What is the funniest thing you have witnessed in a Platoon or Company size formation?

MAJ David Vermillion — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 09:47:37 -0500

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Nov 25 at 2016 9:51 AM

SFC Pete Kain — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 09:51:55 -0500

People that locked their knees in a Division change of command and going down like dominoes.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Nov 25 at 2016 9:59 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 09:59:45 -0500

Never saw this happen in person but my brother relates the time he was in OCS he was told to march the platoon to sickbay. While en route in order to avoid an oncoming platoon he gave the 'right flank' command and promptly marched the platoon into the side of a building. For the most part he said they kept marching until they hit the building. Would have paid a lot to have seen that.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Nov 25 at 2016 10:06 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 10:06:15 -0500

I have to tell this one on myself. I was an ENS at my first change of command decked out in full dress whites with sword standing prominently in front of my division. When the command "Officer's draw swords" came, I immediately with great skill drew my sword out to the proper angle with a snap. Problem was the blade came out of the hilt and kept going, flipping it's way through the air and clattering on the grinder up to the podium. When the astonished crowd looked at me, the butt knob on the hilt fell off and rolled around on the ground much longer than physics allowed. Nothing I could do. It took a long time for the laughter to stop.

Postscript. When I was deployed to Antarctica after that incident, I was having dinner with the usual metal tray. Somehow my wrist slapped down on the fork and sent it somewhere behind me. I turned around to see the Skipper handing my fork back with his cake attached. He said "Kev, this shit has got to stop!" while laughing his butt off along with the whole mess hall in hysterics. Took a while to lose the nickname that came with it.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Nov 25 at 2016 10:57 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 10:57:56 -0500

Bigger than Platoon or company, but...

As a completely unexpected surprise, we got Zonked once at the end of a brigade change of command ceremony and there was this precious moment of utter confusion by the crowd as we struggled to understand what we just heard and that it was GO Time. And a moment later...Go we did! Sprinting off towards all points of the compass in a mass explosion of motivated--if literally directionless--soldiers.

I was told the CSM was none too happy and tried to stop it, but if that's true, what could even this one man do right? Lord knows I ran from the scene as fast as my little legs could carry me; and I didn't look back!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2016 11:31 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 11:31:29 -0500

while in navy boot already graduated the company co marched us to the chow hall on the way we were ordered halt in front of another division, ordered about face and drop trow

Response by Maj John Bell made Nov 25 at 2016 12:54 PM

Maj John Bell — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 12:54:28 -0500

Plebe summer, uniform races -- The uniform is "Water works Batman" Black socks, Black Dress Corfam Shoes, Navy Blue Speedo with yellow side stripes, White Duty Belt, Gray Navy Sweat Shirt tucked in, rain cape from the rain coat, Black leather gloves, Rain coat pouch worn as a cover with black sock "bat ears", athletic socks triceps, biceps, and pecs. You have three minutes GO!

2nd Place - Marine 2ndLt finds out that Dress white trousers are semi-transparent in bright sunlight when the IG asks about the Green Ducky print on his boxer shorts.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2016 5:49 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 17:49:18 -0500

One day, my Engineer company was down in the motorpool at FT Irwin. The whole motorpool fire alarm went off so the company formed up in the parking lot for accountability. As we are standing there, this one Soldier (who was weight lifter and protein shake taker) in 1st Platoon called out asking for permission to fall out of the formation. The PSG (calling it over his shoulder), said "Granted." The Soldier then proceeded to fall face first within the formation. Turns out, he had drank a good number of Corona's the night before not realizing the effects the beer and all the protein shake stuff he drank that morning would have on his body.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Nov 25 at 2016 8:38 PM

SN Greg Wright — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 20:38:36 -0500

Boot camp. 80 kids in a long room full of 2 rows of bunkbeds, 40 to a side. CC was smoking us with pushups, but he was pacing the length of the barracks as he did so. As he passed, everyone behind him would fall to the ground and rest, then when he was close to one end, everyone would pop up before he turned. So we were doing like this pushup wave. It was hilarious. Too funny, in fact, because someone started laughing, and he turned suddenly and saw us all. That was a long, long night.

Response by GySgt David Weihausen made Nov 26 at 2016 11:33 AM

GySgt David Weihausen — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 11:33:34 -0500

In the 90's, I went to NCO School at MCAS El Toro. For our final class run, they bused us all out to Huntington Beach for a boots & utes run on the beach. As we are running in formation, a beautiful California beach babe came running by us in the opposite direction in her bikini and tennis shoes. Every head in the formation turned to watch her go by and as we did the formation inexplicably veered into the water and all fell down! Freaking hilarious. We ran the rest of the run wet but smiling!

Response by SSG Jeremy Sharp made Nov 26 at 2016 2:42 PM

SSG Jeremy Sharp — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 14:42:32 -0500

When I was in basic training we were in a formation at the post exchange after being allowed to shop for necessities. We were given a list of items that we were permitted to purchase and warned we would be checked and not to be late for formation to return to the training area (gave us about fifteen minutes). We are short one person at the appointed time. The drills are going ballistic when out of the exchange walks the missing soldier carrying several bags and chewing gum (a big No-No). He struts over to his platoon and falls in. The Senior Drill calls him out to front and center of the formation and checks his bags, chock full of "pogie bait" but missing the essentials (toothpaste, deodorant, soap and shampoo). The Senior Drill calls out the Platoon Drill who commences to berate the private and tells him to "get down" in anticipation of counting push-ups. The soldier drops to his knees in front of the dumbfounded drill who quickly and nonchalantly replies, "Private, I am not interested in your expertise at oral sex but would like to assess your prowess at push-ups." The entire formation including all drills lose it. Absolutely hilarious.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2016 4:39 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 16:39:23 -0500

The Battery next to us fucked up badly and had to wear winter PT's and full battle rattle to a formation.

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Nov 30 at 2016 10:05 AM

SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:05:48 -0500

while my platoon was running a 5 mile run and we were just about to finish a soldier in my platoon crapped himself and the poop ran out of his shorts and down his leg while we kept running. HARDCORE!