General
chem light batteries
What does chem light batteries mean?
A classic snipe-hunt errand: new troops are sent to find batteries for chemical light sticks, which contain no batteries at all.
"The FNG spent an hour hunting for chem light batteries."
Origin
US military hazing tradition.
Frequently asked questions
What are 'chem light batteries'?
They're a fictional item — new troops are sent to find batteries for chemical light sticks, which glow by a chemical reaction and contain no batteries at all.
Why is asking for 'chem light batteries' a joke?
It's a classic snipe-hunt used to haze the new guy: the batteries don't exist, so the errand is a pointless wild-goose chase that reveals who's green.
What is an 'FNG'?
It stands for the crude term for the new arrival — the greenest member of a unit, the usual target of prank errands like this one.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
