The French like to think that US troops are often the most dum (A popular saying states that the best way to survive an american bombing is to stang right on top the target) but our army is far from exempt of stupid behaviors.
My best friend had reached the rank of "Caporal Chef" (I don't know what it would be in US) in the artillery. He was assigned to driving trucks with artillery pieces behind. The only problem with this is that I know how he drive and that he failed his three attempt at getting a driving licence. The army refused to deliver him a truck diving (hum! driving, but in his case...) licence as well during his service. That might not be impressive but at least three trucks broke down under him.
The worse was during my service. One of the soldiers in the other company had a problem with his MAT-49 (Yes I have never seen a FAMAS). Wisely he raised his hand and turned his weapon toward his comrades standing at his left. Of course, the trigger went on: 1 dead and 3 wounded (including the commanding sergeant). Following that I always paid attention to whom I had on the left and on the right during an exercise. Actually, we quicly constituted a small group that could be trusted and sticked with eachother.
Another thing involved a kid that was in my section. He was 18, had just dropped out of Disney, and quickly started to think about suicide. We prevented that to happen (warning the sergeant who sincirely liked us after that). Saddly, he was (of course) assigned to the armory and three month later I received word of his death (he had blown his head of).
The last one is very different as it is the most striking method I ever heard of to avoid military service. A huge large black guy had been incorporated at my air base (a few months before I get there myself). As soon as the guy arrived he picked a sergeant and punched him hard (sending him to the hospital for three weeks
). The base Gendarmerie was called in (at least two ended in the hospital next to the sergeant
) and the guy was put into custody. An officer came in to escort him to the colonel and ended in the next hospital bed
. Hearing that, the colonel chose not to see the guy
and he was sent directly to a disciplinary Fusco Battalion (Fusillier Commando that are in charge of base protections). As soon as he got there, he sent three men (inluding a veteran adjudant) in their own hospital
. Of course, he ended up in jail again but a week later was thrown out of the army, becoming a civilian again (don't forget that this was a time of conscription).