Skip to content
DUFFEL BLOG

Free military brief. No CAC required.

For more than a decade, we've deployed pitch perfect satire to service members around the world.

Join thousands of troops, veterans, and defense insiders who read Duffel Blog before breakfast.

“A must-read for national security nerds.”

—The Daily Beast
Subscribe form

Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

14years publishing
4,200+dispatches filed
17,000+readers briefed

The Duffel Brief · the free edition, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Vol. 15 · No. 125 · Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Pentagon

US to livestream execution of Ukraine

White House promises largest pay-per-view military event in history

Iran condemns US plan to livestream execution as barbaric

Vetbro apparel company pivots from stupid shirts to aggressively homoerotic ones

Three editions a week, paid for by our subscribers

Vol. 15 · No. 125

Worldwide edition

Reader supported

Delivered 3× weekly

America's most trusted military news source

Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 125 · Deployed worldwide

Tuesday

20 October 2026

1650 Zulu

Next edition Wednesday

← Front page
· Page 2

Duffel Blog presents: The top 5 excuses for avoiding a retirement ceremony

"I was giving Medusa a ride and accidentally looked at her and now I’m stone."

Filed · 1404

YOUR BASE — It happens every year. We’re minding our own business when suddenly that staff sergeant or chief petty officer who made your life a living hell so many years ago has asked you to attend their inevitable retirement ceremony. If you frequently find yourself dreading the very sight of the NCO who puts the “petty” in “petty officer,” longing for the day where you never have to hear that grating, spit-spraying voice again, then here are a few believable excuses to get you out of the event without surrendering to the desire to walk into a wood chipper.

Look, you guys go way back, and they probably think of you as a supportive and delightful friend since they insisted on you accepting their Facebook friend request. It's just that you remember them as self-serving, toxic, and micromanaging sociopaths who somehow made it this far without a sexual harassment hearing. Besides, you’re a busy person, and that bottle of Dewars isn’t going to finish itself.

So, if you're trying to flake without looking disrespectful, here are a few tried-and-true excuses to free you up and skip the Food Lion face cake:

  1. I was giving Medusa a ride and accidentally looked at her and now I’m stone.

Also on this page

Your Cart

Your cart is empty

Browse the shop to find something you like.

Continue Shopping →
Subtotal

Add more for free shipping.

✓ You qualify for free shipping!