5 generals with really weird habits - We Are The Mighty

5 generals with really weird habits

Military greatness can sometimes be a double-edged sword when it comes to the personality traits of those to whom immense responsibility is given. Normalcy is for the average guy, and nobody on this list was average. Here are some of the weird habits a few famous generals throughout history have had:

1. Stonewall Jackson’s elevated arm


5 generals with really weird habits


General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson is considered by many to have been the greatest Confederate commander of the Civil War, known for his tactical intelligence as well as his courage under fire. But he had a weird tendency to move around — either by foot or on horseback — with his right arm held up for no apparent reason to those around him.

Jackson believed that one side of his body was heavier than the other, so he’d raise his right arm to move blood to the “light” side to balance things out.

Modern physicians suggest Jackson’s feeling of unbalance may have been the result of a diaphragmatic hernia, which also gave him stomach problems and caused him discomfort while sitting.

This habit caused Jackson to be wounded during the first Battle of Bull Run when he took a bullet to his hand. Although a surgeon recommended amputation of the damaged finger, ultimately the wound healed by itself.

Stonewall Jackson later had his left arm amputated after he was shot multiple times by friendly fire during the Battle of Chancellorsville in May of 1863. His arm is buried near Chancellorsville with a marker that reads “Arm of Stonewall Jackson.”

Jackson survived the wounds and the amputation but died from pneumonia a week later.

2. George Custer’s cinnamon scented hair


5 generals with really weird habits

Before General George Armstrong Custer infamously overplayed his hand at Little Big Horn while fighting Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, he was a heroic commander during the Civil War. And although he graduated last in his class at West Point, he made brigadier general at 23 years old.

Custer was also known as somewhat of a dandy — a man with a greater than average focus on what he wore and personal grooming. He often wore custom-tailored velvet uniforms with gold lace and bright red scarves and large sombrero-style hats. And he was very preoccupied with his blonde hair, which he wore very long. He constantly combed it and scented it with cinnamon.

3. Stan McChrystal’s one-meal-a-day regimen

5 generals with really weird habits

While he was working long hours at the Joint Special Operations Command and then overseeing all NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal was eating just one meal per day.

But why? He liked the “reward” of food at the end of the day.

“When I was a lieutenant in Special Forces many many years ago, I thought I was getting fat,” said McChrystal. “And I started running, and I started running distance which I enjoyed. But I also found that my personality is such that I’m not real good at eating three or four small disciplined meals. I’m better to defer gratification and then eat one meal.”

The one meal he ate was dinner around 8 to 8:30 p.m. McChrystal also only slept about four hours per night.

4. Napoleon Bonaparte’s naps

5 generals with really weird habits

Legendary French general (and emperor) Napoleon Bonaparte would go days without getting a full night’s sleep (or changing clothes). But he knew the value of the “combat nap.” Napoleon had the ability to catch a few Zs on the fly seemingly at any time including right before a battle or even when cannons were going off nearby. Then once the action was over he’d sleep for 18 hours straight.

5. Douglas MacArthur’s pipe

5 generals with really weird habits

Not quite as sartorially flamboyant as Custer during the previous century, General Douglas MacArthur was nonetheless very image conscious from his hat choices to his leather jackets to his pleated khakis and jodhpurs. A long-time cigarette smoker, MacArthur provided the Missouri Meerschaum Company with precise specifications for the deep-bowled, long-stemmed pipe that he used as a distinctive prop during public appearances.

The outsized pipe was good for show but difficult to smoke, so Missouri Meerschaum gave the general other pipes to use for his pleasure. Missouri Meerschaum continues to craft replicas of MacArthur’s customized pipe, and Ray-Ban named a sunglass line after him in 1987.

Check out WATM’s podcast to hear the author and other veterans discuss these and other crazy officers. 

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5 things we wished we knew before joining the Navy

Joining the Navy is one of the best learning experiences for a young adult — especially if it’s their first time away from home.

When you talk to a recruiter about signing up, they’ll likely sell you on all of the positives and leave out most of the less attractive aspects.

That said, most of us don’t do enough homework on our own to understand what life is really like in the Navy.

Related: 9 reasons you should have joined the Marines instead

So, check out five things we wished we knew before joining the Navy.

5. All the additional duties

In some smaller naval commands, there typically aren’t enough Masters-at-Arms (the Navy’s military police) to guard all the bases’ gates. What’s even worse, there sometimes isn’t enough room in the budget to pay civilians to defend those iron fences either.

So, what does the Navy do to fill those roles? They turn to the junior enlisted personnel who aren’t even trained to guard a box of coloring books.

The Navy created A.S.F. — or Auxiliary Security Force — made from various Navy rates, like cooks and mechanics, to stand guard duty.

4. The rank of ‘seaman’ sounds worse when it’s yours

Some rates in the Navy aren’t even called seamen when they get to the rank of E-3 — so that’s a plus. Corpsman who are E-3s are referred to as Hospitalman while Seabees are called constructionmen, so we luck out.

