Quote Originally Posted by Randi View Post
I have to bump this up... one that John posted.

Warnings written on military Genuine warnings written on military equipment and publications:

"Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
Yep, right in the middle of the launcher tube on an M-72 Light Antitank Weapon.

Quote Originally Posted by Randi View Post
"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it.
That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance.
From a mid-vietnam era issue when they were first fielding the weapon. A chief I knew had that page framed.

Quote Originally Posted by Randi View Post
"No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection." - Joe Gay
The counterpoint to that one is "No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat"

My favorite military humor quotes are from the Germans and the Russians:

German staff officer post WW2:

The reason the American Army is so good at war is war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.

From a Russian LT's notebook:


One of the serious problems in planning the fight against American doctrine, is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine...