appointments and had no idea this sh*t-storm was occurring. It swept so fast and far, she returned to work to hear about the onslaught of activity. She was mortified and sheepishly had to stand on the carpet and explain her shenanigans to the Commander.
Oh, yeah. I was right there smiling as she hemmed-hawed through the story. I believe that she uttered something under her breath to me when I laughed as the story unraveled to the less-then-amused Commander. :)
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