Posted on Mar 28, 2014
Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
219K
1.52K
536
51
51
0
Lead
Ah yes, we've all seen them; "so, there you were" in a theater or a room full of service members or veterans, one minute everything's ok, then all of a sudden there it is... the over-the-top military movie discrepancy! So, what was that moment that stands out most in your mind? What are those associated memories or stories that come to mind? Did the base theater erupt into 'chaos' over an unkempt/incorrect uniform, improper language/jargon/ customs, or was there something that was just plain 'unsat' from a military point-of-view. lol Well, there's a ton of them out there, and I'm pretty sure that something should immediately come to mind, so what are we waiting for? Quick, pull up a keyboard, and let's get this thing started; thanks for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
Edited 11 y ago
Avatar feed
Responses: 190
TSgt Mario Guajardo
1
1
0
ummmm, they're movies...I don't expect them to be real or accurate, they are there to entertain not educate
(1)
Comment
(0)
PO2 Gunner's Mate
PO2 (Join to see)
11 y
While I am not really aware of what effect it has on us (other than people asking dumb questions), there is a lot of research to show that media portrayal has a huge effect on certain fields, particularly medicine and law enforcement. Because of wildly inaccurate and unrealistic outcomes and events on police and medical dramas, the public has developed this expectation of real medical and law enforcement professionals, holding them to an impossible standard. When the real deal cannot live up to these impossible standards, it creates outrage and distrust.

Two quick examples: a study was done on the shows ER, Chicago Hope, and Rescue 911, and the long term survival rate for cardiac arrest using CPR was 67%. In real life, the survival rate is more like 15%.

Obviously, for law enforcement, police officers using lethal force in the defense of their lives or the lives of others are constantly faced with Monday-Morning Quarterbacks asking why they didn't simply shoot the gun out of the suspects hand, or why they couldn't just shoot him in the leg. Recently, officers were attacked by a man hurling softball-sized rocks at them. They attempted verbal commands and deployed a TASER, all of which failed. They were forced to shoot him, and the public response was outrage that they didn't try to shoot him in the leg or some other ridiculous nonsense.

I'm sure there is already a negative effect for us, but it has thus far been mercifully less extreme than in other areas. I pray it stays that way.
(1)
Reply
(0)
TSgt Mario Guajardo
TSgt Mario Guajardo
11 y
Yikes lady
Unfortunately, that's true
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
MSG(P) Owner/Operator
1
1
0
I'd also ask: when did the army become a bunch of popped collar d bags with members only jackets? EVERY Movie has army personnel with the ACU/multicam collar up and velcroed closed. I don't even know anyone that does this with the body armor on, which is what it was designed for. Just looks silly and makes us like like d bags
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG(P) Owner/Operator
1
1
0
The Hurt Locker. The ENTIRE movie is inaccurate and completely unrealistic.
(1)
Comment
(0)
SGT Motor Transport Operator
SGT (Join to see)
6 y
I agree especially the part where he pulls six 155 rounds that are daisy chained with one hand, like to see that done in real life.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CPO Public Affairs Chief
1
1
0
From what I understand, if the movie is not sanctioned by the services it portrays then they are required to change the uniform or military representation portrayed so as not to be a direct representation of current US Forces.
This may or may not be true, it is just how it was explained to me when I was pissed about awful salutes and ribbon racks from Chief Mess Specialist/Special Operator Casey Ryback (Under Siege) and other inaccuracies that have already been pointed out.
(1)
Comment
(0)
PO3 Purchasing Manager
PO3 (Join to see)
11 y
Casey Ryback is such a badass he can wear the uniform any way he wants.
(1)
Reply
(0)
MAJ Terry LaFrance
MAJ Terry LaFrance
6 y
Lots of good USS Mo footage though
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SPC Shyue Lor
1
1
0
Lone Survivor, everything was fine, until the Hollywood extraction scene which, was pretty Micheal Bay on the scale of 1- Micheal Bay.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Intermediate Care Technician
1
1
0
The movie Shaq did in the 90's..."Steele" I think the name was. Between the chewed bubblegum of the duty uniforms AND the Greens they were wearing.....I stopped about 15 minutes into the movie.
(1)
Comment
(0)
MAJ Terry LaFrance
MAJ Terry LaFrance
6 y
I stopped at "a movie with Shaq"
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
LTJG Frederick Birchmore
1
1
0
Don't forget John Kerry's 1971 performance before Congress, wearing his PX ribbons on fatigues. A disgrace in form as well as in substance.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SSgt Fuels Specialist
1
1
0
Stripes... Everything!
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LTC David S. Chang, ChFC®, CLU®
1
1
0
I forgot the name of the movie, but Samuel L. Jackson is acting as a drill sergeant screaming at new recruits. When you saw his close-up, he was wearing a specialist rank. It kind of ruined the scene! hahaha
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSgt Rob Weston
1
1
0
Untitled
Easy...(not military) At the end of X-Men Origins: Wolverien

Col, Stryker was being detained by the MPs at the end of the movie. The MPs drove up in a Peace Keeper (PK). I know the PK were used in the USAF for nuclear weapons defense (I drove them in the 90s), however I don't believe the US Army had them as well
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close