If you have never been through boot camp, especially one where you get Gassed, you might not understand the significance of this story, and how it affects my life, but hopefully you will.
–This will discuss what its like to be gassed, so if you get ill, or grossed out easily, please do not read any further–
Back in the winter of 1992, I became a recruit in the US Navy. I arrived in Orlando RTC on December 21st, and spent Christmas and New Years in the confines of barracks with other recruits like myself, being yelled at by CCs(Company Commanders – (Drill Sergeants, etc in other services))
Boot camp is not a test of wills, because you will fold yours. It is the nature of the military, at least the disciplined branches, where your shipmate, bunk mate, foxhole counterpart, and team members depend on each other to survive. Navy pushes this aspect, like the marines and army do, due to the nature of the environment, on and under the oceans.
About the 6th week of boot camp, everyone in the Navy goes through DC & FF (Damage Control and Firefighting), because if you are on a ship, you are responsible for helping your ship, if something goes wrong. During that week of boot camp, you get gassed. Everyone is placed in a large gas chamber, with gas masks on, and a form of tear gas is set off into the room. Then row by row you are told to remove your mask, placing it above your head, and then asked a question which you must answer. once your row has answered you are directed out of the room.
Well, I had an interest in switching to the DC & FF field. The CC in charge of the gas chamber new this. I was front row, 2nd recruit, closest to the gas, and it started with a leaky gas mask…….
We removed our masks, took in deep breaths of this noxious fumes, and began to cough and wheeze immediately with our arms above our heads. One by one he asked us our questions, then when he had finished, he screamed for me to stay, and everyone else to get out. I was left standing with my arms weakly above my head, inhaling the gas.
Let me explain a bit about Gas, if you have never come in contact with it. Imagine rotten eggs, being fried, with vinegar, and you are having the fumes blown directly into your eyes, nose, mouth and lungs. Its worse than that. It makes your skin crawl and itch, you eyes water, your nose run, and your lungs burn as if they are on fire. You dont swallow, or sniffle, if you do it will burn your esophagus to your stomach, and make you sick, on the spot. The gas shows no prejudice, tall, short, male, female, it burns the same, and everyone gets gassed.
The CC comes back to me and says: “Are you still interested in DC, recruit?” “Aye Aye Sir,” I attempt to yell proudly, through watering eyes, and a now steady hacking cough. “Stand right there,” he yells, ordering me to move closer to the gas pellets, still burning on the tray.
He goes through row two, and three, my arms still holding my gas mask weakly above my head. After each row, he comes back and asks me if I still want to be in DC. I cough out “Sir, yes sir” or “Aye Aye Sir” every time. My lungs are on fire, I can barely see for my eyes are swelling shut from the pain, the burning, my breaths are shorter with each minute, as the gas rips at my lungs, and I wish to fall over, but I dare not, not if I want this.
For 10 minutes, I have been standing here, in gas, suffering. The gas in the room gets weaker, and they drop more pellets. The burning sensation is renewed, like a fire ripping through my senses, my skin itches, the gas has found the holes in my clothes, and is permeating my body, gnawing at my skin, feeling like its on fire, but I stand, not as proud as before, but just as determined. The CC returns to me, smiling from within his gas mask. My company is gone, I am the last. The other company still awaits their turn at suffering the agony I have undergone. “You still want to consider changing to DC?” he states rather plainly. “Sir, yes sir” I choke out through burning lungs, and a hack trying to sound strong. “When you get to DC school, they are going to burn your skin when they gas you. You will be left with boils, and will be in the infirmary for days when they gas you. Do you realize this?” “Yes, sir” I mumble out, half drooling. “And you are willing to go through that, instead of the nice cushy Nuclear field tech you were enlisted for?” “Aye Aye, Sir, I am.” “Then I’ll see what I can do,” he states, as he grabs my shoulders and ushers me out the door.
I fall out and attempt to find the rinse station but I can no longer see. I am blind. My eyes have swollen shut from the burning, I can no longer stand upright, and I cannot speak even if asked. Every cough brings up phlegm and bile, and lots of pain. My throat is raw, my nose has began to bleed, and all I can do is stand and wait for someone to help me.
The first row of recruits from Company C018 bust through the door, hacking and coughing, to the rinse station, two recruits grab me, as a shipmate would, and guide me over to help me rinse first. After 15 minutes in gas, the rinsing doesn’t help, my eyes are swollen, the best I can do is to wash my face and hands. They literally almost carry me to my company, and sit me down between two of my own.
A short while later, after everyone has been released from the chamber, the CC Comes up to me, and pulls me aside. He hands me a small dollop of cream and instructs me to rub it under my nose, on my lips, and around my eyes, and it will ease the burning. He told me he was impressed, and he will see what he can do.
Turns out, any change in a Nuke Techs contract sends him to the fleet and not another school, so I was stuck. Damn shame. In a weird way, I was looking forward to getting the other gasses.