[iamdave]

The joke in that scene always baffled me, because the Marines are born of the Navy and still carry a lot of the Navy's epistemology-why would they be taught something so fundamental so differently?

(Yes it's a joke but sometimes I overthink things, heh)

[jldugger]

I've also seen it as Harvard and MIT graduates, then someone comes in, washes his hands first, saying "at Yale, they taught us to wash our hands before touching a holy object."

[tpfour]

Quite OT but I almost always wash my hands _before_ (and after) using the restroom. Especially in a public place, it always made sense to me to do it before and after. It seems much more hygienic both for the "holy object" and other people!

[walshemj]

I was told that if your work in a chemical plant or a chip fab you learn to wash your hands before you don't want chemicals on sensitive parts

And of course you don't know what germs etc are on the taps :-)

[TomMarius]

You usually use gloves though

[walshemj]

Yes so there is nothing wrong with an extra layer :-) ask any medical practitioner why the put gloves on after they wash their hands.

[jessaustin]

I thought one of the advantages of the "holey" variety was that you don't have to put your hands on anything to piss... ehh, Eli.

[jsmthrowaway]

The original joke involved simply the demonym for the servicemember and can be used with any service, and says “they teach sailors/soldiers/airmen to ...” and “well they teach marines/etc ...,” which would probably make you less confused by the joke. I heard that joke growing up involving airmen in both directions of the joke, and it was common until that film.

Relatedly, in case you don’t know this, never think you can call a marine a sailor based on the lineage you’re discussing here. Soldier is also only an appropriate term for someone in the Army, and there are countless films that screw this up. It’s less about the service and more of an identity.

[iamdave]

Relatedly, in case you don’t know this, never think you can call a marine a sailor based on the lineage you’re discussing here.

As an Army veteran (who doesn't really like announcing himself as such when doesn't add to the discussion), quite well aware. I do-however make light-hearted jokes about Crayons from time-to-time ;) It's a fun sibling rivalry we have, the Army and the Corps.