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“Embrace the suck” is a military idiom spread into mainstream use by Col Austin Bay in his 2007 book “Embrace the Suck: A Pocket Guide to Milspeak.”

In the first edition of his book, Bay wrote “Embrace the suck” isn’t merely a wisecrack; it’s a raw epigram based on encyclopedic experience. Face it soldier, I’ve been there. This ain’t easy.”

It is this shared experience of misery, fear, hardship and sacrifice that forms the immutable bond between those who have served together in uniform.

A photo recently shared on the Facebook page of Terminal Lance, a webcomic for Marines, shows a huddled mass of soaking wet troops packed tightly together under a single poncho. A single wet Marine looks on, realizing there’s no room for him to seek protection.

The wry caption says “No NCO’s allowed.” Yes, it was a miserable moment, but it was also likely unforgettable for everyone in that photo.

John Spencer, a retired Army officer and chair of urban warfare studies at West Point’s Modern War Institute explains, “Misery can be extremely bonding. Suffering together physically, emotionally but knowing others next to you are in the exact same situation.”

Embracing the suck forms strong cohesive bonds among service members during adverse times, and helps them keep their spirits up in combat when their situation is likely to be far worse than the weather.

The idea of embracing the suck is a rather Buddhist concept. When we try to deny what is happening, we create suffering. When we minimize expectations, surrender to the moment, and embrace our lives totally (even the sucky parts), we are able to endure and progress.

No one knows this better than our men and women of the armed forces.

The idea of looking back fondly on unpleasant experiences may seem foreign to some, but it’s part and parcel of military service.

But it’s also why troops have developed such wicked senses of humor. It’s a way of embracing the suck and finding either something funny or positive about it.

Here’s some funny ones, no doubt moments these soldiers will never forget.

And here’s one in Marine infantryman’s own words. Lance Cpl. Eric Cuneo recalled his own uncomfortable but memorable experience training in Latvia in 2017. After running day and night ranges, he and other exhausted Marines were ordered to build shelters and of course, it had started raining.

“I was fucking wet and cold and tired as hell and just wanted to get some sleep without getting rained on,” said Cuneo.

Some of the platoon members used moss and sticks to reinforce their shelters, but Cueno and his best friend Lance Cpl. Tyler Beverly put together the quickest, simplest solution. “We were miserable,” he said. Yet it was the first thing he remembered when asked about a time of simultaneous misery and happiness in the military.
It’s one of my most fond memories now.