Mandatory Fun

"Mandatory fun" in the military refers to functions that troops are forced to attend, often with the promise of having "fun." It rarely is.

Latest in Mandatory Fun

News

Behoove, orientate, caveat, and other words ‘the troops’ hate hearing Behoove, orientate, caveat, and other words ‘the troops’ hate hearing

/ Jun 16 2021

News

Watch this A-10 pilot pull off a ballsy landing without landing gear or canopy Watch this A-10 pilot pull off a ballsy landing without landing gear or canopy

/ Jun 10 2021

Military Life

Show us your best worst military tattoos Show us your best worst military tattoos

/ Jun 10 2021

Tech & Tactics

Why Portugal paints F-16s to look like tigers Why Portugal paints F-16s to look like tigers

/ Jun 8 2021

News

Help settle the score between these rival Army units once and for all Help settle the score between these rival Army units once and for all

By Haley Britzky

/ Jun 7 2021

Culture

We Salute The Public Affairs Officer Who Simply Tagged This Photo As ‘Fire Mortar Boom’ We Salute The Public Affairs Officer Who Simply Tagged This Photo As ‘Fire Mortar Boom’

/ Jun 4 2021

Culture

That one scene at the grocery store was the best part of ‘The Hurt Locker’ That one scene at the grocery store was the best part of ‘The Hurt Locker’

/ Jun 4 2021

The Gear Locker

Someone made a knife hand ax and it actually works Someone made a knife hand ax and it actually works

/ Jun 3 2021

News

Dan Crenshaw wants people to blow the whistle on ‘woke ideology’ in the military and he’s getting roasted for it [UPDATED] Dan Crenshaw wants people to blow the whistle on ‘woke ideology’ in the military and he’s getting roasted for it [UPDATED]

/ Jun 3 2021

Culture

‘Battle: Los Angeles’ is actually the best post-9/11 military movie ‘Battle: Los Angeles’ is actually the best post-9/11 military movie

/ Jun 2 2021

News

This photo sure makes it look like the US Army is part of the Rebel Alliance This photo sure makes it look like the US Army is part of the Rebel Alliance

By Haley Britzky

/ Jun 2 2021

News

The Most Overused (And Annoying) Military Phrases Ever The Most Overused (And Annoying) Military Phrases Ever

/ May 27 2021

News

This is what it looks like to fly straight into a thunderstorm This is what it looks like to fly straight into a thunderstorm

/ May 27 2021

Culture

We salute the badass Coastie who opened fire on a friggin’ shark that crashed his crew’s swim call We salute the badass Coastie who opened fire on a friggin’ shark that crashed his crew’s swim call

/ May 24 2021

Culture

Friends don’t let friends drink and play with samurai swords — 9 amazingly dumb stories of military life Friends don’t let friends drink and play with samurai swords — 9 amazingly dumb stories of military life

/ May 22 2021

Culture

There’s A Theme Park About That Time The Union Tried To Use Dinosaurs To Win The Civil War There’s A Theme Park About That Time The Union Tried To Use Dinosaurs To Win The Civil War

/ May 21 2021

News

We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘A Thicc Boi’ We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘A Thicc Boi’

By Haley Britzky

/ May 17 2021

Culture

How to dress like you ‘wanted to join the military, but…’ How to dress like you ‘wanted to join the military, but…’

/ May 13 2021

News

This photo of Marine recruits on their first day at boot camp is begging for a caption contest This photo of Marine recruits on their first day at boot camp is begging for a caption contest

/ May 13 2021

Culture

What was the dumbest thing you ever did in uniform? What was the dumbest thing you ever did in uniform?

