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

Culture

That time Robin Williams had the perfect response when troops in Kuwait interrupted his comedy show That time Robin Williams had the perfect response when troops in Kuwait interrupted his comedy show

By Jared Keller

/ Jul 21 2020

Culture

Robin Williams in Kuwait in 2007 Robin Williams in Kuwait in 2007

By Task & Purpose

/ Jul 21 2020

Culture

11 reasons Warhammer 40,000 is a lot like the US military 11 reasons Warhammer 40,000 is a lot like the US military

/ Jul 17 2020

News

The Army may name its next missile-hauling Stryker after a fictional Warhammer 40,000 tank The Army may name its next missile-hauling Stryker after a fictional Warhammer 40,000 tank

By Jared Keller

/ Jul 16 2020

Culture

F-22 Photo Animation Loop F-22 Photo Animation Loop

By Task & Purpose

/ Jul 15 2020

Culture

Will being in cybersecurity make you better at Warzone? Will being in cybersecurity make you better at Warzone?

By Patrick Baker

/ Jul 15 2020

Culture

Own your life, says man who owns Osama Bin Laden’s Own your life, says man who owns Osama Bin Laden’s

By Jared Keller

/ Jul 13 2020

News

The Navy is trolling the Army over Tom Hanks’ new WWII film The Navy is trolling the Army over Tom Hanks’ new WWII film

By Jared Keller

/ Jul 11 2020

Culture

Charlize Theron is basically an immortal John Wick in Netflix’s ‘The Old Guard’ Charlize Theron is basically an immortal John Wick in Netflix’s ‘The Old Guard’

/ Jul 9 2020

News

Sorry, Marines: Getting totally drunk may not actually help you max out your PFT scores Sorry, Marines: Getting totally drunk may not actually help you max out your PFT scores

By Jeff Schogol

/ Jul 7 2020

News

British Army shares video trolling US Army on Independence Day with ‘cuppa tea’ recipe British Army shares video trolling US Army on Independence Day with ‘cuppa tea’ recipe

By Paul Szoldra

/ Jul 4 2020

Culture

10 amazing ‘Murica pics to get your July 4th weekend started right 10 amazing ‘Murica pics to get your July 4th weekend started right

/ Jul 3 2020

Culture

Sorry, Mav: There’s actually no such thing as a ‘TOPGUN trophy’ Sorry, Mav: There’s actually no such thing as a ‘TOPGUN trophy’

By

/ Jul 2 2020

Culture

A bunch of gamers are raising money to save a WWII museum that honors the soldiers they play as online A bunch of gamers are raising money to save a WWII museum that honors the soldiers they play as online

/ Jun 29 2020

Culture

The 17 strangest questions we’ve ever asked the military The 17 strangest questions we’ve ever asked the military

/ Jun 29 2020

Military Life

46 Medal of Honor recipients came together for a hockey game, and this badass photo was the result 46 Medal of Honor recipients came together for a hockey game, and this badass photo was the result

/ Jun 27 2020

Culture

‘Yunnerstand?’ and other words your first sergeant is saying completely wrong ‘Yunnerstand?’ and other words your first sergeant is saying completely wrong

By Paul D. Mooney

/ Jun 25 2020

Culture

Your friendly neighbor Jim Mattis wants you to wear a face mask Your friendly neighbor Jim Mattis wants you to wear a face mask

/ Jun 24 2020

Culture

We want you… to send us your most outrageous military leave requests We want you… to send us your most outrageous military leave requests

/ Jun 18 2020

News

Marines recreate ‘living eagle, globe, & anchor’ photo — this time with hilariously tired and pissed off recruits Marines recreate ‘living eagle, globe, & anchor’ photo — this time with hilariously tired and pissed off recruits

/ Jun 18 2020

History

Here’s the ‘Friends’-themed Afghanistan video we never knew we needed Here’s the ‘Friends’-themed Afghanistan video we never knew we needed

By Haley Britzky

/ Jun 17 2020

News

The Marines are coming to kick your ass in ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ The Marines are coming to kick your ass in ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’

