what are things in movies that are completely wrong about the military/special ops?”

The question of what movies commonly misrepresent about the military and special operations has been explored in several articles and discussions online. Various sources highlight inaccuracies such as erroneous portrayal of tactics, uniforms, language, and equipment, among others. Below are some of the identified inaccuracies and misrepresentations, compiled from different sources:

1. Basic Training and Military Discipline: Movies often oversimplify or dramatize military training and discipline, which can misrepresent the rigor and structure of actual military training​¹​.
2. Uniforms and Appearance: Films tend to get the details of military uniforms wrong. This includes incorrect patches, badges, or even entire uniforms that wouldn’t be worn or used in the manner shown​¹​.
3. Military Language and Lingo: The language used by military personnel is often inaccurately portrayed in films, either oversimplified or overly dramatized​²​.
4. Tactics and Protocol: Tactical movements, formations, and protocols are often misrepresented or overly simplified, leading to unrealistic portrayals of military operations​¹​.
5. Historical and Technical Inaccuracies: Movies sometimes take liberties with historical facts or technical details for the sake of drama or simplicity. For instance, the movie U-571 was criticized for its many historical and technical inaccuracies regarding a World War II German submarine boarded by American submariners to capture her Enigma cipher machine​³​.
6. Special Operations: Films like “American Sniper,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Lone Survivor,” and “Black Hawk Down” shape public perceptions of special operations, but often oversimplify or dramatize the complexity and scope of special operations commands​⁴​.
7. Snipers Sticking Barrels Out Windows: A common scene in movies is snipers sticking their barrels out windows, which is an incorrect portrayal as it is the opposite of what would be done in actual combat situations​²​.
8. Conversations on Helicopters Without Headsets: Movies often show characters having casual conversations on helicopters without using headsets, which is inaccurate due to the loud noise generated by helicopters​²​.
9. Use of Active Sonar in Submarines: The use of active sonar in submarines in movies is unrealistic as submarines are stealth platforms and using active sonar would give away their position​²​.

Conclusion: Movies often take liberties with the depiction of military and special operations for dramatic effect, which can lead to a misrepresentation of the reality of military life and operations. While these inaccuracies can provide entertainment value, they can also contribute to misconceptions among the general public regarding the military and special operations. Through various sources, a range of inaccuracies have been identified, shedding light on the gap between Hollywood’s portrayal and the actual military experience.