5 ethical ways troops can avoid working on the weekend

Moments of levity are a must. It's those little moments of relaxation that give our nation's war fighters the rest they need operate at peak efficiency. That, and everyone would rather spend their downtime drunk than sitting at battalion staff duty on their day off.

Nobody wants to get a call informing them that their weekend plans have officially gone to sh*t. We know you don't want to do it, but we're going to advise against going AWOL, getting locked up, ending up in the hospital, or flat-out telling your superior to f*ck off. There are a few ethical ways to wiggle your way back into doing nothing productive until Monday.

"Nope... I don't see that '09 Mustang bought at 39% interest rate... he must be gone already."

(Photo by Sgt. Melissa Bright)

Park somewhere else

Form habits. Let everyone know your routine.

If you park your car in the exact same place, day in and day out, pretty soon, that'll become the go-to indicator of your presence. If, one day, you happen to park your car in the other parking lot, they'll take a quick glance and assume you're not there. Now just be sure to keep your phone on silent and never answer your door.

"I'm so sorry, I'd love to help, but I got this thing. Yes. That totally legit thing."

(Photo by Airmen 1st Class Dana Cable)

Be busy

Someone has pull staff duty or charge of quarters (CQ). The goal here isn't to screw over the unit, it's to hot potato that responsibility onto someone else.

If you let your superior know that you've got responsibilities that you can't or "can't" wiggle out of, like "helping someone in your unit move," they'll probably pick that other guy.

Bonus points if you tell them you'll be somewhere without service and you just turn your phone off.

(Photo by Airmen 1st Class Frank Rohrig)

Be out of town

Let everyone know you've got big plans. Be obnoxious about it. Everyone from the lowest private to the battalion commander should know that your ass has tickets to whatever.

If you plan on having fun, whoever is coming to ruin your weekend should know well in advance that you're not going to be anywhere near.

If they do take the time to go check the paperwork and you were bullshitting, then plausible deniability is your only way out...

(Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Morales)

Put in a 4-day pass (or say you did)

Having a piece of paperwork that says the commander has approved you to do nothing all weekend is great. Take a photo of it with your phone and send it along any time someone asks you what you're doing.

Or, if the NCO is out on the prowl, trying to find some lower-enlisted to pull CQ and you feel like your poker face is good enough, go ahead and say your 4-day pass is up at battalion and hope they don't call your bluff.

Just keep one by the door, if you have to.

(Photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Magbanua)

Be drunk or "drunk"

If there's any tried-and-true method that every member of the E-4 Mafia and LCpl Underground know too well, it's this one: Never answer your door without a bottle of beer in your hands.

It doesn't matter if you've actually been drinking; it doesn't matter if it's 0900. There's no way you can go to some BS duty if you might be intoxicated. Always keep that in mind.