/ Jun 17 2020

News

The Air Force’s Viper demonstration team definitely goes hard in the paint The Air Force’s Viper demonstration team definitely goes hard in the paint

/ Jun 12 2020

News

USS Hartford (SSN 768) Surfacing in the Arctic Ocean for ICEX USS Hartford (SSN 768) Surfacing in the Arctic Ocean for ICEX

By Task & Purpose

/ Jun 12 2020

News

This award-winning photo looks like a gorgeous Marine Corps version of a Bob Ross painting This award-winning photo looks like a gorgeous Marine Corps version of a Bob Ross painting

By Paul Szoldra

/ Jun 8 2020

News

Military medics and corpsmen rejoice: Ibuprofen tested as COVID-19 treatment Military medics and corpsmen rejoice: Ibuprofen tested as COVID-19 treatment

/ Jun 3 2020

News

Army chief of staff tweets M1 Abrams video that shows the wrong frickin’ tank Army chief of staff tweets M1 Abrams video that shows the wrong frickin’ tank

By Jeff Schogol

/ May 29 2020

News

Netflix’s ‘Space Force’ is a biting satire of the defense industry Netflix’s ‘Space Force’ is a biting satire of the defense industry

/ May 27 2020

Culture

6 things you should definitely not say to a veteran on Memorial Day 6 things you should definitely not say to a veteran on Memorial Day

By Adam Linehan

/ May 22 2020

Culture

We salute ‘The Dude’ for being ‘the coolest military working dog ever’ We salute ‘The Dude’ for being ‘the coolest military working dog ever’

/ May 21 2020

Culture

A supercut of X-Wings flying into the ‘danger zone’ is the Star Wars tribute we didn’t know we needed A supercut of X-Wings flying into the ‘danger zone’ is the Star Wars tribute we didn’t know we needed

/ May 20 2020

News

We salute whoever made Steve Carell head of Space Force at the Air Force museum We salute whoever made Steve Carell head of Space Force at the Air Force museum

By Jared Keller

/ May 19 2020

News

Navy recruits are being quarantined at Great Wolf Lodge, but water slides are sadly out of the question Navy recruits are being quarantined at Great Wolf Lodge, but water slides are sadly out of the question

By Jared Keller

/ May 15 2020

Military Life

DoD video shows troops finding creative ways to do PT with gyms closed DoD video shows troops finding creative ways to do PT with gyms closed

By Jeff Schogol

/ May 13 2020

News

Meet the Army Golden Knights Meet the Army Golden Knights

By Task & Purpose

/ May 12 2020

Culture

This is literally the mother of all leave requests This is literally the mother of all leave requests

By Jared Keller

/ May 12 2020

News

Humor: Every National Guard soldier during quarantine Humor: Every National Guard soldier during quarantine

By Chris Capelluto

/ May 11 2020

News

Chris Pratt to play a Navy SEAL (again) in new Amazon series ‘The Terminal List’ Chris Pratt to play a Navy SEAL (again) in new Amazon series ‘The Terminal List’

/ May 8 2020

Tech & Tactics

Mother’s Day message from Trump: I’ll be in meetings but F-35 is ‘best in the world’ Mother’s Day message from Trump: I’ll be in meetings but F-35 is ‘best in the world’

By Paul Szoldra

/ May 8 2020

History

Here are 10 strange jobs US troops had to do during WWII Here are 10 strange jobs US troops had to do during WWII

By Claudette Roulo, U.S. Department of Defense

/ May 8 2020

News

The Space Force’s top officer has some suggestions for Netflix’s ‘Space Force’ The Space Force’s top officer has some suggestions for Netflix’s ‘Space Force’

By James Clark and Jeff Schogol

/ May 6 2020

Culture

Elon Musk named his son after a very special reconnaissance aircraft Elon Musk named his son after a very special reconnaissance aircraft

By Jared Keller

/ May 6 2020

Culture

Don’t worry, Chesty XV is absolutely thriving in quarantine Don’t worry, Chesty XV is absolutely thriving in quarantine