Other ranks don’t have that privilege. It can be embarrassing saying, “Seaman Smith, reporting for duty.”

Catch our drift?

3. You can graduate boot camp as an E-3

Some young adults score so high on their ASVAB that when they pick an academically challenging rate, they’re automatically promoted in boot camp.

There are others ways to get promoted, like earning college credit before enlisting or recruiting other people, which most people don’t know.

5 generals with really weird habits

Seaman Richard Cassube (left) assists Seaman Jeremy Cryer (right) with the proper measurements of the ribbons on his dress uniform in preparation for their upcoming graduation.  (U.S. Navy Photo by Susan Krawczyk)

2. All the different bases you can be stationed at

Many people don’t know that the Navy integrates with the other branches. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a sailor to serve in an office building on an Air Force base.  So, not only can you serve on a ship or a Naval base, but you can be stationed on an Army, Air Force, or Marine Base, too.

Also Read: 6 reasons why Marines hate on the Air Force

1. Regardless of your junior enlisted rank, you’re going to clean… a lot.

This is the aspect most recruiters (if not all) forget to tell you about. Sure, you will frequently clean your berthing quarters, but you’ll clean areas you don’t usually occupy during the week.

We’re training to go to war, but first, we need to mop the senior chief’s floor. Son-of-a-b*tch!


7 reasons why ‘Top Gun’ made you want to become a fighter pilot

The 1980s brought us some fantastic action movies like “Lethal Weapon” and “Die Hard,” which made movie-goers consider joining the police force.

When Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” landed in cinemas across the nation, it was an instant blockbuster, earning over 350 million worldwide according to box office mojo.

With the adrenaline-packed scenes the film offers, “Top Gun” audience members of all ages wanted to be the next Maverick.

5 generals with really weird habits
Jester’s dead! (Paramount)


So check out these reasons why the average Joe would want to be the next great “Top Gun” fighter pilot.

1. Getting a kick-ass callsign

Face it — Maverick and Goose are pretty epic names — but be as original as possible if you get to pick yours.

2. Keeping up with foreign relations

Rarely do allied forces get close to their enemy on the battlefield, but to be inverted while sitting in a cockpit whilst flashing the grand FU gesture — that’s badass.

3. Attracting a hottie

There are many ways to pick up women at a squid bar. If you ever had an issue getting the girl as a civilian, we’ve got a solution: throw on that uniform.

Lady pilots, this works for you, too — just make sure you find a man who can appreciate a strong woman.

Oh, and don’t forget your wingman.

4. Wear aviator sunglasses

Nothing says “I am awesome” like putting on a blacked-out pair of aviators. This look never gets old.

5. Play shirtless volleyball

With arguably no real reason to be in the movie story-wise, the producers had some of Hollywood’s brightest stars in their film at the time and they took advantage.

It’s safe to say that no man, after watching Top Gun, doesn’t think about this scene while playing the popular beach sport.

6. Aerial Dogfighting

This is where the real ass kicking takes place. Naval aviators are some of the world’s best at aerial maneuvering to take down the enemy. All jokes aside, the dogfighting scenes are where the real motivation to be a fighter pilot begins.

Related: 7 kids who joined (even commanded) military units for a day

7. The theme song

We dare you to listen to this without getting amped or googling “how to become a fighter pilot”.

Can you think of any other? Comment below and let us know what your call-sign would be.

39 Awesome photos of life in the US Marine Corps infantry

YouTube, We Are The Mighty

From fighting pirates in the First Barbary War of 1801 to seizing the Kandahar International Airport in 2001 and beyond, Marine Corps infantrymen have been fighting and winning our nation’s battles for more than 200 years.

Known as “grunts,” infantrymen receive specialized training in weapons, tactics, and communications that make them effective in combat. And while many things have changed for grunts over time, they continue to carry on the legacy that was forged from the “small wars” to the “Frozen Chosin” to the jungles of Vietnam.

After more than a decade of war following the 9/11 attacks, many grunts have deployed to combat …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

… In Iraq, where they earned their place in history at Nasiriyah, Najaf, and Fallujah (shown here), and many others.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

While others deployed to Afghanistan, into the deadly Korengal Valley …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Darren Allen

 … Or more recently to Marjah, in Helmand Province.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

But before infantrymen join their units, they need to complete initial training. For enlisted Marines, that means going to the School of Infantry, either at Camp Pendleton, California or Camp Geiger, North Carolina.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For officers, their training at Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Va. involves both tactics and weapons, along with a more intense focus on how to lead an infantry platoon.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

While most enlisted grunts become 0311 riflemen, others receive more specialized training, like 0331 machine-gunners, which learn the M240 machine gun (shown here), the MK19 grenade launcher, and the M2 .50 cal.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

0341 Mortarmen learn how to operate the 60 mm (shown below) and 81 mm mortar systems, which help riflemen with indirect fire support when they need a little bit more firepower.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

0351 Assaultmen learn basic demolitions, breaching, and become experts in destroying bad guys with the SMAW rocket system. The Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is shown below.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

Packing even more punch that’s usually vehicle-mounted, 0352 Anti-tank missilemen learn their primary M41 SABER (below) heavy anti-tank weapon and the Javelin, a medium anti-tank weapon.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Some more experienced infantrymen go into specialized fields, such as Reconnaissance or snipers (below).

