Strange Military Traditions

Ever heard of a military approved roof stomp? Learn how to carry one out properly, the necessary stompage tempo required and the correct vocal decibel level for maximum output of beer and commander’s appraisal.

Find out how eleven notorious Gold Wing Brotherhood Marines had ensured they would forever remember their new jump pins, why flaming pianos bring tears to RAF members’ eyes, the correct way to use your sword at a U.S. Navy wedding, as well as the historical period in which being drunk cured you of scurvy, and the legendary pillow fights of West Point Academy.

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Credit:
Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Script: Script Writer: Natasha Martell
Narrator:

Chris Kane

Sources:
Brzozowske, Brooke Lt. “CGOC returns porch stomp to Warren colonels.” F.E Warren Air Force Base, February 20, 2009.

Coles-Aldridge, Alec. “What is a piano burning ceremony?” Pianist Magazine, July 25, 2018.

Curtis, Wayne. And a bottle of rum: A history of the new world in ten cocktails. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2007.

Denson, Marie Lt. “CGOs stomp the wing commander’s house.” 50th Space Wing Public Affairs. Last modified November 8, 2010.

Dowty, Jonathan C. Christian Fighter Pilot is not an oxymoron. Jonathan C. Dowty, 2007. 

Kilner, Peter “Blood-Pinning Helps The Military Do Its Job.” Roanoke Times, March 11, 1997. 

McIntyre, Jamie. “10 Marines to be disciplined for blood-winging incident.” CNN, March 27, 1997.

Phillips, Dave, “At West Point Annual Pillow Fight Becomes Weaponized.” NYTimes, September 4, 2015.

Pietrek, Matt. "Setting the Record Straight on British Navy Rum." Cocktailwonk, December 5, 2019.

“RNZN and the Rum Issue.” Torpedo Bay Navy Museum. 

Saber Instructions. “Arch of Sabers Ceremony.” Westpoint.

Stilwell, Blake. “Why the Royal Air Force Burns Pianos Every Year.” Military.

"US West Point military academy bans mass pillow fights." BBC, November 26, 2015.

Zlotnick, Sarah “These are 9 Traditions You Can Expect to See at a Military Wedding.” Brides. Last modified July 15, 2022.

[DarknetDude]

One strange military tradition was my father kicking me in the face several times. Although I'm a little confused, because he's NOT in the military, he just wears a lot of camouflage.

[morfan]

Having to sit through Raid: Shadow Legends ads in damn near every youtube video is far more painful than earning my bloodwings ever was.

[jeffery]

A tradition in most military flight schools is the wet-down.
After a student pilot finished their first solo flight, their peers would douse the solo pilot with water.
This started when the carrier pilots of WW2 would land after a long combat flight.
The pilots usually had to hold off going to the bathroom until they landed.
Doing a carrier landing with a full bladder and being scared stiff usually ended with the pilot pissing in their flight suits.
On one occasion, news crews were filming the returning pilots.
A plane's crew chief wanted to spare his pilot the embarrassment of wetting themselves on camera by pouring water on the pilot while explaining that the pilots would overheat in the cockpit and required cooling off.
This became a tradition that is still used in most military flight schools.
This wet-down was also used to celebrate a pilot's last flight before retiring.

[jayce]

The blood wing tradition is actually something that carries across to other schools, MOSs and even units sometimes when a promotion is done. Engineers still do this when they get the castle on their collar and it’s is punched in near the collar bone and although it isn’t allowed and is considered hazing it still happens sometimes.

[pawepaw]

Theres a tradition in Polish arliterry that when you finish the traning you need to drink a "special brew" straight from an used artilerry shell

[ekhozo]

Here in Mexico, something similar to the "blood wings" is done upon graduating from the Special Forces Basic Training Course, when the trainees receive the insignia known as the "vampire tag".

[cryingtoradioheadisntgay]

Blood wings are common but it’s not after basic, it’s usually after jump school

[krazeekalvin]

Pinning and punched in was what it was called when I was in and sometime it was rubbed in roughly. I had no problems with it and would proudly go through it again. You earned it.

[nickname_presentable]

Imagine having such a wild pillow fight that it becomes a centuries old long-lasting military tradition

[sonofnergal]

Most common military tradition is pretending you’re that guy when you never were

[scrimshaw]

I got my blood wings from the US Army Airborne school in the 2000s. I also had my combat medical badge "punched in" on our way back from Afghanistan. With the airborne wings we were asked if we wanted them beforehand. Not so much with the combat badge. Good times 😄

[GameTavern]

Leave it to a few idiots to ruin something as fun as a pillow fight

[blitzkrieg]

As a separated Airman myself I can say during my time bloodwinging wasn't really popular (at least among enlisted), however, whenever someone made the next rank it's still common for the people who are that rank already or higher to form a line on both sides of the individual and punch them on the arm where their rank patches are located. It's the other members' way of stating to the newbie to not let the increase in rank get to your head.

[satyakisil]

The Paratrooper Special Forces of the Indian Army has a tradition of drinking a glass of rum and then chewing and eating the glass itself, crushing the glass with teeth and gums.

[jaskapenttila]

We had a funny tradition in our basic training in the Finnish Defense Forces.

Every night we had an inspection of our rooms done by our foremen (usually done by Corporals or other older/senior servicemen like Jägers) to see if the room has been kept clean up to the company standard and to see if we can make our beds and fold our day covers neatly. And usually it's accompanied by an announcement done by one of the rooms recruits. This too has it's knacks for it. When someone bites the bullet and goes to do the announcement he has to nod at the inspector and the inspector has nod back at him/her who then has to walk about 3 meters in front of the inspector and nod again and give the announcement that the room is ready for his/her inspection. The shenanigans begin if the inspector is facing the window and says that he wants an announcement. So one of the recruits has to walk outside in front of the window and yell the instructor the announcement to the second floor. It's even better when the snows been piling up.

[farmershane]

Getting my cross rifles pinned was one of the most important days of my life.

[jamesmadison]

I remember during basic training in 2015 that we took our pillows and raided the next door barracks and straight up committed a pillow fight with our fellow soldiers. it was fun lol.

[SabreVellerium]

my father's tradition was to get milk, still waiting on him to this day.

[richardm]

The only painful adornment I've ever worn was a wedding ring.

[masonparker]

I think an episode on The Zodiac Killer investigation would be awesome