What’s the best prank in uniform you've seen? Comment below!

New guy pranks:
Operated the old Q4 radars which were not solid state but tubes much like the old TV sets. Would always send the new guy to the PLL clerk in the motor pool to order a Fallopian tube for the radar. Would also have privates looking for the key to the azimuth stow lock and of course from time to time we would need a box of grid squares.

No PCS orders with only 6 weeks left till my rotation, so I started a rumor that I got embassy duty in Stockholm, Sweden! Great fun till my CO called me into his office to congratulate me!

Engineer test for newbies. Blindfolded and given an axe. If they hit the stump they pass. Their cover is placed on the stump first without their knowledge.

If a new private was somehow down in the motor pool ahead of his squad, somebody would give him a piece of chalk and a hammer and set him to tapping on the APC to find spots of "aluminum rot." Of course, anyplace that had a fitting on the inside would sound a little different, and the kid would chalk an X, of course a heavy one so, "...if it rains you will still be able to see it."

And then everybody would stick close to watch the squad leader arrive and find chalked X marks all over his track.

As a young Army Lt. we would go to the coat rack/coat room at the officers club and turn the rank insignia upside down on field grade officers epaulet on their overcoats or the eagle on their hats. Some never noticed until the next day when someone pointed it out to them

While in charge of the tool room one of the mechanics sent a new guy to me for a can of
compression. I told him that it was checked out and sent him to another mechanic who said he just returned it. this went on for half an hour, till the recruit started crying.

Too many to list, sending the lineman for "Antenna Grease", the newly assigned Aviation Ops Specialist sent to get a yard of "Flight line", or the Crew Chief right out of AIT tracking down some "Rotor Wash", last but not least a truck mechanic sent into the parking lot to do maintenance on a "ST-1(one)". They were not always as playful, I had a SGM who grew up in the motor pool, who was instructed exactly where to stand and how to remove the "Lubricating liquid retainer" (oil drain plug) to guarantee the face full of crankcase oil.

Did a rotation out in the Deid, and caught the flight chief’s (MSgt White) computer unlocked. Well, if anyone remembers the base bulletin board on the network, then you remember the crazy ads people threw up using other people’s accounts. I posted as him, requesting a partner to work with for developing routines for Dance Dance Revolution. He wasn’t happy, but he knew it was funny and took it well.

While on active duty at Ft. Riley, I was returning to my HHC 1st Bdg. duty from lunch when I cocked my cap, walked like I had a club foot, and cork-screwed my right wrist. I was a Spec 4 at the time and just into my routine when I crossed paths with an SFC. Well, it was to late to get back into order so I just kept up the routine. After passing by the SFC I heard him say under his breath: "That poor SOB." I chuckled the rest of the day.

When going through basis training, there was a guy in the top bed next to mine that refused to take a shower and believe me, he did smell bad. I wasn't involved in this but the first thing they did to him was spray shaving cream on his palm and tickled his nose. He slapped at it and sat up spitting mad. That didn't resolve the problem so they took the springs off his bed and replaced them with string. He dropped from the top bed to the bottom bed, again very angry but two guys because of his attitude then took him into the shower and scrubbed him with lye soap. It was harsh but from that day, he got the message because he knew it was going to happen again if he didn't use better hygiene.