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Zac Mercoli

Always present is a focus on mission accomplishment, and to “keep their honor clean” — to preserve the legacy of the Corps …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Library of Congress

… That grunts are proud of. Always remembering heroics from the Chosin Reservoir Marines in Korea …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

… To those who fought in Vietnam jungles, or the storied battles of Hue and Khe Sanh.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

Since Vietnam, grunts have been repeatedly been called upon for minor and major engagements, such as Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation United Shield in Somalia in 1995 (below).

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Darren Allen

But it’s not all combat.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Darren Allen

Marine grunts are constantly training, whether it’s practicing amphibious landings …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

… Or learning the skills needed to survive and thrive in a jungle environment.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

Sometimes they take a break to catch up on their reading.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Michael Sinclair

And when they’re not training, they are trying to have fun.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Josh Boston

Sometimes … maybe too much fun.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Donnie Hickman

While technology has made today’s infantrymen even deadlier, the life of the grunt has always been spartan.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: US Marine Corps

Grunts often work in rough conditions, and they need to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Nate Hall

And quite often, they need to be self-sufficient. At remote patrol bases, that means everything from burning their trash and other waste …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Paul Martin

To fixing their morning coffee in any way they can.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Daniel Evans

Grunts learn to appreciate the little things, like care packages from home …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Matt McElhinney

… Any privacy they can get …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Daniel Evans

… Or a “FOB Pup” to play around with in between missions.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Daniel Evans

When they get into a fight with the enemy, they battle back just as their predecessors did.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Zac Mercoli

And with solid training and leadership, they can easily transition, as Gen. Mattis says, from no worse enemy to no better friend.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Nate Hall

When things don’t go exactly as planned …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Josh Boston

… Grunts can usually shake it off with a smile.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: JC Eliott

Especially in a combat zone, humor helps a unit through tough times.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Zac Mercoli

And there are plenty of opportunities for laughs.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Marc Anthony Madding

Whether it’s graffiti on a barrier …

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: JC Eliott

 Or taunting the Taliban with a Phillies t-shirt.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Zac Mercoli

But the bottom line is that grunts are the Marine Corps’ professional war-fighters.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Nate Hall

They forge brotherhoods that last for a lifetime.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo Credit: Nate Hall

And they never forget those who didn’t make it home.

5 generals with really weird habits
Memorial ceremony for Sgt. Thomas Spitzer. (Photo Credit: US Marine Corps)


5 of the best ways to skate in the Marine Corps Infantry

Skipping out on work is an age-old practice and, in the military, it requires a decent amount of both skill and luck. The art of ‘skating’ is not one that can easily be taught or learned. To become an expert, one must be trained by a master — probably the grand, old lance corporal of the platoon — and one must train hard.

Since skating is generally frowned upon by members of the command, it’s all the more surprising and sweet when they give you the opportunity to do so.

Related: 5 ways to skate in Marine Corps boot camp

1. Be a duty driver

At the insistence of your command, you get out of an entire day’s work to learn how to drive a van then drive said van. In some rare cases, you might be pulled away for a few days to learn how to drive the van, take a written test, and then take a road test. Not only do you get to enjoy a few easy days courtesy of your command, you’ll occasionally get pulled away to drive the battalion’s officer on duty, which means, essentially, you get those days off as well.

5 generals with really weird habits
Remember: it’s still duty. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. David Staten)

2. Be a HMMWV driver

Taking this course means you get a week away from your unit to learn about the wonderful HMMWV (pronounced ‘humvee’) and how often you’ll have to fix it. On some days, classes end early, so be prepared to get out of work before the rest of your unit. Aside from that first week, this is a ticket to occasionally get out of hikes and fields ops to drive supplies or weak bodies from point A to B.

5 generals with really weird habits
You might get pulled to do inspections on occasion, though. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ricky Gomez)

3. Platoon radio operator

This skate takes place mostly in the field because it requires you to follow the platoon commander around. It’s your job to monitor radio traffic for the lieutenant to keep him up to speed on what’s going on, so while others are on patrol, you’ll be busy relaying info.

5 generals with really weird habits
Make sure you can keep up with your LT, though. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin Huffty)

4. Mess duty

Sure, you might have to get up early and go to bed a bit late, but that’s what it takes to get hot meals ready for everyone in the field. You prepare breakfast and dinner usually and spend the afternoon cleaning the cooking equipment. You’re basically attached to the cook that’s been assigned to your company, so whenever they need help, you get to spend time away from your platoon.

