The Biggest Military Prank Ever? - True Story Behind "Warrior Companion"

Two chairs. One confession. In this episode I sit down with AJ Merrifield — the soldier who kicked off the biggest prank in U.S. military history.

He and a buddy decided to “see what would happen” if they replaced the word Battle Buddy with “Warrior Companion.” What followed: staged DFAC arguments, a forged “ALARACT,” SIPR/NIPR fax shenanigans, panicked formations, a Stars & Stripes “Rumor Doctor,” and even a four-star casually repeating the fake policy.

We cover exactly how the hoax worked, why nobody could trace it, how it spread from Kuwait to Iraq to OCS and inter-service schools, and why Special Operations retention officers were fielding calls over a rumor that never existed.

We also get into AJ’s cult-classic comic Bob on the FOB, the origin of the words FOBbit and TOC-Roach, inspired panels that ended up posted outside the Joint Chiefs’ office.

If you’ve ever served, you know PNN (Private News Network) is undefeated. This is the ultimate case study in how one confident memo and a couple rehearsed arguments can hijack an entire institution.

If you like the merch in the video, you can get it here at themandatoryfunday.com. Join the MandatoryMafia and get 20% off all purchases forever, plus you get access to exclusive video content, members only merch, and you can even message me directly. I will read every single one. Click the link below and use discount code “NEWMEMBER” for a 50% discount on your first month of membership.