By Haley Britzky

/ May 6 2020

News

Lance Cpl. Chesty XV in Quarantine Lance Cpl. Chesty XV in Quarantine

By Task & Purpose

/ May 6 2020

News

The new trailer for ‘Space Force’ is a hilarious portrait of military bureaucracy The new trailer for ‘Space Force’ is a hilarious portrait of military bureaucracy

/ May 5 2020

News

The Force is not strong with this poorly-conceived Navy ‘Star Wars’ tribute The Force is not strong with this poorly-conceived Navy ‘Star Wars’ tribute

/ May 4 2020

Culture

Storm Trooper Wargo Storm Trooper Wargo

By Task & Purpose

/ May 4 2020

Culture

A new WWII TV show based on the popular video game ‘Brothers in Arms’ is in the works A new WWII TV show based on the popular video game ‘Brothers in Arms’ is in the works

/ May 1 2020

Culture

UK Sub Commander Hosts BBQ During COVID-19 Lockdown (via Forces Compare) UK Sub Commander Hosts BBQ During COVID-19 Lockdown (via Forces Compare)

By Task & Purpose

/ Apr 30 2020

Tech & Tactics

We’re collecting the very best tank names you’ve ever seen We’re collecting the very best tank names you’ve ever seen

By Jared Keller

/ Apr 28 2020

News

We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘crippling depression’ We salute the Army crew who named their tank ‘crippling depression’

By Jared Keller

/ Apr 28 2020

Culture

Here’s a bunch of ways deployment prepared you for your COVID-19 quarantine Here’s a bunch of ways deployment prepared you for your COVID-19 quarantine

/ Apr 23 2020

Culture

Val Kilmer says he ‘didn’t want the part’ in ‘Top Gun’ Val Kilmer says he ‘didn’t want the part’ in ‘Top Gun’

By

/ Apr 23 2020

Culture

Speaking of COVID-19, the Pentagon would like to remind you that it invented the Internet Speaking of COVID-19, the Pentagon would like to remind you that it invented the Internet

By Jared Keller

/ Apr 16 2020

Culture

This WWII vet got a mohawk the night before D-Day. Now he’s doing it again to spread cheer during COVID-19 This WWII vet got a mohawk the night before D-Day. Now he’s doing it again to spread cheer during COVID-19

By

/ Apr 15 2020

Culture

Knowing is half the battle: You can now watch the classic 80s ‘GI Joe’ cartoons for free on YouTube Knowing is half the battle: You can now watch the classic 80s ‘GI Joe’ cartoons for free on YouTube

/ Apr 13 2020

Culture

There’s a realistic zombie apocalypse gun course to help you prepare for the end times There’s a realistic zombie apocalypse gun course to help you prepare for the end times

/ Apr 10 2020

News

Steve Carell’s ‘Space Force’ parody actually got military awards right Steve Carell’s ‘Space Force’ parody actually got military awards right

By David Roza and James Clark

/ Apr 10 2020

Culture

Watch an F/A-18 Super Hornet pull off an insanely-low flyby for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Watch an F/A-18 Super Hornet pull off an insanely-low flyby for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

By Jared Keller

/ Apr 10 2020

Culture

Netflix’s ‘Extraction’ looks like ‘Tears of the Sun’ had a baby with ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ Netflix’s ‘Extraction’ looks like ‘Tears of the Sun’ had a baby with ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’

/ Apr 9 2020

News

The ex-Acting Navy Secretary’s last wish was to name a few ships. That didn’t happen, so we came up with some The ex-Acting Navy Secretary’s last wish was to name a few ships. That didn’t happen, so we came up with some

/ Apr 9 2020

News

No joke, Steve Carell’s ‘Space Force’ parody is launching on Netflix in May No joke, Steve Carell’s ‘Space Force’ parody is launching on Netflix in May

/ Apr 8 2020

News

The best photos of the US military in 2019, according to an award-winning Air Force photographer The best photos of the US military in 2019, according to an award-winning Air Force photographer

/ Apr 7 2020

News

That time an Army supply clerk accidentally ordered a $28,000 anchor at Fort Carson That time an Army supply clerk accidentally ordered a $28,000 anchor at Fort Carson

By Haley Britzky

/ Mar 31 2020