5 generals with really weird habits
It’s rough if it’s cold outside. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Joshua Murray)

Also read: 9 tips for ‘skating’ in the Navy

5. Be a range safety operator

These Marines are driven to and from the ranges to make sure everyone who is shooting is doing so safely and effectively. Your job is simple: pay attention. All you have to do is make sure PFC Bootface isn’t going to shoot Lance Corporal So-and-so in the back on accident (or on purpose).

5 generals with really weird habits
All you have to do is give a thumbs-up and pay attention. It’s easy. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Pfc. Heather Atherton)


9 things we miss from our Afghanistan deployments

With possibility of a huge troop surge to Afghanistan coming from the Trump administration, We Are The Mighty asked several OEF combat vets what they missed most from their time “in the suck.” Here’s what they had to say.

Related: 7 items every Marine needs before deploying

Thanks to the Facebook page “Bring the Sangin Boys Back” for contributing.

1. Afghan naan bread

Regardless of the rumors how the bread is pressed (by Afghans’ feet) it was delicious.

Here they’re just mixing the bread. (image via Giphy)

2. Band of Brothers

The lifelong friends you made in combat are priceless, and there’s nothing else like it.

Yup. (images via Giphy)

3. Awesome nights

With a lack of electricity, there was no artificial illumination to spoil the night sky, it made the stars pop even more.

Not an Afghan night sky, but you get the point. (images via Giphy)

4. Low responsibility

You went on patrol, pulled some time on post, worked out, slept and…pretty much that’s about it.

woke right up when sh*t went down. (images via Giphy)

5. You got to blow sh*t up  

The best part of the job while serving in the infantry was delivering the ordnance.

3/5 Get Some! (image via Giphy)

6. Firefights

Getting a chance to put all your tough training to use and put rounds down range at the bad guys was freakin’ epic.

It was that fun. (images via Giphy)

7. Getting jacked

When you’re stuck out in the middle of nowhere and have 24 different of high-calorie MREs to choose from, there’s no better way to pass the time than hitting a gym made of sand bags, 2x4s, and engineer sticks.

1,2,… 12 (images via Giphy)

8. Movie night

Huddling around a small laptop watching a comedy or “Full Metal Jacket” was considered a night out on the town. And we loved it.

And felt like you’re in a real theater… not really.  (images via Giphy)

Also Read: How to make a movie theater with your smartphone on deployment 

9. Making memories

Although you we experienced some sh*tty times, nothing beats looking back and remembering the good ones while having a beer with your boys.

To the good times! (image via Giphy)

Bonus: The emotional homecomings

Leaving your family to deploy sucks, but coming home to them — priceless.

We salute all those who serve. Thank you! (images via Giphy) WATM wishes everyone to stay safe and watch your six. That is all.


7 things you should know before joining the infantry



1. It’s a dangerous job



Yes, we’re serious. (Image via Giphy)

2. You will make unbreakable relationships



3.  It can be really, really boring


Stay awake brain. (Image via Giphy)

4. You will get to blow sh*t up

This is the best part. That is all.

3/5 Get Some! (Image via Giphy)

5. You will be made to do stupid tasks


If this looks fun, being a boot in the infantry may be your calling(Image via Giphy)

Also Read: 5 differences between Army and Marine Corps infantry

6. You will go on a lot of mandatory hikes




7. You’ll earn yourself lifelong pride, you smug bastard.




5 interesting ways to simulate injuries when training for combat

Training to head off to a war zone can get pretty intense. Since we train the way we fight, instructors who’ve seen combat develop insane ways to pass on their knowledge to the next set of deploying badasses.

We spend hours training alongside our brothers, learning how to fire and maneuver against role players while enduring the heat of Twentynine Palms, California. Unfortunately, within the few weeks that we train for combat, there isn’t enough time to cover everything.

Once a teammate goes down or gets injured, how you approach an objective changes drastically to compensate for a downed brother. Since war is unpredictable, it’s always a solid idea to train with some type of disability to be prepared for the worst.

Related: 7 things you didn’t know about the Marine Jungle Warfare Training Center

1. Tape one of your hands shut

Losing your hand in battle can happen. It might not fall off, but fracturing it is a possibility. Taping your hand shut during training is a practical way to pretend that you can no longer use it to its full potential.

5 generals with really weird habits
In this training evolution, this troop tapes his hand closed to stimulate the handicap. (Screenshot from Tier 1 Citizen, YouTube)

2. Cover an eye with a bandana

Riflemen understand the importance of using the dominant eye to aim a weapon system at their target and deliver an accurate shot. But, what happens in the tragic event that you lose an eye? This kind of injury alters your depth perception and decreases lateral limits.

Covering your “shooting eye” and training with the simulated handicap could save your life.

