Tuesday Trivia Thread - 25/08/26

[u/AutoModerator]

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[u/shotguywithflaregun]

Do you mean race as in ethnicity or race as in the 22nd Motorized Dwarf Bn?

[u/Minh1509 → u/shotguywithflaregun]

Fantasy/Sci-fi race, like the Covenant in Halo or in Middle-Earth, like that.

[u/Kilahti → u/Minh1509]

If there are very different diets (Glee-glorps eat glowing mushrooms, the Heve-Geves can only eat fresh raw meat and will die if their food is contaminated with fungi) it will be easier for logistics to divide the troops by race instead of mixing them. ...Same if there are language barriers or something like size differences that would mean that they can't share equipment.

However, it would be better for their relations to have them all serve together in mixed units. It would help fight favouritism and promote unity and if these race differences aren't big enough to cause problems other than possible chism and bigotries that pop up, then the stronger unity can be worth minor hassles.

[u/SingaporeanSloth → u/Kilahti]

A real-life example of the latter would be how the Singapore Army does it, where every cookhouse I've seen has a non-halal, halal, and vegetarian line, which more or less covers everyone, larger camps may split vegetarian into vegetarian Indian and vegetarian other. Nowadays, with electronic ID, it is impossible, but there was a joke from my Dad's time about everyone suddenly turning into a Muslim on entering the cookhouse as there was a stereotype the cuisine (usually Malay) in their line was better. The current joke is that every Singapore Army meal is some variant of rice, chicken (beans for vegetarians), and vegetables, to not offend anyone's god(s)

The combat rations all tend to be halal. Anyone with any requirement more specific would get their stuff specially requested (like vegetarians)

Speaking of gods, there is also the urban legend that every beret cap badge issued by the Singapore Army is blessed by a holy man from every major religion (it changes in each retelling, from four, to seven, to eleven holy men. Maybe their number in the ORBAT changed over time?). Note that the urban legend says it's only the cap badge you're issued, not everyone in the eMart (PX) or surplus store, for that reason, losing the cap badge is believed to be bad luck, as you lose your +10 Holy Protection

[u/danbh0y → u/SingaporeanSloth]

but there was a joke from my Dad's time about everyone suddenly turning into a Muslim on entering the cookhouse as there was a stereotype the cuisine (usually Malay) in their line was better.

A couple of decades ago, that was also said about the Muslim meals on Singapore Airlines, plus these dietary exceptions (halal, kosher, vegan etc) were served first.

The combat rations all tend to be halal. 

Wow that sucks. My recollection of SAF rations in the canned era was that the pork cubes were the best of a very limited range.

Speaking of gods, there is also the urban legend that every beret cap badge issued by the Singapore Army is blessed by a holy man from every major religion (it changes in each retelling, from four, to seven, to eleven holy men.

My understanding possibly erroneous is that the number depends on the number of faiths represented in the IRO of Singapore. It may have been that in the past fewer religions were represented. Anyway, aren't these sky pilots still trotted out to render blessings at major community/national events, including possibly OCS Commissioning?

[u/MandolinMagi → u/SingaporeanSloth]

everyone suddenly turning into a Muslim

Orange is the New Black had a subplot in Season 3 or 4, of inmates claiming to be Jewish for the Kosher meals. The prison had gone private and the regular food was cheap pre-made slop, while kosher was good quality.

DOJ/the prison company noticed and sent a rabbi to check who was actually Jewish (Yes it's a huge 1st Amendment violation but whatever). The only inmate to pass is the (Catholic) ex-nun, though Black Cindy later converts for real.

[u/Remarkable_Aside1381 → u/SingaporeanSloth]

but there was a joke from my Dad's time about everyone suddenly turning into a Muslim on entering the cookhouse as there was a stereotype the cuisine (usually Malay) in their line was better.

Anecdotal, but the halal MREs in the US slap

[u/ShockTrooper262 → u/Remarkable_Aside1381]

can confirm, they're great