Does the military still have KP?

SGT Robert Pryor — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:04:55 -0400

If so, what branches and who pulls the detail? If not, when did it end? Also, has it been replaced with some other form of ash and trash details?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2020 5:14 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:14:16 -0400

KP still happens. At least, in a field environment. Field cooks always need extra staff and the tenet units are usually required...by the mayor cell...to provide at least one person per day.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2020 5:21 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:21:32 -0400

Lol it definitely still happens.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2020 7:43 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 19:43:23 -0400

Mayor Celll often reqests a duty roster, or sometimes the kp support comes from the HHC/HSC element that owns the cooks.

Response by MSgt Don VandeBogert made Apr 27 at 2020 8:06 PM

MSgt Don VandeBogert — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 20:06:11 -0400

Did KP in BMT, never saw it again. Nearly every DFAC I ate at during my time had civilians as a healthy portion of their work force and deployments had contraxtors. And really...most of the knuckleheads I had put on extra duty you didn't want around someone's food. Washing vehicles, mopping floors, and picking up trash all around base was more their speed.

I do wish they'd brought back Correctional Custody when I was in. Pretty much nonexistent early in my career but those that attended either became good Airmen or mediocre civilians real quick. Anyone remember that?

V/R
Bogie

Response by SPC Robert Bobo made Apr 27 at 2020 9:11 PM

SPC Robert Bobo — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 21:11:08 -0400

Got KP a few times between basic and AIT also once during reforger in Germany, I didn't mind that one, as it was so dam cold , the mess tent was warm, had a break from "humping" around in the snow for a few hours , "pots and pans still sucked!

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Apr 27 at 2020 9:40 PM

SGT Matthew S. — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 21:40:43 -0400

The Army still did when I was in (through 2007); although the only times I had the fortune to see & experience it was when deployed or off at long-term training exercises.

Response by LTJG Richard Bruce made Apr 27 at 2020 9:43 PM

LTJG Richard Bruce — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 21:43:54 -0400

KP or galley duty, as a punishment, stopped in the late 70's or early 80's. It was replaced by "work hours". Two work hours were assigned as an option from going to Mast (NJP). Duties were usually the dirtiest of the day; cleaning bilges, unclogging the MSD (shitter tank), removing old grime in hard to reach areas, etc.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 27 at 2020 9:55 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 21:55:23 -0400

KP ,oh the horror ,White towel tied to bunk rail,3:30 wake up ,introduction to Mess cooks and assignments,mine was usually grease pit or if lucky Pots and Pans,almost was a DRO until the Mess Sergeant found out I was a “goddamn Yankee”,back to the sinks PVT!

Response by TSgt Joe C. made Apr 27 at 2020 10:22 PM

TSgt Joe C. — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 22:22:24 -0400

KP was still a thing in BMY when I went through in 2002 SGT Robert Pryor

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made May 8 at 2020 7:19 PM

CSM Thomas Ray — Fri, 08 May 2020 19:19:15 -0400

Yep, I remember, Pots and Pans man, DRO, I was just glad to make SGT so I didn't have to pull KP

Response by SPC William Weedman made Nov 6 at 2021 2:56 PM

SPC William Weedman — Sat, 06 Nov 2021 14:56:43 -0400

In Korea in the 1980s we had contractors in the DFAC, we pulled KP in the field. A week or so in Korea, I was still inprosessing. My squad leader tells me after first formation report to the DFAC for KP. Odd order but I after first formation I go to the DFAC, find the mess sergeant and tell him my squad leader told to report for KP. He gives me a funny look and tells me to sit down. A few minutes later he comes back. He says “See those guys? I pay them to do KP” “In our unit if you are told you have KP, that means go hide in your room until final formation, and don’t try going anywhere because you will get caught.” Seems my squad leader had other matters to attend to and needed me to hide for the day.

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made Dec 17 at 2021 5:40 PM

CSM Thomas Ray — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:40:51 -0500

I learned a lot of lessons as a DRO and Pots and Pan man at Ft Polk, LA, but didn't pursue it as a MOS

Response by SP5 James Elmore made Sep 9 at 2022 10:15 AM

SP5 James Elmore — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 10:15:47 -0400

The Air Force still has, just ask their valets.

Response by Cpl Bernard Bates made Dec 20 at 2022 5:57 PM

Cpl Bernard Bates — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:57:58 -0500

I was aPFC. 18 yrs old A marine at camp Lejune in 1960. I pulled 1 month of mess duty from 0400 t0 0700 every day. We went to the rifle range for a week to qualify, I pulled 2 weeks mess duty there, I washed pots and pans for 2 weeks. It goes on your record book I was lucky in 4yrs thats all the mess duty I had too do. Aboard Ship mess duty was three months if you were a Floating Battalion, for 6 months. I must mention guard which I pulled quite often 4hrs on 8hrs off and if a person was headed for the Brig a Marine from his unit was the Chaser He was handed a 45 cal pistol and duty belt and told "if this prisoner gets away, you will do his time. If a person from the unit was courtmartialed it was read out in company formation. Semper Fi.. .

Response by SP5 Wick Humble made Aug 5 at 2023 5:42 PM

SP5 Wick Humble — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 17:42:58 -0400

In 1970, a gang of we EM were living in an apartment just of post Ft Sam Houston TX, and for some reason were later to formation one morning (we weren't approved to live off-base, so still maintained areas in the Co. barracks) and so the First Shirt had us 'absent' and was pretty fried at us. He gleefully gave we four E-5's KP for the next Saturday -- a day off except for NCO duties -- which was pretty effective discipline!
I was pretty mad, and did a slow burn until reporting to the mess hall at eleven am for my penatly. Well, I should have guessed it when none of the other three showed up; even the First didn't know that our policy was that no E-5 and above had to pull KP. The mess SGT didn't know about it anyway (!) and just put me in-charge of the sign-in desk for lunch, and after I ate, said 'Okay, beat it'. E-5 and above ate at the Officers Mess (same kitchen, nicer lunchroom) because our EM room was swamped with Medical Corps trainees. Didn't have to bus our own tables, and it was much quieter!
Boy, did my buddies have the horse-laugh on me "Old straight arrow Humble; actually showed up and did his kitchen police!" Of course, nothing was ever heard again about the gig! Virtually all KP at Medical Field-Service School was done by civilians wage-board employees, even for the RM.