Things You Shouldn't Miss About the Military • The Havok Journal

Many days we tend to be nostalgic about all the wonderful times we had in uniform. As a reminder, I came up with a list of things not to miss:

Taking clean weapons out of the armory, to clean them again, only to get them rejected by the armorer
Going to 1700 formation only to be told that no one has been released yet and to come back at 1800
Meeting at 0330, because the platoon sergeant wants you there at 0430 because the First sergeant wants you there at 0530 for an event scheduled for 0630
When everyone gets to go home early, except for you because of your rank, MOS, position
When a “half-day” is the same as your civilian buddy’s full day
For Reservists/National Guard: Having drill/Battle assembly land every weekend something fun is happening. Who the f*ck schedules drill on Super Bowl Sunday????
When you are locked down at your Battalion AO because some mouth breather lost a sensitive item, only to find out later he tried to steal it and miraculously, “found it” when he realized no one was getting released until it turned up
USR prep
Picking up brass, in the rain, in the mud
Getting yelled at for not wearing a hat outside
Getting yelled at for having your hands in your pockets
Having to come in a Saturday and mow lawns/paint rocks for extra duty for an egregious no hat outside or hands in pockets violation
Having to get rid of your store-bought, waterproof gloves in exchange for black, leather ones with built-in, green wool, “sponge glove” designed to soak up and retain cold water
CQ/Staff Duty
Attending alcohol-free mandatory fun events on weekends
Having to hump extra ammo, mortar rounds, radio batteries, commo wire in your ruck in addition to all of the shit you normally have to carry
Practicing marching/forming up for the change of command ceremonies
Walking around in a combat zone with an unloaded weapon
Having to get written permission to go more than 200 miles from the base on your days off
Having to buy new gear to turn into CIF so you can ETS or PCS
Worthless briefings and online training for sexual harassment, STDs and other topics
Death By Powerpoint!!!!
Buffers
GI parties
Sensitive items inventories
MOPP 4
Getting shredded setting up concertina wire
Cleaning guns after firing blanks through them
Omelet with ham MRE
Fire watch
Shaving every day
Health and welfare inspections
Safety belts

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Nick Perna is a Police Officer with the Redwood City Police Department in Northern California. He has spent much of his career as a gang and narcotics investigator. He is a member of a Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team since 2001 and is currently a Team Leader. He previously served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has a Master’s Degree from the University Of San Francisco.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Christopher Simon, a firefighter with the 314th Civil Engineer Squadron, takes cover in a defensive fighting position while attired in mission-oriented, protective posture gear during a field exercise at Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB), Ark., Oct. 16, 2007. Source.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.