---
title: "A soldier asked Reddit what kind of ammo this is. The responses were alarmingly consistent"
description: "The U.S. Army is one of the mightiest fighting forces in the history of mankind. It's also populated, at least in the enlisted ranks, by a bunch of 20-somethings who hold both millions in high-tech equipment and power over life and death in their hands"
date: "2019-09-26"
modified: "2019-09-26"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-subreddit-soldier-ammo-question/"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "Humor"
  - "Mandatory Fun"
---

# A soldier asked Reddit what kind of ammo this is. The responses were alarmingly consistent

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/21147973-1.jpg>)

The U.S. Army is one of the mightiest fighting forces in the history of mankind. It's also populated, [at least in the enlisted ranks](<https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/13/6-facts-about-the-u-s-military-and-its-changing-demographics/>), by a bunch of 20-somethings who hold both millions in high-tech equipment and power over life and death in their hands.

So naturally, when someone asks a question of our fighting men and women, the answer tends to be elegant in its uniformity: the best way to get an answer is to put something up your butt.

Case in point: [this recent Reddit thread in the r/army subreddit](<https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/d8zvdq/does_anyone_know_what_these_are_found_them_out_by/>) that made me, a nasty civilian with the maturity of a toddler, laugh until I soiled myself.

[Does anyone know what these are? Found them out by Hohenfels](<https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/d8zvdq/does_anyone_know_what_these_are_found_them_out_by/>) from [r/army](<https://www.reddit.com/r/army>)

This is an innocent question right? I mean, as a reporter, I [frequently ask for help identifying ammo and munitions](<https://twitter.com/jaredbkeller/status/1162769509410889730>) I'm not familiar with.

[Wrong, fuck-o. Wrong](<https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/d8zvdq/does_anyone_know_what_these_are_found_them_out_by/>):

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-1081.png>)

This photo has a 119 comments, [the vast majority of which are butt-related.](<https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/embed-test/1599b266-422e-48a7-b1fe-8bee3a6a4c6a>)

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/image-placeholder-title-1082.png>)

In other, totally unrelated news, the Army actually hit its recruitment goals this year amid a rising number of drug and alcohol waivers issued to potential soldiers. Here's a bit of friendly advice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKK4KmDlj8U

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbkeller/>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jaredbkelller/>)