NOTE: The author of this work is unknown. It has been circulating freely since the Vietnam conflict and is now considered to be within the public domain.

1. You are not a superman.

2. If it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid.

3. Don’t look conspicuous — it draws fire.

4. When in doubt, empty your magazine.

5. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.

6. Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.

7. If your attack is going really well, it’s an ambush.

8. No plan survives the first contact intact.

9. All five-second grenade fuses will burn down in three.

10. Try to look unimportant because the bad guys may be low on

ammo.

11. If you are forward of your position, the artillery will fall short.

12. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.

13. The important things are always simple.

14. The simplest things are always hard.

15. The easy way is always mined.

16. If you are short of everything except enemy, you are in combat.

17. When you have secured an area, don’t forget to tell the enemy.

18. Incoming fire has the right of way.

19. Friendly fire — isn’t.

20. If the enemy is in range, SO ARE YOU!

21. Beer math is 2 beers X 37 men = 49 cases.

22. No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection.

23. Body count math is 2 dead guerrillas + 1 portable + 2 pigs = 37

enemy killed in action.

24. Things that must be together to work usually can’t be shipped

together.

25. Radios will fail as soon as you desperately need fire support.

26. Anything you do can get you shot, including doing nothing.

27. Tracers work both ways.

28. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming

friendly fire.

29. Make it tough for the enemy to get in and you can’t get out.

30. If you take more than your fair share of objectives you’ll have

more than your fair share of objectives to take.

31. When both sides are convinced that they are about to lose, they’re

both right.

32. Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of

amateurs.