/ May 11 2021

News

BRRRT vs. BRRAPP: How Americans describe the glorious sound of the A-10 firing, in 2 maps BRRRT vs. BRRAPP: How Americans describe the glorious sound of the A-10 firing, in 2 maps

By Jared Keller

/ May 10 2021

Culture

Awesome video shows Apache helicopters flying mere feet above the ground Awesome video shows Apache helicopters flying mere feet above the ground

By Haley Britzky

/ May 10 2021

Culture

These stuffed animals have way more flight hours than you These stuffed animals have way more flight hours than you

/ May 9 2021

News

Confessions of an A-10 pilot: What it’s like to fly a cannon with wings Confessions of an A-10 pilot: What it’s like to fly a cannon with wings

/ May 6 2021

News

This Army specialist’s inspiring speech about moving ‘down this bullcrap range’ ranks up there with Eisenhower’s D-Day address This Army specialist’s inspiring speech about moving ‘down this bullcrap range’ ranks up there with Eisenhower’s D-Day address

By Haley Britzky

/ May 4 2021

News

‘PIKLRICK’: We salute the Air Force pilot who flew with a ‘Rick and Morty’ callsign ‘PIKLRICK’: We salute the Air Force pilot who flew with a ‘Rick and Morty’ callsign

/ May 4 2021

History

Roman soldiers drew penises all over Hadrian’s Wall more than 1,800 years ago Roman soldiers drew penises all over Hadrian’s Wall more than 1,800 years ago

By Jared Keller

/ Apr 30 2021

Culture

This may be the greatest barracks Nerf battle we’ve ever seen This may be the greatest barracks Nerf battle we’ve ever seen

By Paul Szoldra

/ Apr 28 2021

Tech & Tactics

An F-35 pilot reveals why good fighter pilots never skip leg day An F-35 pilot reveals why good fighter pilots never skip leg day

/ Apr 19 2021

News

Why the hell are these Dutch sailors strolling through the desert in dress whites? Why the hell are these Dutch sailors strolling through the desert in dress whites?

/ Apr 15 2021

Culture

This DoD Photo Is Just Begging For A Caption Contest This DoD Photo Is Just Begging For A Caption Contest

By Paul Szoldra

/ Apr 14 2021

Culture

This one photo shows both the best and worst of life in the military This one photo shows both the best and worst of life in the military

By Paul Szoldra

/ Apr 11 2021

Culture

Watch a professional sommelier review Rip-It and other energy drinks Watch a professional sommelier review Rip-It and other energy drinks

/ Apr 11 2021

News

At $39,000, this C-130-styled handbag costs half the salary of an actual Air Force pilot At $39,000, this C-130-styled handbag costs half the salary of an actual Air Force pilot

/ Apr 7 2021

News

We salute the 4 soldiers who shoveled 1.6 million pounds of sand to build this HESCO tower We salute the 4 soldiers who shoveled 1.6 million pounds of sand to build this HESCO tower

/ Apr 1 2021

News

Watch Army trainees get smoked by this adorable 5-year-old drill sergeant Watch Army trainees get smoked by this adorable 5-year-old drill sergeant

By Haley Britzky

/ Apr 1 2021

News

Here are the funniest military punishments you shared with us Here are the funniest military punishments you shared with us

By Brian Adam Jones

/ Apr 1 2021

Culture

Here Are The Funniest Punishments Ever Handed Down In the Military, According To The Internet Here Are The Funniest Punishments Ever Handed Down In the Military, According To The Internet

By Brian Adam Jones

/ Apr 1 2021

History

The Unbelievable True Story Of The Greatest Beer Run In History The Unbelievable True Story Of The Greatest Beer Run In History

/ Mar 29 2021

News

We salute the airman whose cringeworthy PSAs are actually works of art We salute the airman whose cringeworthy PSAs are actually works of art

/ Mar 23 2021

Culture

21 Of The Most Epic Combat Beatdowns From US Military History 21 Of The Most Epic Combat Beatdowns From US Military History

By Jared Keller

/ Mar 19 2021

Culture

Troops around the world crowdsourced a military version of ‘MTV Cribs’ Troops around the world crowdsourced a military version of ‘MTV Cribs’

By Paul Szoldra

/ Mar 18 2021

Military Life

Here is every bad ‘fitness guy’ you’ll meet in the military Here is every bad ‘fitness guy’ you’ll meet in the military

