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The military is often associated with strict discipline and unwavering professionalism. However, even the most dedicated soldiers occasionally give in to moments of immaturity, leading to outrageous and often inappropriate behavior. These instances, though rare, reveal a surprising and humorous side to military life.
10. A Young Arnold Schwarzenegger (Reportedly) Sparks a Risky Tank Race
It’s common knowledge among military personnel that tanks are not toys. Yet, every now and then, a mischievous soldier decides to take one of these armored vehicles for a reckless spin. One such soldier was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
During an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the actor and former governor shared a wild tale from his days in the Austrian Army. Schwarzenegger claimed he once engaged in a late-night tank race with a fellow soldier. The two sped downhill in separate tanks, crashing through bushes and trees in a reckless competition to determine which vehicle was faster.
While the stunt was already wildly irresponsible, Schwarzenegger added another layer of danger with his reckless actions. According to his account, he won the race despite driving an older tank. However, he admitted, “I completely forgot about the 15 infantrymen standing on top of my tank. They were holding on for dear life, and some even fell off. I could hear their screams the entire time.”
As punishment for his reckless tank antics, Schwarzenegger was made to endure a grueling six-hour mud obstacle course. Years later, after achieving fame, he tracked down and bought the very tank he had raced. He proudly displayed it at various charity events as a reminder of his mischievous past.
9. Soldiers Pilfer Military Vehicles in Daring Heists
Not all wild driving tales come from former military celebrities. Sometimes, ordinary individuals with extraordinary courage take the wheel, often leading to well-deserved legal consequences.
Consider the case of an 18-year-old British Army soldier stationed at Camp Hohne in Germany. In 2009, after consuming too much alcohol and lacking proper supervision, he hijacked a Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle. After crashing the first one, he stole another Scimitar and headed toward Bergen. His reckless joyride ended when he nearly hit a civilian, collided with a police car, and crashed into a tree, resulting in his immediate arrest.
This wasn’t the first time a soldier attempted such a daring theft. In 1987, a private at Colorado’s Fort Carson teamed up with a retired soldier to steal a 27-ton howitzer. Driven by the retiree’s desire to “go to war,” they led police on a 120-kilometer chase before their vehicle broke down in Denver. The pair was arrested, and the howitzer was humorously ticketed by police.
8. California’s National Guard Approves a Helicopter Joyride Beneath the Golden Gate Bridge
The HH-60 Pave Hawk, a modified Army Black Hawk helicopter used for rescue missions, requires a minimum cloud ceiling of 200 meters (700 ft) for safe operation. However, an NBC News investigation revealed that on a foggy day in San Francisco Bay, 40 National Guard members flew five Pave Hawks under the Golden Gate Bridge through dense fog, defying safety protocols.
To put it into perspective, California’s Golden Gate Bridge rises 227 meters (746 ft) tall, leaving only a 75-meter (245 ft) gap between the road and the ocean below. A seasoned military pilot consulted on the matter described flying under the bridge in fog as both dangerous and unnecessary. Equally troubling was the reported reason for the flight: anonymous sources claimed it was an “incentive flight,” a reward for outstanding performance, approved by two senior leaders.
Commanders Thomas Keegan and Matthew Wenthe, who led the helicopters under the bridge, faced minimal repercussions—Wenthe received a letter of reprimand, and both were later promoted. NBC’s investigation revealed this leniency reflected a broader culture of tolerance within California’s National Guard, which, despite its proud history, had a troubling pattern of ignoring issues like sexual harassment, assault, and racism.
7. German Soldiers Disrespect the Dead
Outside of Halloween or Hamlet, a human skull is rarely seen as a prop for amusement—especially not in a war zone. In 2006, German soldiers stationed in Afghanistan sparked outrage at home when photos surfaced of them posing with human remains from a mass grave in macabre photoshoots.