3. Splint a leg straight

The human legs make up a massive percentage of the body. In the event that a leg is injured, it’s tough to continue on and support yourself. In training, straighten your leg by using a splint to stimulate a leg wound and try keeping up with the rest of your fire team. It’s great training.

5 generals with really weird habits
Lance Cpl. Felipe Pech treats a simulated lower-leg casualty. (Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Steven Williams)

4. Secure your arm behind your back

It’s simple: lose an arm in combat and you can’t use it. Rarely do grunts train as if they lack one of their most important appendages, but it’s good practice.

Also Read: 5 fitness tips to prepare you to become a combat medic

5. Wear a gas mask

Infantrymen can get pretty winded while maneuvering toward the enemy. Since there’s no taking a time-out in battle, grunts can wear gas masks in training, which makes breathing incredibly tricky, simulating a chest wound.

5 generals with really weird habits
U.S. Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) wear M-40 gas masks during a recovery scenario at Fort Campbell. (Photo by Spc. Joe Padula)


13 tips for dating on a US Navy ship

Aside from the doom and gloom, sometimes the hormones act up, your sailor goggles come on, and the natural thing happens when you’re cooped up for months at a time with members of the opposite sex. It just happens. Yes, it’s stupid, and yes, you should know better. But, if you know better, and you’re still doing it, the following tips will help you and your “boat boo” from visiting the goat locker:

1. Forget about dating on a small ship.


5 generals with really weird habits
Photos: US Navy

It’s easier to conceal your well deck escapades on larger ships, such as carriers and amphibious vessels.

2. Keep your distance

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josh Cassatt/US Navy

Keep it professional, don’t make it obvious. No flirting in your shop. Avoid eye contact altogether.

3. Never date in your division.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Timothy Schumaker/US Navy

Keep it secret from your division buddies. One thing is for sure, as soon the wrong person catches wind, prepare to be teased or worse.

4. If the person you’re seeing is in the same division, volunteer for TAD (Temporary Additional Duty).

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bradley J. Gee/US Navy

Yes, everyone hates it, but volunteering to crank in the galley might save you from getting caught. Once you’re called back to your division, it’s your partner’s turn to reciprocate.

5. Share no more than one meal per day.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Giovanni Squadrito/US Navy

5 generals with really weird habits

6. Pass notes like you’re freakin’ teenagers.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels

You’ve been there before, so take a page from your high school days. Also, if you have a network of trusted friends to pass along your letters, seal your notes with candle wax for an extra layer of protection. It sounds medieval, but it’s effective.

NOTE: Don’t be stupid; don’t save your notes. The goats – Navy speak for chiefs – will use them as evidence if you get caught.

7. Visit common spaces together.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: YouTube

The library is a great common space to meet and pass notes.

8. Have a buddy in supply or any division with access to storage spaces.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Wikimedia

This one is extra risky, but if you feel the urge to take it to the “next level,” your best friend is your buddy in supply. Supply personnel have access to storage spaces, which could be used to lock you in for an hour or two. Beware, you risk not showing up for emergency musters, such as GQ or man overboard. You’re at the mercy of your supply buddy since storage spaces are locked from the outside.

9. Wait for “darken ship” to meet at the bottom of ladder wells and corners.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Capt. Lee Apsley/US Navy

10. Volunteer for roving watch and rendezvous on the fantail.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amanda S. Kitchner/US Navy

… or a dark catwalk.

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dylan McCord/US Navy


11. Find another couple to provide you with a shore-buddy alibi.


5 generals with really weird habits
USAF photo

12. Go out in groups.

13. Have an open relationship. (And good luck with keeping that from getting messy.)

5 generals with really weird habits

Acronym cheat sheet:

  • HM1: Hospital Corpsman, E6 pay grade
  • HM3: Hospital Corpsman, E4 pay grade
  • DRB: Disciplinary Review Board
  • CMC: Command Master Chief

WATM editor’s note: Let’s be clear, you should never date on a Navy ship. There’s too much to risk, such as being demoted, or even worse: getting the boot. For clarification, read the Navy’s Fraternization Policy.

Thanks to all the members of the Royal Order Of The Shellbacks and Shipmates Who Served Aboard The U.S.S. The Kitty Hawk CV 63 Facebook groups for helping us put together this post.


11 weapons from pop culture we could totally use right now

DARPA does a great job of designing new and exciting weapons for the military. But here are 11 weapons from movies and video games that the U.S. fighting forces would like to see rolling out of a DARPA lab soon.

1. Iron Man’s shoulder-mounted guns

Iron Man’s shoulder-mounted guns each have six barrels filled with rounds that can curve in flight and are linked up to a targeting system that can differentiate between friend, foe, and civilian. Basically, every infantryman in urban combat could walk through a city slaying bad guys and accepting the praise of grateful survivors.

Of course, if the weapons were actually mounted on an Iron Man suit that would be even better.

