Stripes (1981)

Warren Oates: Sgt. Hulka

Photos 

Quotes 

• Psycho : The name's Francis Soyer, but everybody calls me Psycho. Any of you guys call me Francis, and I'll kill you.

  Leon : Ooooooh.

  Psycho : You just made the list, buddy. And I don't like nobody touching my stuff. So just keep your meat-hooks off. If I catch any of you guys in my stuff, I'll kill you. Also, I don't like nobody touching me. Now, any of you homos touch me, and I'll kill you.

  Sergeant Hulka : Lighten up, Francis.

• Sergeant Hulka : Okay, Mr. Push-ups, let's hear your story.

  John Winger : Chicks dig me, because I rarely wear underwear and when I do it's usually something unusual. But now I know why I have always lost women to guys like you. I mean, it's not just the uniform. It's the stories that you tell. So much fun and imagination.

  [points to the soldier next to him] 

  John Winger : Lee Harvey, you are a madman. When you stole that cow, and your friend tried to make it with the cow. I want to party with you, cowboy. If the two of us together, forget it. I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'm gonna volunteer my leadership to this platoon. An army without leaders is like a foot without a big toe. And Sergeant Hulka isn't always gonna be here to be that big toe for us. I think that we owe a big round of applause to our newest, bestest buddy, and big toe... Sergeant Hulka.

  [the soldiers start clapping] 

  Sergeant Hulka : Well, okay, hot shot. We're gonna see what kind of soldier you are. Reveille is O five hundred. We're going to fall out with locker boxes and we're going to have a locker box inspection. And then we're going to do ten miles. Rain or shine! So, you better hit them bunks my little babies. Or, Sgt Hulka with the big toe is going to see how far he can stick it up your ass!

• Sergeant Hulka : Men, welcome to the United States Army. I'm Sergeant Hulka. I'm your drill sergeant. Before we proceed any further, we gotta get something straight. Your mamas are not here to take care of you now. It's just you, me, and Uncle Sam. And before I leave you, you're gonna find out that me and Uncle Sam are one in the same.

  John Winger : Uncle Hulka?

• Cruiser : I joined the army 'cause my father and my brother were in the army. I thought I'd better join before I got drafted.

  Sergeant Hulka : Son, there ain't no draft no more.

  Cruiser : There was one?

• Sergeant Hulka : I'm talking about something important, like discipline and duty and honor and courage. And you ain't got none of it!

  John Winger : Those words mean so much to a man who scrubs garbage cans. Look, if you don't want me in your Army, kick me out, but get off my back.

  Sergeant Hulka : Maybe you'd like to take a swing at me.

  John Winger : I 'd like to take a BIG swing at you, sarge.

  Sergeant Hulka : Well, go ahead and give it your best shot.

  John Winger : I don't think I want to go to the stockade.

  Sergeant Hulka : I'll take my hat off. There we are, Winger. Ain't no more drill sergeant. It's just you and me, kid, man to man. So go ahead, give it your best shot. Swing at me. Gutless. Punk!

  [Winger fakes, then tries to hit Sgt. Hulka, who ducks and punches Winger in his stomach, dropping him to his knees, gasping for breath] 

  Sergeant Hulka : [putting his hat back on]  I'm willing to forget this little incident. And I want you to think real hard about it. And maybe someday you'll understand what the hell I'm talking about.

• Sergeant Hulka : You know something soldier, I've noticed that you're always last.

  John Winger : I'm pacing myself, Sergeant.

  Sergeant Hulka : Move it!

• Sergeant Hulka : We got a full day ahead of us. We're gonna start out with a five-mile run.

  [Soldiers groan] 

  John Winger : I know that I'm speaking for the entire platoon when I say this run should be postponed until this platoon is better rested.

  Sergeant Hulka : Well, I'll tell you what, soldier. Let's make it ten miles.

• Sergeant Hulka : You don't say "sir" to me, I'm a sergeant, I work for a living.

  Soldiers : Yes, sergeant!

  Sergeant Hulka : I didn't hear you!

  Soldiers : *Yes, sergeant*!

  Sergeant Hulka : *That's* what I wanna hear.

  John Winger : Do you think this guy's over-doing it a bit?

• Sergeant Hulka : I'm getting too old for this shit.

• Sergeant Hulka : You better hit those bunks my little babies, or Sergeant Hulka with the "big toe" is gonna see how far he can stick it up your ass.

• Sergeant Hulka : When I tell you move, you'll move fast. When I tell you to jump, you're gonna say, "How high?" And make no mistake. I don't care where you come from, I don't care what color you are, I don't care how smart you are, I don't care how dumb you are, 'cause I'm gonna teach every last one of you how to eat, sleep, walk, talk, shoot, shit like a United States soldier. Understand?

  Cruiser : Yes, sir.

• Sergeant Hulka : You're all in this together!

  [to Psycho] 

  Sergeant Hulka : One of these men may save your life one of these days. You understand that?

  John Winger : Then again, maybe one of us won't.

• Sergeant Hulka : Now, since nobody else has got the guts...

  [turns to John] 

  Sergeant Hulka : ...to admit it, the rest of this platoon... will do the next two weekends on KP.

  [soldiers groan] 

  Sergeant Hulka : How's that sound to you, mister?

  John Winger : I think it sucks.

• Captain Stillman : Sergeant, we've traced the EM-50 to Germany. They're probably heading for East Berlin.

  Sergeant Hulka : Sir, if you'll take my advice, there's a crack squad in the 42nd. It can link up with the air recon. We'd have that EM-50 back here in this side of 24 hours.

  Captain Stillman : Nothing doing. If we went to outside units, we'd be the laughing stock of the entire armed forces. We will do this our selves.

  Sergeant Hulka : Sir, those numb nuts can't even tie their own shoelaces.