The images, leaked by the German tabloid Bild Zeitung, revealed a shocking disregard for the deceased. One photo showed a soldier kissing a skull perched on his flexed arm, while another featured a skull placed near a soldier’s exposed groin. Other pictures depicted bones arranged to spell out soldiers’ names. This behavior starkly contradicted the German military’s reputation for discipline and humanitarian values, leaving the public furious.
The 2006 incident was not an isolated case. During the three years German troops were stationed in Afghanistan, posing with human remains became a common activity and even a social ritual. One soldier claimed that refusing to participate would label someone as overly sensitive. Soldiers from other nations were also rumored to have joined in. However, the German government dismissed claims of peer pressure and worried that such blatant disrespect for the dead could provoke terrorist retaliation.
Two soldiers were suspended, and Germany’s visibly frustrated chancellor, Angela Merkel, vowed strict consequences for the misconduct. However, as an American Iraq War veteran noted on Deutsche Welle, desecrating corpses is almost expected in war zones. Punishing it would be like “issuing speeding tickets at the Indy 500.”
6. Military Members Trigger Airport Security Alarms
Most people would consider staging an airport security breach as incredibly foolish. However, Matthew Monaghan, a 19-year-old British Army soldier, thought otherwise. In 2008, while wrapping up a prank-filled trip to Scotland with friends, Monaghan decided to end the trip with a laugh. He and a friend hid a water gun and a toy pistol in their companions’ luggage. When airport security missed the fake weapons during screening, Monaghan took it upon himself to draw attention to them in the worst possible way.
Monaghan grabbed the water gun from his friend’s bag and began waving it around. Security quickly intervened, and Monaghan gleefully declared that his other friend also “[had] a gun,” failing to mention it was a toy. The airport’s response was swift: Monaghan and his group were removed from their flight, and he spent three days in jail.
Monaghan isn’t the only one who should have known better. US Air Force airman Jeremy Sawyer also made headlines in September 2013. Just five months after the Boston Marathon bombing, Sawyer arrived at Logan International Airport to find the USO lounge closed. Frustrated and in a mischievous mood, he joked, “What am I supposed to do with this pressure cooker?” before launching into a tirade about the bombing and military leave.
Sawyer was arrested and released on $2,500 bail. Later, a judge dismissed the charges after he admitted to his ill-considered remarks.
5. West Point Cadets Turn a Pillow Fight into a Bloody Mess
West Point Military Academy is renowned for shaping exceptional soldiers and leaders, with alumni like Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Dwight Eisenhower. Given this legacy, one might assume its cadets are models of discipline. However, during an official pillow fight, things took a violent turn, proving even future leaders can lose control.
West Point’s pillow fight tradition, dating back to 1897, serves as a freshman bonding activity following a grueling summer of basic training. Historically, the event has been injury-free, as pillow fights are typically harmless. However, the 2015 freshman class transformed it into a chaotic and bloody ordeal.
While some cadets followed the advice of supervising upperclassmen by wearing helmets or body armor, others used their helmets as weapons by stuffing them into pillowcases. The result was over 30 injuries, including 24 concussions. Some cadets were knocked unconscious, others dislocated shoulders, and one reportedly suffered a broken leg.
Despite the severity of the injuries, many cadets embraced the chaos. One upperclassman praised a freshman who, after being knocked out, got back up and kept fighting. As one freshman put it, “If you don’t end up with a bloody nose, you didn’t try hard enough.” While students openly discussed the event, school officials remained silent. No cadets faced punishment, aside from the self-inflicted damage.
4. A British Soldier Pranks Drivers with a Fake Traffic Stop
Aydn Walster, a 22-year-old lance bombardier in the British Army with experience in Afghanistan, was not only a dedicated soldier but also a self-appointed driving enthusiast. His obsession with road safety led him to playfully stop fellow soldiers at his barracks for what he considered poor driving. However, his prank didn’t stay within his social circle—he soon began targeting unsuspecting civilians.
