Why do Special Operations guys "Go Commando"?
I know it's a ridiculous question but Howard Wasdin "SEAL Team Six", various ex-SAS authors, SEALs, Royal Marines, my cousin in the Parachute Regiment, Eric Haney of "The Unit" fame, and a close family friend who was a USAFPJ (verified - he was based here in the UK at the huge USAF base in Norfolk) all go on about how they downright refuse to wear underwear, EVER.
It wouldn't bother them if they had to change trousers in relative public, e.g. in the restroom of a restaurant - they wash communally anyway - but the family-friend just winked at me and said "Easy access when you see a pretty girl". Now that's funny and a good thing to do, but surely this isn't the real reason!?
I know it's a bone question to ask and I'm sure it'll be answered in due course, as I plan to follow that career path myself and am preparing hard for it now, but this is a light-hearted yet bamboozling subject!
Merry Christmas!
Update:Dylan - I know of this. I heard that it came from the British Commandos in WWII, fighting the Japanese in Burma (like The Chindits), to stop "jungle rot" down there.
What I mean is, wearing just trousers/jeans to a bar or club, even on formal events. Running/PT = PT shorts but no underwear, shopping with the family = jeans without underwear.
One thing I know is that, in practice, it's a lot more comfortable. No, I didn't try it 'because SoF do it' - I tried it out to see WHY they did it, and it's a comfy way to dress!
Comments
Going commando is a term that came from the military. Men out in the field prefer going commando because it helps avoid chaffing and it can also be more convenient. It was after the Vietnam War that going commando hit the civilian world and then became popular among TV shows and celebrities.
You may be asking "What does going commando mean?" First off, if you are asking this, then you must have lived a sheltered life because almost everyone knows what it means. But for the few that don't here's the gist of it. Going commando means to leave the underwear at home, go with out underwear, "let it all hang out" and whatever other definitions people use to describe it.
Going commando started with the commandos in the military. During long marches or spending extended periods of time in the heat and having to do a lot of movement, chaffing would occur. This was due to the underwear soaking up the sweat and staying moist. When the commandos were marching or out in the field doing a long of movement whether it be crawling through the jungle or climbing up mountains, the movement would cause the underwear to rub against the skin which then resulted in chaffing. Many of the commandos stopped wearing their underwear to avoid the chaffing.
The other reason the commandos would stop wearing underwear under their uniform was for the convenience of it. If the commandos were out in battle and had to stay hidden from the enemy, they could not do a lot of moving around because it could give away their position. When on a mission to get somewhere, commandos didn't have time to stop. If they did stop, it had to be briefly. By not wearing underwear the commandos could use the bathroom more effectively. If they were laying on the ground hiding, then it would require less movement to urinate. When a mission came up to go somewhere, they might deal with bowel movements. Some commandos would cut a hole in their BDU's so they wouldn't have to bother removing their pants. With out having underwear get in the way, this made the process even easier. This mean they could stop, take care of business, and be on the way in no time.
As time went on, going commando caught on with the rest of the world. After the Vietnam War, some campuses caught on to the term. Many used it to mean, "toughening up." It also caught on to other countries such as Chile. In Chile they say, "andar a lo gringo" which means to go about as the Americans.
As the years went on, it began to hit more and more people, in fact, going commando even made it on the TV. Shows like Friends, and That 70's Show threw it in to a few episodes.
Due to is popularity, going commando finally made it's way into a holiday. March 9th is Go Commando Day. Perhaps in honor of the Commando's who fought in past wars and in honor of the men who still fight today, you will go commando on March 9th.
Guys Gone Commando
The phrase comes from the SEALs in Vietnam. They wouldn't wear underwear under their cammies cause they were in water for hours. Eventually it became a tradition. They don;t do it anymore, but it comes up.
They probably do it in the civilian world out of habit, and maybe to add more danger to their life. No gun is quite as deadly as zipping up your jeans and catching extremely sensitive flesh in the zipper.
When operating in hot, humid conditions, wearing underwear can lead to all sorts of fun fungal infections.
It's not like that any more, but usually it's because of water or heat.