As a 92G, should I be wearing an NBC mask while cooking?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 07:48:37 -0400

I am currently in a training environment and we were ordered to don gas mask as they wear expecting a chemical attack. I was curious as to if this is a practical experience as the mask itself limits my vision which I find important in the kitchen

Response by SSG Omar Ruiz-Canales made Aug 19 at 2018 10:54 AM

SSG Omar Ruiz-Canales — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 10:54:58 -0400

Leadership is well aware that there will be no attack at an MKT or CK during hours of operation or they will have to get rid of thousands of dollars of food, or eat some foul smelling food (which i highly doubt it), but then the way this works is that a few of you may be selected to participate in the exercise outside of your field kitchen, while the remaining will maintain the preparation of the meal, but there is a possibility that they may make you don the NBC uniform and have your mask at the ready, with plenty of H2o nearby as it will be hotter than hell. Youngblood.. CS gas is not so bad after basic... trust me... lol.

Response by SFC Harry H. made Aug 19 at 2018 12:02 PM

SFC Harry H. — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 12:02:50 -0400

I’ll take this one if I may... I crossed over from being an Infantryman to being a cook because my ears were blown out in Iraq. I was an E-6 at the time. I was put in charge of the mess section at my unit. I use to treat my Cooks like Soldiers as crazy as that sounds. Most really loved cooking and weren't use to be treated like Soldiers, and hated it too. Not only would I spot check them on their MOS but basic Soldiering skills and questions too. They use to tell me SSG Hutton, we are cooks, cooks cook. I would remind them, last I knew, we were all Soldiers. Don’t forget it. Soldiers first, then cooks. So if we have the opportunity to go train, we will...

I took them all out to the BDE hallway. With the pictures of all the fallen Soldiers from our unit. I said, you see those 4 there. Two of those were my Soldiers. Brett Michael Hershey and Norman Kyle Snyder. We were all J3 operations guys in Afghanistan. We had no business being out side the wire like you cooks. But one day I was asked to provide two extra guys for a security detail. Worst decision and day of my life. They all 4 were killed later that day by an anti tank land mine.

I went on to explain, there was one point when cooks didn’t cook much and definitely not overseas. They used the cooks to fill in for convoy security. So you see, whatever experience or training you can get. Regardless how unorthodox it may seem. Take it for what its worth. You never know when you may be asked to be a Soldier first.

http://www.rememberhersh.com

Remember Hersh - Honoring the Life of Brett Hershey

Official Site honoring the life of Brett Michael Hershey

Response by SPC Joseph Wojcik made Aug 19 at 2018 1:11 PM

SPC Joseph Wojcik — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 13:11:34 -0400

NBC training is basic soldiering, everyone does it. Sure, the training might be more applicable for someone who was in my field than yours, but a promask might come in handy for you on Chili Mac night.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Aug 19 at 2018 10:07 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 22:07:34 -0400

So by all means don't wear it, and then you can simulate the hurky-jerky om top of your stove as a Chem casualty.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Aug 19 at 2018 10:22 PM

SGT Matthew S. — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 22:22:52 -0400

In all seriousness, most everyone finds the limited field of view to be an issue when carrying out their job. That being said, there is always the possibility - no matter how remote or not - that you could find yourself having to work in some capacity or another in an NBC environment. Some degree of familiarity with your equipment could mean the difference between life and death for you and others.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2018 12:38 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 00:38:45 -0400

If there is chemicals in the area you put on the mask and shut down kitchen can’t eat food with chemicals on them try like it’s real lol I bet they leave the kitchen a lot after a day of nothing but MREs

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Aug 20 at 2018 6:20 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 06:20:02 -0400

Soldier, the mask and equipment limits some of you capacity but is intended to save your life. We train as we fight. Every Sokdier needs to know how to perform their duties in various MOP levels, to include the cooks. Think about the other skill sets within the military and the challenges faced in the performance of their duties. Train as you fight, and stay alive when you do. Thank you for your service.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Aug 20 at 2018 12:04 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 12:04:11 -0400

If you are cooking food, and a chemical attack occurs, should not all that food be thrown out? You would not serve, as it is now considered contaminated. Break out the MRE's.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2018 6:06 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 18:06:14 -0400

I was always told you play how you practice. So I would take your training as a real situation. It doesn’t take away any visibility but on a ck or mk/ ak the food being exposed is trash anyways so I’d wear it if possible chem attacks are near unless told otherwise from leadership.