2. Noisy cricket

Sure, it’s small and causes a lot of collateral damage. But, it packs a huge punch in a tiny fist. It could be used for two purposes. First, troops assigned to public positions like embassy guard could conceal the weapons on their body, allowing them to appear lightly armed while they secretly have direct fire artillery in their pockets. Second, it could be used as a breaching tool.

3. Lawgiver Pistol

5 generals with really weird habits
Photos: Youtube

Capable of firing everything from normal rounds to grenades to nonlethal munitions, the Lawgiver pistol is part of why Dredd is such a badass. For soldiers in the field, this would provide a wide variety of force options in a very small package. Also, they have a very strong anti-theft mechanism.

In the cons column, it has to be hard to safely run ranges with weapons like this.

4. Sonic Shotgun


One of the most effective nonlethal weapons on this list, the sonic shotgun can hurl bad guys a dozen feet back, charges quickly, and is apparently easy to aim from the hip.

5. Laser Rifles

Pick your brand (Star Wars, Halo, whatever), laser rifles would provide most of the capabilities of standard rifles, plus they would melt right through enemy armor. Just don’t give us the ones that Stormtroopers use. They are way too inaccurate.

6. Phaser

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: flickr.com/Ryan Somma

It’s like a laser rifle, but you can choose “stun” and “disintegrate” as firing modes.

7. Cerebral Bore

The cerebral bore is not only a rifle with homing rounds, it also marks enemies in hiding and its rounds make their way through enemy flesh, seeking out the brain and exploding within it.

8. Mjolnir (but a gun)


Thor’s mighty hammer gives the ability to fly, which would be great. More importantly though, it can only be lifted by the worthy. That would mean that when friendly positions are overrun, weapons that are abandoned couldn’t be turned around and used against the original owners.

9. ZF-1

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Youtube.com

Like the Lawgiver pistol, the ZF-1 allows its users to select between a wide range of munitions including missiles and nets. The ZF-1 is larger since it’s a rifle/flamethrower, but soldiers will likely find a way to carry the extra weight in exchange for gaining the ability to shoot flames and darts when necessary.

10. Lightsabers

5 generals with really weird habits

Not for the purpose you think. It’s unlikely troops could be properly trained to handle lightsabers well enough to fight with them and they definitely couldn’t deflect bullets with them. However, the sabers could be used by anti-tank teams to crack into enemy armor as well as by engineers to cut through absolutely any enemy defenses. The safety training Powerpoint for these would be hell though.

Runner up for these purposes: Wolverine’s claws. They’re even more portable than a lightsaber and would be nearly impossible to lose, but soldiers without genetic healing mutations would bleed just, all the time.

11. Plasmids

From the hit video game Bioshock, plasmids give the user the ability to fire flames from their hands, suck health from enemies, and even mind control enemies.

Of course, the weapon developers would need to solve the whole, “insanity” thing that goes along with most plasmids, but that’s probably do-able.

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The 7 weirdest nuclear weapons ever developed

Nuclear weapons are in their own class, completely separate from every other kind of weapon in the arsenal. But, not all nuclear weapons are created equal. Here are the weirdest ones that saw service in the U.S. military.

1. Jeep-mounted recoilless rifle: the Davy-Crockett (1956)

The Davy Crockett had a 10 or 20-ton yield, depending on the type. There were two launchers for the Crockett, one of which would be mounted on Jeeps. Crocketts would be deployed with mortar platoons who would aim the weapons into Soviet troop and tank concentrations, poisoning the Russians with extreme levels of radiation within a quarter-mile radius of the point of impact.

2. Air-to-Air Missiles: AIR-2 Genie (1957) and AIM-26 Falcon (1961)

Before effective surface-to-air missiles or guided air-to-air missiles, America was looking for a way to shoot down large formations of enemy planes.

One idea was to fire an unguided air-to-air nuclear missile. Enter the AIR-2 Genie. Fielded in 1957, it was capable of being fired from an American fighter and the 1.5-kiloton blast was lethal to 300 meters. To prove to the American public that the missile could be safely detonated over American cities, a single Genie missile was detonated as five Air Force officers stood below it.

Four years later, a guided missile entered service. The AIM-26 was capable of a 250-ton nuclear explosion and chased its target using semi-active radar.

3. Nuclear torpedo: Mark 45 anti-submarine torpedo (1963)

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Cliff, Wikimedia Commons

Designed to kill enemy subs, the Mark 45 was guided by wire. Triggering the 11-kiloton detonation required a command from the firing sub. The nearly 19-foot torpedo had a range of 5 to 8 miles.

4. Rockets: UUM-44 SUBROC (1963)

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The UUM-44 was a submarine-launched rocket that would exit a sub, ignite its rocket engine, leave the water and fly to a predetermined point. There, the rocket would separate and the warhead would fall into the water as a depth charge, detonating at a programmed depth and killing enemy subs. With its 5-kiloton nuclear warhead, the SUBROC wasn’t really worried with direct hits.