Since lance bombardiers lack the authority to issue tickets, Walster pretended to be a police officer. To complete the act, he bought flashing blue lights on eBay and installed them on his Saab. With his car convincingly outfitted, he started pulling over drivers he deemed reckless, even recording their details in a notebook. On one occasion, he went as far as instructing a driver to sit in the back of his “police” car as if under arrest.
While Walster found his prank hilarious, others did not. A suspicious driver reported him to the police, leading to his arrest for impersonating an officer. He was fined £835 and faced the serious possibility of being discharged from the military.
3. Australian Special Forces Take Extreme Risks in Afghanistan
Popular culture often portrays war as a mix of epic battles, solemn reflection, camaraderie, and fear. However, it rarely depicts the kind of reckless antics reminiscent of Jackass. Yet, a DVD series featuring Australia’s Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) revealed that soldiers in high-stakes environments can outdo even Johnny Knoxville in sheer audacity.
Titled The Fist, the DVD series was produced by a former SOTG commando turned filmmaker. It captures soldiers in Afghanistan engaging in reckless and often dangerous behavior. The footage shows intoxicated commandos brawling, fishing with grenades while swimming, and playing golf in areas vulnerable to enemy fire. At times, they exercise or sunbathe in hostile zones without protective gear. One particularly alarming stunt involved rolling a boulder downhill toward a civilian road.
This series of immature and risky actions may have had serious consequences. According to an expert from Australian National University’s Strategic Defense Center, procedural negligence led to the deaths of at least two Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. Despite endangering themselves and their comrades, the commandos faced no significant repercussions. While the Australian Army claimed some were disciplined, a Defense Ministry investigation revealed this to be completely false. In the context of their harrowing duties, even such misconduct might seem somewhat excusable.
2. A Soldier’s Fire Extinguisher Prank Leads to Tragic Consequences
The saying goes that tragedy plus time equals comedy, but in 2006, a moment of impulsive humor led to lasting devastation. Like many incidents on this list, alcohol played a role, but the outcome was unimaginable. Welsh Army private Gavin Williams, heavily intoxicated at a regimental ball, sprayed a fire extinguisher on a guest of Captain Mark Davis. That reckless act ultimately cost Williams his life.
The next morning, Williams was summoned to meet Captain Davis, but with a condition. Davis wanted Williams physically exhausted before their meeting, allegedly to make the potentially unruly private more compliant. Witnesses claimed Davis insisted Williams be brought to him “panting like a dog.” This was interpreted as permission to subject Williams to a “beasting,” an unofficial and grueling punishment involving extreme physical exertion.
Three officers forced the 22-year-old to march briskly for an hour under the summer sun while carrying a heavy rucksack. He was then made to perform intense gym exercises for half an hour. The ordeal caused Williams’s body temperature to rise 5 degrees Celsius (9 °F) above normal. Overwhelmed, he collapsed multiple times and begged for mercy, but was still forced to continue with overhead thrusts while marching to the hospital. Williams later succumbed to heat stroke.
Captain Davis and the officers responsible for Williams’s fatal punishment faced manslaughter charges, but all were eventually acquitted. In 2014, an inquest was launched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the private’s tragic death.
1. A Bored Sergeant Destroys an ATM
In 1988, Russel Spahr, a newly promoted sergeant from White Oak, Pennsylvania, had built a reputation as a reliable and hardworking soldier during his six-year tenure in the US Army. His commanding officer described him as a “solid soldier” with a promising future. However, his career took a drastic turn when he decided to blow up a bank ATM for amusement.
During a summer leave, Spahr, under the influence of alcohol, concluded that destroying a cash machine was a brilliant idea. He had previously taken a grenade simulator—a training device filled with black powder—from his base. Around 2:00 AM, he headed to a local bank and targeted an ATM, unleashing the explosive device.
The blast destroyed the ATM and left a gap in the bank’s wall. Spahr’s military career was the only thing that didn’t survive the incident. He was dishonorably discharged, despite his previous potential for advancement, and sentenced to five years of probation. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $4,275 for the bank’s repairs.
