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Basic training is not known to be a great place to joke around or cause trouble, but some people just don’t know when to behave.

That was the case with the friend of the guy in this story while in basic training. He was told by the drill sergeant that he needed to follow instructions immediately, exactly, and without hesitation.

So, that is just what his friend did, even when the drill sergeant clearly misspoke in his instructions.

It is a funny story, but you have to wonder if he paid for it in the end. Read through all the details below and see what you think.

A sergeant told my friend to listen to everything he said, he did

During BMT (Basic Military Training), my friend was rather a wild kid so the sergeants took aim to discipline him.

You don’t want extra attention when in basic training.

One day, after a 25km (15.53 miles) run, my friend was exhausted but had a grenade tossing training. The sergeant in charge again came to my friend to “Listen to everything he said”.

So my friend was first to do the training so here is what he said he remembered:

Sergeant: “Ok, hide behind the wall”

Let’s see what happens.

Complied

Sergeant: “Next, take the pin”

Complied

Sergeant: “Now remove the pin and throw it”

Wow. Funny, but not a good idea.

Complied

My friend took the pin out and threw the pin, leaving the grenade where it was and ran to the toilets.

He might have been technically right, but he might pay for it.

Although he was written up for an incident, my friend had the excuse, “The Sergeant told me to listen to everything he said and he did” no extra duty was given, but he became more focused after the incident.

It is hard to believe that the drill sergeant didn’t make him do extra push-ups or something. It isn’t often that you can get away with anything during basic training.

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Check out what the people in the comments have to say about this story.

This was not a smart thing to do.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a customer who wants to argue about an item they chose not being on sale.

Technically, he followed orders.

This guy says that he did exactly as he was told.

He was really pressing his luck, but he seems to have gotten away with it. That doesn’t often happen during basic training.

Let’s just hope that these were not live grenades that they were using.

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Author

Michael Levanduski

Senior Contributing Editor, Workplace & Community

Michael Levanduski is a veteran journalist and digital culture specialist with over 15 years of professional writing and research experience. While his background spans emerging technology and complex technical subjects, Michael specializes in analyzing workplace ethics, property disputes, and viral interpersonal dynamics across modern digital forums.

Since joining TwistedSifter in 2024, Michael has authored some of the publication’s most widely read coverage on corporate policy, malicious compliance, and neighborhood relations. Rather than simply aggregating online debates, he brings rigorous research, organizational context, and an empathetic editorial voice to everyday human dilemmas—transforming raw forum discussions into insightful, highly engaging narratives.

When he isn’t covering internet culture, Michael enjoys traveling, keeping up with tech trends, and spending time with his family. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn and Facebook.