5. Land mine: atomic demolition munitions (1964)

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: DoD

Though commonly referred to as nuclear land mines, ADMs were really designed as area denial weapons where the bombs would be detonated ahead of advancing troops, triggering rockslides and poisoning the environment. Special versions could also be dropped behind enemy lines with two-man teams who would use the bombs to destroy ports, power plants, or communications hubs. Since they could be remotely detonated, the ADMs could be used as mines as long as a human stayed within the remote’s range and waited for the advancing enemy. They had a nuclear yield between .5 and 15 kilotons.

6. Artillery: M65 Atomic Cannon (1953) and M198 (1963)

There were a variety of nuclear artillery shells in the U.S. arsenal (China, India, and Pakistan still have them), most of them arrived in the field between 1953 and 1963. Initial models were like the M65 in the video, large-caliber rounds with large warheads delivering 15-20 kilotons of boom. The nuclear punch got smaller as smaller rounds were developed, ending with a 155mm round that delivered 72-ton yield.

7. Cryogenically-cooled bombs: Mark 16 (1954)

5 generals with really weird habits
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Mark 16 only served in an emergency capacity from January 1954 to April 1954. Based on the designs of the first thermonuclear bomb ever fired, the Ivy Mike, the bombs contained deuterium that had to be constantly cooled to below -238 Fahrenheit. They delivered 6-8 megatons (a megaton is 1,000 kilotons) of destruction, but were rendered obsolete by the successful testing of solid fuel thermonuclear bombs that didn’t require cooling.

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7 kingly facts about the life of Alexander the Great

It is the year 69 BC. A Roman man stands before the state of an ancient conqueror. The Roman weeps, realizing that at his age this conqueror was master of the known world, while the Roman has accomplished nothing. The Roman’s name is Julius Caesar, and the statue is of Alexander III of Macedon, whose conquests changed the course of European and Middle Eastern history. Here are seven things to know about Alexander the Great.

1. His father conquered ancient Greece

In the middle of the fourth century BC, Macedon was a small kingdom north of classical Greece. City-states like Athens and Sparta looked down on their northern neighbors as barbarians. But for a hundred years the Greek cities had worn each other down through war, and King Philip II of Macedon knew the time was right to strike. He reformed his army and, through a series of diplomatic and military victories, came to dominate ancient Greece. The last resistance was crushed at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC, uniting all of Greece under the king of Macedon.

2. He was tutored by Aristotle

alexander the great

In 343 BC, Philip hired the Greek philosopher Aristotle (who was Macedonian, but taught in Athens) to tutor then-thirteen Alexander. The prince studied everything from politics to philosophy to natural science, but he fell in love with Homer’s Iliad, the epic poem about the demigod Achilles and his struggle with pride. Aristotle even wrote an abridged version of the text for Alexander, who carried it with him during his campaigns. Alexander would also send rare plants and animals found on his campaigns to Greece for Aristotle to study. By all accounts, Alexander had an education fit for a king.

3. He fought to claim his father’s throne

Alexander’s mother Olympias, Philip’s fourth wife, was not Macedonian, but Alexander was still Philip’s heir. The prince even fought with Philip at the Battle of Chaeronea and proved himself a capable warrior. That same year, however, Philip married a Macedonian noblewoman named Cleopatra Eurydice, whose pure Macedonian offspring could challenge Alexander’s succession. When Philip was assassinated in 336 BC, Olympias had Cleopatra Eurydice and her daughter by Philip burned alive; Alexander was furious, but he also assassinated several of his relatives to prevent them from stealing his throne. There was a rebellion from several city-states, but Alexander suppressed it, proving himself the Macedonian king of Greece.

4. He conquered the Persian Empire

Alexander spent two years pacifying the Balkans and stabilizing his rule before turning eastward. In 334 he and his army crossed the Hellespont, the straits connecting Europe and Asia Minor (modern Turkey). He then conquered, in just four years, the Persian Empire which had controlled all the land between the Levant coast and the Iranian Plateau for centuries. Alexander chased the Persian king Darius III – one of the most powerful men in the world – through the empire until Darius was captured and executed by one of his own nobles. Throughout his conquests Alexander established many cities, all of them named Alexandria.

5. He pushed his troops to their limit

Alexander reached as far as the land the Greeks called India (modern Pakistan). In 327 BC Alexander left the Middle East for his Indian campaign, where he continued carving through kingdoms and founding cities named after himself – Alexander’s bread and butter. After defeating the Indian king Porus, Alexander’s Macedonian army mutinied and refused to march any further. The disappointed king was forced to turn back.

6. He died under mysterious circumstances

alexander the great

Alexander started marching his troops back to Persia. After dealing with unscrupulous governors and another rebellion from his troops, he arrived at the imperial capital of Susa, where he would spend the rest of his short life. The king contracted a fever in the city and died soon after. For thousands of years scholars have debated the cause of his death, from natural causes to poisonings. Alexander’s proclivity towards alcohol, many say, exacerbated whatever made him ill in the first place. In 323 BC, a mere thirteen years after his coronation, Alexander the Great was dead.