Response by SSG Christopher Conklin made Aug 20 at 2018 6:38 PM

SSG Christopher Conklin — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 18:38:52 -0400

as a cook ( spoon ) u have to be able to protective yourself in all types of suitions, and be able to fire all types of weapons for the M-9, M-4, .50 cal, M-249 and even. need to this because if your fight for your life and any of those u better no how to fire them

Response by SGT Robert Whatley made Aug 20 at 2018 7:23 PM

SGT Robert Whatley — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 19:23:29 -0400

I guess the question you have to ask yourself Pfc is do you think you would be cooking in a chemical environment?

Response by SGT Robert Whatley made Aug 20 at 2018 7:26 PM

SGT Robert Whatley — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 19:26:19 -0400

Heck our mess section had the best weapon systems .

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2018 10:37 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 10:37:43 -0400

If you're in the field training for the case of a chemical attack, yeah you better know what it's like to cook with a gas mask on. Honestly if I was in a chemical attack, I would probably not be worried about food. Also do you want to be able to know how to react in a chemical or gas attack - and not die?

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 21 at 2018 11:47 AM

SN Greg Wright — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 11:47:45 -0400

Sorry, but I ain't eatin' food you cooked during a chemical attack. You probably shouldn't either.

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Aug 21 at 2018 12:23 PM

Cpl Mark A. Morris — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 12:23:20 -0400

I love this kind of humor.

Response by MSgt Steve Sweeney made Aug 21 at 2018 12:55 PM

MSgt Steve Sweeney — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 12:55:42 -0400

In reality, should the threat level warrant preemptive donning of protective equipment, it would also necessitate the need to secure from activities like open air cooking. You would then take actions to secure and protect your supplies and equipment - but you are in a training environment, so the cooking must go on.

I understand the mask limits your vision, and if you think vision is important in the kitchen, imagine how important it must be on the battlefield... which is why we train and wear our masks while cooking.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2018 7:18 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 19:18:51 -0400

I was a CBR Chief for 10 years and yes you need to wear you MOPP gear and if Gas goes off no matter you MOS/Rate or job you are doing at the time goes off. The reason is so you understand how to do it for real and enemy does not pick your schedule or your time to attack, meaning he is not waiting for you to stop cooking and the troops to stop eating. The best time for him to attack is during that time as lines will probably be halved maned and most troops will be eating and or getting ready for showers, so you would hear alarms go off put your mask on and stop cooking as you will not serve that food, because it will be slimed. The white hats or evaluators should talk to you about that and explain what to do. The purpose is training for the field and would you not put mask on if you were attacked and slimed for real, you would be dead. So answer don't try to get out of work, do the training that will keep you alive.

Response by SPC Michael Dillon made Aug 21 at 2018 10:01 PM

SPC Michael Dillon — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 22:01:46 -0400

FIRST LET ME SAY.. YOU WERE ORDERED TO DON YOUR MASK.. SECOND YOU ARE A UNITED STATES SOLDIER NOT JUST A FOOD SERVICE SPECIALIST (cook,cookie or spoon) I WAS IN YOUR JOB FIELD AND YES WE PULLED SECURITY DETAIL, DUG FIGHTING POSITION'S ETC. DURING TRAINING EXERCISES. I WAS ATTACHED TO AN ARTILLERY UNIT AND ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC BATTRY AND ADA. I LEARNED MORE BY PRACTICING. HELL I WAS ABLE TO CROSSTRAIN AND FIRE A FEW ROUNDS OF 105MM. THEN GO AND MAKE REAL FRIED CHICKEN FOR EVERYONE.( FIRST SGT HAD CONNECTIONS).

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2018 4:40 PM

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:40:12 -0400

I’m 92G and yes you do, get used to the limited vision, you want to be able to don gas mask if you get chemical shit blown your way, and you have to get rid of the food anyway so you’ll be fine

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Aug 27 at 2018 3:57 PM

SSG Keven Lahde — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 15:57:37 -0400

PFC Private RallyPoint Member At that point, cooking would be the least of your worries. Everything would be thrown out. You would not be cooking, would you be looking for shelter.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2018 3:19 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:19:17 -0400

No food preparation should be taking place during NBC attacks. also if they are requiring you to prepare a meal in training environment and want you to continue during the training then you should not have a mask on in the kitchen area. especially in the field it is dangerous. especially in an mkt or a ck. We have always stopped operations during training if they wanted us to partake in it. if not then we are out of play.

Response by SSG Wesley McCarty made Dec 26 at 2018 7:36 PM

SSG Wesley McCarty — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 19:36:03 -0500

Ask your Mess Daddy.