Factual error: Benjamin does not hook her static line back up. She falls but later her main chute opens. Does not function that way - she would have had to have thrown her reserve manually away from her body or else it would have wrapped around her, resulting in death. (01:45:00)
Other mistake: At the end of basic training, Judy's platoon goes to the bulletin board to see what their M.O.S. will be. This is not how the U.S. Army operates, you must pass a qualification test for the M.O.S. that you enlist for before you ever enlist. You know before you ever get to basic training what M.O.S. you will be training for, not on the last day of basic training.
Other mistake: When Judy leaves basic training she goes straight to the Thornbirds as an 11-Bravo (infantryman) with an airborne identifier. She would have had to attend 5 weeks of AIT and Jump school (and no she couldn't have had her airborne training with the unit, Jump school is only at Ft. Benning, GA.) before joining that unit. The same mistake is made when she goes to SHAFE, Belgium (Supreme Headquarters Allied Forces Europe), presumably as a 71-Lima (personnel actions specialist) again without going to AIT.
Continuity mistake: On her first day in basic, Judy is made to clean all the toilets in the latrine. There is a shot of her leaving the last stall and she is barefoot carrying her shoes. The next shot is outside the latrine and she can be seen wearing red rubber boots that almost reach her knees.
Plot hole: During the war games when Judy's squad captures the SGT. Outside red headquarters they demand the ignition key to the Duece which the SGT. promptly throws into the bushes, and the criminal hot wires the truck. Military vehicles are not started with a key they have a starter switch if you want to lock the vehicle you padlock the steering wheel.
Continuity mistake: In the scene near the end of the movie where Goldie Hawn throws her veil it is not windy as her hair is down. The next shot shows her hair blowing in the wind.
Audio problem: After the war games when they are all dancing to the radio, the song sounds way to good to be coming from a little radio like the one playing.
Factual error: When the unit is preparing for the Jump, they follow none of the correct procedure for a jump, but the most glaring mistake is that none of the Parachutes are equipped with a static line (the bright yellow nylon strap, that the parachutist hooks to a cable inside the plane to deploy his chute automatically.) Airborne infantry units always make static line jumps, so the line should have been visible on every chute.
Character mistake: When Benjamin answers the phone in Lt. Rami's office, she should have said Lt Rami's office instead of Pvt. Benjamin.
Factual error: The Australian style "bush hat" worn by Capt. Lewis is only worn by a female drill Sgt. ie. Non-commissioned officers, never a commissioned officer (a.r 670-1).