7. He changed the course of Western civilization

Alexander’s conquests established an empire from the Balkan Peninsula to the Indus River. Greek became the language of the upper class from Macedon to Persia, creating a new path for social advancement. After his death, Alexander’s empire was divided up between his generals, whose successor-states came to be known as the Hellenistic (or “Greek-ish”) kingdoms. In the coming centuries, those states would be swallowed up by the Romans and the Arabs, who were inspired by the greatness of Greek culture. It was Alexander whose conquests created the Greek-speaking world that would provide the foundation for the civilizations to come.


All military nurses inspire compassion- here are 7 of the most exceptional

All military nurses uphold an inspiring practice — providing benevolent, charitable care to our troops when they need it most. Their mission statement says it all: “Preserving the strength of our Nation by providing trusted and highly compassionate care to the most precious members of our military family — each Patient.” Here are 7 of the military’s most inspirational nurses and how they’ve made their mark on history and impacted American life today.

  1. Clara Barton – “The Angel of the Battlefield”

Clara Barton, initially an educator during the epoch of the American Civil War, devoted her life and work to giving medical assistance to wounded American soldiers as they fought against England, eventually identifying deceased soldiers and locating missing ones. She founded the American Red Cross, an institution which most citizens know of today. Through her brave assistance on the battlefield and the mission of the Red Cross, Barton’s legacy is still prevalent today in the spirit of compassion and strength.

Clara Barton, one of the most renowned military nurses
  1. Florence Blanchfield

Florence Blanchfield, after studying at the University of California, Columbia University and the South Side Training School for Nurses, secured the title of full rank to US Army Nurses – as opposed to the lower relative rank, which nurses held prior to Blanchfield’s service. After winning her fight for full rank benefits and pay in 1944, she became the first woman to receive regular Army commission. She served in World War II and supervised the work of around 60,000 nurses. Ladies (and gentlemen!), you can thank her for your full pay in military nursing positions!

  1. Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee

Dr. Anita McGee, after attending medical school at George Washington University, founded the Army Nurse Corps. During the Spanish-American War, Dr. McGee served as the assistant surgeon general for the US Army.  After leading and organizing all 1600 nurses that served in that war, Dr. McGee wrote the Reorganization Act of 1901, which would be ratified later that year. The passing of this act professionally and politically established the Army Nurse Corps. Dr. McGee’s work helped combine politics and nursing, portraying her well-rounded and exceptional character.

  1. The Angels of Bataan

The Angels of Bataan, also known as the “Battling Belles of Bataan,” were a group of 77 nurses — 11 Navy and 66 Army — who continued to serve the US Troops as a nursing unit even after being captured and held as prisoners of war in the WWII Battle of the Philippines. Many of these nurses were initially assigned to two US Hospitals on Bataan, where tropical diseases such as malaria ran rampant. After being captured and taken to an internment camp at Santo Tomas, the military nurses continued serving those who had fallen ill or become injured. One of these nurses – Nancy Belle Norton – was awarded the Medal of Freedom. The heroines were liberated from their internment camps in 1945.

A group of military nurses known as the angels of bataan
  1. Jane Kendeigh and the Navy Flight Nurses of World War II

Jane Kendeigh was the first Navy Nurse to work on an active battle site – specifically, at the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima. After joining the US Navy’s School of Air Evacuation, Kendehigh and her nursing unit, consisting of 24 pharmacists and 24 nurses each trained in high-altitude medical procedures, volunteered on an evacuation mission to Iwo Jima’s combat zone. Kendehigh and her regiment were able to rescue or aid approximately 2,393 marines – despite being whistled at on the battlefield. She later returned to serve at the Battle of Okinawa, and was the first flight nurse to arrive. 

  1. First Lieutenant Sharon Ann Lane

Lieutenant Lane served in the Vietnam War and died from shrapnel wounds after she was caught in an attack on her hospital in June of 1969. She was the only nurse killed in a direct enemy attack, and was awarded the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Bronze Star for Heroism after her death. Lane reminds us to appreciate those conducting the “behind the scenes” operations in war – nurses deserve the same respect that soldiers do.

  1. Tabe Mase

In the era of COVID-19, leading our country in a productive and healthy way is crucial, and can only be done through good leadership. This is exactly why we should thank nurse practitioner, Tabe Mase, for administering then President-Elect Biden’s first dose of the COVID vaccine, ensuring his health and safety through the remainder of the pandemic. Mase stated she felt “humbled” after giving the revolutionary vaccine to the country’s new leader, further stating that “[the] vaccine is safe. Our president-elect got the vaccine, I got the vaccine myself and we have been vaccinating our front-line workers and we intend to continue.” As nurses continue to fight COVID through vaccines, it is imperative that we recognize the importance of their work, and credit Mase with our President’s continued health.

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