# "Fuck it, sleep on it, or paint it.": From the US Navy? Source? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965 "2014-03-05T21:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/1 "2014-03-05T21:56:39Z")
See subject: supposedly a sailor’s motto. I heard/read it a long time ago, and it stuck with me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/2 "2014-03-05T22:03:28Z")
Never heard that one as a career Navy guy. The only one I remember is “If it moves, salute it; if it doesn’t, paint it.” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/3 "2014-03-06T00:24:26Z")
Version I heard from god-knows-where, supposed source US Navy: “If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t move, pick it up. If you can’t pick it up, paint it.” ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/4 "2014-03-06T00:25:59Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > See subject: supposedly a sailor’s motto. I heard/read it a long time ago, and it stuck with me. Tell me where you got this one. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/5 "2014-03-06T00:44:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Never heard that one as a career Navy guy. The only one I remember is “If it moves, salute it; if it doesn’t, paint it.” I’ve heard this version before. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/6 "2014-03-06T02:09:37Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > See subject: supposedly a sailor’s motto. I heard/read it a long time ago, and it stuck with me. Since having women on board is a relatively modern custom that explains their reputation with the rest of the military. That and the bellbottoms. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/7 "2014-03-06T21:08:02Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Version I heard from god-knows-where, supposed source US Navy: > > “If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t move, pick it up. If you can’t pick it up, paint it.” When Bob Hope came to our base his joke on this was: If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t move, paint it. If you can pick it up, pawn it. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/8 "2014-03-08T15:22:33Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Tell me where you got this one. From the same place as **Treacherous** , directly above your post. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/9 "2014-03-08T23:32:37Z")
It sort of reminds me of the unofficial, unauthorized, and usually obscene additions to the 11 General Orders for a Sentry all USCG, USMC, and USN recruits are supposed to memorize. _“Sir, my 12th General Order is to walk my beat, beat my meat, and fuck everything within 15 feet. Sir, you’re standing much too close, Sir!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-it-sleep-on-it-or-paint-it-from-the-us-navy-source/682965/10 "2014-03-08T23:57:06Z")
I can’t remember how I heard it, but it was something like ‘If I can’t eat it, drink it, or sleep with it, I don’t need it.’