By Patrick Baker

/ Mar 10 2021

Culture

Meet the military veterans transforming ‘Star Wars’ action figures into works of art Meet the military veterans transforming ‘Star Wars’ action figures into works of art

/ Mar 7 2021

Culture

We found it, folks: The worst military acronym ever conceived We found it, folks: The worst military acronym ever conceived

By Paul Szoldra

/ Mar 4 2021

Culture

The true story behind that one belligerent scene in ‘Black Hawk Down’ every veteran knows The true story behind that one belligerent scene in ‘Black Hawk Down’ every veteran knows

/ Mar 4 2021

News

We salute the USS Sterett for flying this badass battle flag on the way back to port We salute the USS Sterett for flying this badass battle flag on the way back to port

/ Mar 1 2021

Culture

‘Least F–ks Given,’ ‘Keyboard Commando,’ and other decorations you earned, but never got until now ‘Least F–ks Given,’ ‘Keyboard Commando,’ and other decorations you earned, but never got until now

/ Mar 1 2021

News

Pour one out for the soldiers photographed in The Washington Post with their hands in their damn pockets Pour one out for the soldiers photographed in The Washington Post with their hands in their damn pockets

By Haley Britzky

/ Feb 25 2021

News

The Wizards of War, Shrimp Boats, and Hillbilly Express — The best (and weirdest) Army unit nicknames The Wizards of War, Shrimp Boats, and Hillbilly Express — The best (and weirdest) Army unit nicknames

By Haley Britzky

/ Feb 25 2021

News

Marines, rejoice: Someone made crayons that are actually meant to be eaten Marines, rejoice: Someone made crayons that are actually meant to be eaten

/ Feb 24 2021

Tech & Tactics

The chainsaw bayonet you never knew you needed is finally here The chainsaw bayonet you never knew you needed is finally here

By Paul Szoldra

/ Feb 13 2021

News

This service member just enlisted in the Space Force with his alien pal by his side This service member just enlisted in the Space Force with his alien pal by his side

/ Feb 13 2021

Military Life

Military pilots, show us the lucky charms you fly with! (we know you’re out there!) Military pilots, show us the lucky charms you fly with! (we know you’re out there!)

/ Feb 12 2021

Culture

‘The Outpost’ is a fitting tribute to the soldiers who fought one of the bloodiest battles of the Afghan War ‘The Outpost’ is a fitting tribute to the soldiers who fought one of the bloodiest battles of the Afghan War

/ Feb 8 2021

News

‘Orbitons,’ ‘Startans’ and ‘The Final Frontiersmen’ are just a few of the rejected names for Space Force members ‘Orbitons,’ ‘Startans’ and ‘The Final Frontiersmen’ are just a few of the rejected names for Space Force members

/ Feb 8 2021

News

Meet the soldier who’s going to write the next ‘Superman’ comic Meet the soldier who’s going to write the next ‘Superman’ comic

By Haley Britzky

/ Feb 4 2021

News

We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘Come And Take It’ We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘Come And Take It’

By Jared Keller

/ Feb 2 2021

News

The Air Force wants privacy curtains so you can poo while you B-52 The Air Force wants privacy curtains so you can poo while you B-52

/ Feb 1 2021

Culture

You Can Now Grow A Beard And Get Stoned AF In The Canadian Military You Can Now Grow A Beard And Get Stoned AF In The Canadian Military

By Paul Szoldra

/ Jan 27 2021

Tech & Tactics

The adorable story of Scoff, the plushy ducky who flies in an F-15 The adorable story of Scoff, the plushy ducky who flies in an F-15

/ Jan 26 2021

Culture

That moment a Guardsman realized: ‘If my unit sees that, I’m dead’ That moment a Guardsman realized: ‘If my unit sees that, I’m dead’

/ Jan 14 2021

Culture

What the hell is this ‘Integrated Survivability Onion’ chart? What the hell is this ‘Integrated Survivability Onion’ chart?

/ Jan 12 2021

Culture

That time Hunter S. Thompson wrote the greatest press release in military history That time Hunter S. Thompson wrote the greatest press release in military history

/ Jan 9 2021