Hats Go Boom
Clark asked Doft if tankers had any unit rituals or something they’d only do. Doft says they’d take a new platoon leader or new company commander’s cover and put it in the main gun. During the main gun qualification on the tank range, the tank commander says, “fire.” The hat gets vaporized in the gun tube, and everyone says, “He sent his own cover, downrange.” Another ritual is duct tapping new arrivals to the main gun tube. They elevate them and spin them until they vomit or laugh too much. Doft says unlike other infantry, tankers have fun.