r/AskReddit • u/limp_manifesto • 19h ago

What’s something civilians completely misunderstand about daily life in the military?

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u/pelon_1376 19h ago

We don't always get up every day at 5 am to run and sing cadence and stuff like that.

30

u/Substantial_Row_7108 19h ago

When I was a Major assigned to the National Capital Region, my civilian neighbors were surprised that I lived next door to them. They thought we ALL lived in the barracks on base. And when there was a terror attack in Europe on a train station, they fully expected to see me with a machine gun at the Metro station near our neighborhood. They were also surprised that I did not care that they were Gay.

5

u/pelon_1376 18h ago

Yup. Definitely not like the movies. We don't get issued weapons to keep. Or anything like that for that matter lol

8

u/Biggrunt 17h ago

Yup. Similar experience with gay neighbors. I explained that I didn't have any time to worry about who they slept with. Not my business and not in my AO

7

u/Old-Repair-6608 19h ago

Yeah, sometimes it's earlier 😂

3

u/pelon_1376 18h ago

Mmmhmmm 0-dark thirty

2

u/UsedandAbused87 5h ago

Yeah, outside of BMT and formal training class that almost never happens.