What is the best prank you have pulled on a new butter bar?

Send the new Private to get written authorization from the new LT to request reticle fluid from maintenance for the gunners primary sight on the tank. Two for one!

I was fortunate in that my first NCOIC had my back and deftly guided me away from my own novice mistakes. He taught me a great deal about leadership and team building, and we are still in contact today.

It was a good thing that I got that experience right off, because his replacement was quite the opposite and was continually laying traps for me to step into – but by then I could handle it.

I did have a Capt. that told me a fresh 2LT joke every morning to keep me humble. When I made 1LT they just became LT jokes. He had a million of them; they lasted until I shipped out and he never told any of them twice. I kind of enjoyed the imagination they showed.

One prank I remember fondly was going to lunch on a day the base hosted a conference of AF planners. Generals came from all over, and their flag cars were parked in a line in front of the O Club with their drivers standing in front of each car. Each Airman popped a sharp salute which I returned as I came by each car. Each one waited until I got to his car to salute, and they had me going like a wood chopper as I proceeded down the line. By the end I don’t know which of us was laughing harder. I thought it showed imagination and initiative.

I also remember one SSgt in my outfit that had perfected the left-handed salute that was so good you almost didn’t notice it.

SSG (Join to see)
I had an Ensign convinced that a ship sailing alongside us on the USS Nimitz was an actual pirate ship (the ship in question was displaying the Jolly Roger flag) and that she should inform the Officer of the Deck and Tactical Action Officer and advise that we attack it.

One of our Gunney's flipped out and told our 2nd LT to go stand in a corner...and he actually did it!

2LT, go get some frequency grease from the tactical operations center (TOC). I want the frequencies on all of your radios thoroughly lubricated before close of business today and dont ask me any questions.

I was a boat Capt and the CO's Gig driver. We had a new Ensign who took over as the boat officer and he seemed to be "ripe" for the picking. We were at anchor in Hong Kong and the old man wanted to take a ride. We were good to go on the boat so I found the Ensign and asked for the keys to the CO's gig(33' boat) that he should have gotten from the former boat officer. He said "Oh they must me in my stateroom" like he knew what I was talking about. I knew he was full of crap so I kept going with it. He came down and said "I can't find my set right now...is there a spare". "Yessssss...yes there is" was my reply. Go find the 1st Lt and ask him for his(a "mustang" LCDR with 28 years in). I then called the 1st Lt and told him he was on his way...so he was in on it as well. Ens got up there and 1st chewed his ass for losing them and then said "Well...NOW you'll need to go as the CAPTAIN for the master set as they're in his cabin". By now the Ens was almost in tears...but went up to the CO's cabin and knocked. He asked the Captain if he had the master set of Gig keys to which the old man just started laughing and asking who sent him up. He then informed him that there were no keys and walked with him out to all of us who were standing around the boat and we all had a good laugh. That Ens is now the CO of an AEGIS cruiser so apparently he wasn't TOO badly damaged!lol!

Don't remember his name, but we had a new 2nd LT for our mortar platoon. He like to leave his cap laying around and always had soldiers go get it for him. Well....there I was in the CP one day and there was the LT's cap just laying there. Fast forward to formation and the walk from the CP to the motor pool. Lt is passing soldiers and they are saluting him but with this puzzled look on their face. LT finally get to formation and still can't figure out why everyone has these puzzled looks when they see him. It finally dawns on him that they are looking at his cap. I had taken it and turned his butter bar sideways. The soldiers weren't sure what rank he was.

Another time, he picked up my cap by mistake and had to "correct" soldiers that weren't saluting him. Why would they salute a SPC?

One last thing was when we were out at NTC. He decided that he could better maneuver and control the platoon from the TC hatch of my 577. He was used to talking on a hand mike and not through the CVC. Every time he would try to talk to the platoon, he would toggle the intercom switch and not the radio. When he would say "turn right", I turned right. When he would yell "TURN RIGHT" after the platoon didn't respond to his first command, I would turn HARD right. When he yelled for the platoon to stop. I stopped, immediately. After he picked himself up off the floor and adjusted his flak fest and CVC from the sudden fall, he decided that he was probably better off in his HUMVEE. Later, some of the other guys asked me why I was driving all crazy weaving in and out of the battle formation. I had to explain to them why.

As a SSG assigned to 1/4th Infantry in Germany, I was instrumental in getting a newly assigned PFC and 2LT at the same time. While working with the crew in the motor pool, I sent the new PFC to ask the 2LT if he'd remind the Commo NCO that he still owed me a can of squelch. The incident ended with the 2LT threatening the Commo NCO with a write-up if he didn't get it.

Heaven forbid that I would do such a thing to any second lieutenant entrusted to my care and expecting (plus deserving) my trust and my best. Besides, I never had a lieutenant that I thought would fall for some prank, much less deserve it. But I'm only speaking of Marine Corps 0302 Second Lieutenants... That 6 months at TBS and graduating the IOBC turns out a pretty good lieutenant.

I was the Gunner on our Platoon Leader's Bradley. Our first time on a live fire exercise, we were given permission to expend our remaining ammo. He asked what we should shoot. I told him I had a cow in my sights at about 1200 meters. I thought he was going to launch straight out of the TC hatch! We did not shoot the cow, but we scared it! He ended up being one of my best Platoon Leaders.