Iraq... would that have been in 1991 or after 2003? AND Srebrenica?
My last op as STA. We were on ship as part of 26MEU. Although "no US Troops were on the ground" officially, my spotter and I were dropped in to infiltrate, close with and if situation permitted, execute a well placed shot to the leadership of the scumbag elite unit carrying out the "ethnic cleansing". Lots of bad guys, in the area and we spent a couple days hiding out in an abandoned school that had been used to mass execute a couple hundred men and boys with Sarin Gas a day or two earlier. We didnt know it at the time and the chemical residue was absorbed into our system..
Besides the short circuiting brain, I no longer have an esophagus and my digestive track is a never healing open wound.. lemon juice on an open cut has nothing on what stomach acid on an open wound feels like..
Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Srebrencia was beautiful country but has left me with bad dreams and failing health.
SAAM
So, in your own words, after being exposed twice to Sarin Gas (Iraq and Bosnia) and it's self described effects to your health, you were still able to continue serving in the beloved Marine Corps after your 1st exposure?
Hey Wardog, you were the first guy to shoot me down in AH and I always enjoy mixing it up with you!! BTW, thanks for not Vulching me when I ran out of gas mid fight and landed in the fields..
For clarity..
I served in the beloved Corps from '87 to '97. Parris Island Marine, Open contract, 0341 to Wpns Co 81's 2/2 after AIT. JEST in Panama then to Shawb, Okinawa first pump. Sent to FO/FAC school in Oki in '89. Flew over to Saudi in Sept '90 as FO attchd to E co 2/2, part of BLT2/2/26MEU (we spearheaded left hook in Desert Storm).
First exposure to Sarin was the PB pills we were forced to take which I reacted violently ill to, then again in March '91 when units a couple miles to our flank blew an enemy ammo bunker filled with gas, HE and more gas sending a mushroom cloud 10 miles up. Every personal alarm for 25 miles went crazy.. "ordered to shut off because it "was just a malfunction" It was denied that we were even exposed by the chiefs in the kitchen. Also, the effects were not really felt for the first 5 years. So pretty much yeah, it was suck it up marine, don't be a sick bay commando. After Gulf war it was cold weather pack, Somalia for black hawk down rescue that got cancelled the day after landing. In '93 I shot a 248 of 250 on rifle range and two weeks later I found myself at Sniper School quals. Finished top 2 in my class and at graduation was Voluntold that I would be advancing to STA with top 1 graduate. Fast forward to July 1995, insertion into Srebrenica, Bosnia and micro exposure #2.
Fast forward to 2004 in DesMoines Iowa, thought I had an aneurism and stroke. Doctors baffled didnt know what it was. Fast forward to 2016, Brain short circuits, lays me out. Wake up in Makati Med Hospital 5 days later. Neuro guy runs a test on a hunch based on my mil history. Test was developed over the years and was specific to Sarin Gas related exposures. And thats when I found out.. BTW, got out in 97 and turned down 10% from the VA like a love muffin and now they are denying treatment..
hope that provides some clarity my good man. Did you serve Dog? We can connect on TWS if you like.