What was the chemical used to clean vehicles and to decontaminate soldiers during NBC training in the 90s? I remember being told it was used to clean Navy ships and I Lao heard it was ultimately removed due to health reasons but can’t confirm that.

Posted on Dec 22, 2023

What was the chemical used to clean vehicles and to decontaminate soldiers during NBC training in the 90s?

SGT Kenneth Dye

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I remember being told it was used to clean Navy ships and I Lao heard it was ultimately removed due to health reasons but can’t confirm that.

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Posted 12 mo ago

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COL Randall C.

Edited 12 mo ago

Posted 12 mo ago

Are you referring to DS2? That stuff was never used on people nor was it used in training. Let me rephrase - it "SHOULD have never been" because it wasn't authorized to do so.

I think the last time it was used was after DS/DS in the early 90s. I know the Army and the Marine Corps were the "biggest customer" for it and I think the Navy and Air Force only had a few thousand gallons of the stuff.

It wasn't just the potential health problems that led to it's use stoppage, that stuff was hell on equipment and if you didn't wash it off almost immediately, it ate through the paint, electrical wires, tires, fogged glass, etc.

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SGT Kenneth Dye

12 mo

I don’t know but the timing is right. Both in the desert in AZ as well as the sandbox in Ft. Irwin, we used a certain chemical and we had to ensure we had the thick rubber gloves and special suiting and then had to immediately field shower once decon was done. We were warned severely not to get it on our skin and only used it out in field/desert and never at the unit area.

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