Do you find yourself taking more showers following deployments?

SGT Ben Keen — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:18:32 -0400

Felt the need to share something a little more on the humor side of things but yet is something that can be part of the bigger picture of some more serious things.

The other day I was talking with some friends and somehow we got on the topic of daily showering. I made the comment that since my deployment to Iraq in 2003, I now find myself taking 3 or 4 showers a day. Normally one went I wake up, 1 after work, and 1 after the gym right before bed. For those of you that were in Iraq in the early days, you can probably relate to not wanting to feel like you have gone several months without a shower ever again. I know for the unit I was in, it was a few weeks before we got anything more than just a Kevlar bath.

Well the looks on my friends' face, none of whom ever served or deployed, was one of shock. One of my friends asked how much I was paying on my water bill. I told them that it is just something I need. If I don't, I start getting feelings back as though I'm in Iraq. One of my other friends asked if I thought it was another one of my PTSD triggers and I had to sort of agree with them. While it's not as bad as loud noises or certain smells, not having the ability to shower just puts me in a weird mood, even if it was only a few hours since my last shower.

So I figured I would ask RallyPoint if anyone else finds themselves doing something differently than you did before you deployed. It doesn't have to be showering. Maybe its something that borderlines OCD type behavior but it is something you really didn't do as much before you deployed. I figured, I can't be alone in type of behavior...right?

PS...No SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", you can not claim to be that person in the picture, I found it on Google. LOL

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 1:29 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:29:18 -0400

Hot, jacuzzi baths!!!

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 1:35 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:35:42 -0400

I actually thought Desert Storm was worse than Iraq as far as the lack of showers. I went 6 weeks without a shower. But, to answer your question, I never pass up a shower, especially with my woman. Just saying.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Aug 28 at 2015 1:35 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:35:57 -0400

For me it was an incident in OIF 1. We were all running around in MOPP 2, and were dug in for the night outside of An Nasiriyah. A few of us had gotten really sick, with the accompanying "bubbleguts" as the cherry on the cake.... Suffice it to say, MOPP suits do as good a job keeping stuff in as keeping it out.... When we finally changed, it smelled like a charnel house in the area. Ever since, I HATE HATE HATE being dirty...

Response by CH (MAJ) Thomas Conner made Aug 28 at 2015 1:36 PM

CH (MAJ) Thomas Conner — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:36:10 -0400

Yes I do, and they are long! I also use a lot more ice than I did before deploying!

Response by SGT Christina Wilder made Aug 28 at 2015 1:41 PM

SGT Christina Wilder — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:41:59 -0400

OMGosh, I could live in the shower. Seemed like it took six months to get my deployment washed off.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 2:02 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 14:02:24 -0400

Took so many showers and washed my uniforms so many times after getting back from Iraq that our water bill almost doubled.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Aug 28 at 2015 2:18 PM

SSgt Terry P. — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 14:18:36 -0400

my youngest son takes about 3 a day sometimes more ---he had 3 tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan ,so i guess that is the reason.

Response by SPC James Burkett II made Aug 28 at 2015 7:08 PM

SPC James Burkett II — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 19:08:25 -0400

SGT Ben Keen I think I lived in the shower for a week when I got back.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 29 at 2015 3:50 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 03:50:22 -0400

Oh Hell Yeah! Had enough Friggin Water Hours. Remember the Last one, Just got done soaping up, Hit the Shower Head Button and Nothing, Immediately on the 1mc I here the XO "We had a Casualty in the Reactor Last Night and had to change the water, We are now on Water Hours" $@#!@!@#! Screw the Reactor, turn on the Damn Water!

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Aug 29 at 2015 9:32 AM

Maj Kim Patterson — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 09:32:02 -0400

I hate showers especially when I wash my hair but I have a big spa bath tub and there's nothing like a soak with water up to my armpits and bubbles to relax, and of course I remember watching "Psycho."

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 31 at 2015 4:25 AM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 04:25:09 -0400

As a Squid I can tell you all about water hours and Hollywood showers!

The longest I went without a shower was about 2 or 3 weeks due to an issue with my ship's water condensers. Long story short, we couldn't make water. We couldn't even get underway. I don't remember the reason, but even though we were in port Bahrain we weren't allowed to go to the base to take showers.

Response by LCpl Todd Houston made Sep 1 at 2016 3:16 AM

LCpl Todd Houston — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 03:16:04 -0400

In Desert Storm my unit got exactly 2 showers in the field. I was perimeter security for Mgen Mike Myatt 1st Marine Division. We lived, slept, ate and worked in bunkers we dug 5' deep and we moved every 2 to 3 weeks. On our way to Kuwait City we did this with tons of oil fires, clearing a minefield and in full MOPP gear.(we got 7 gas attacks in 1 night. Alarms going off for hours). When we got home we landed at Norton AFB and took a bus to Pendleton. On that ride we were told that California was in a deep drought and we had to limit our showers. To which we heard a resounding "Go to hell" from the back of the bus.See, our point was that the 30 mil. Californians should cut back first. For 6 months I could rub my arm and get oil coming out of my pours. I simply could not get clean enough.