Posted on Feb 12, 2019
SGT Ben Keen
5.62K
82
33
21
21
0
I know this question might seem odd to some, but I think it could lead to some interesting conversation.

It's no secret that a lot of things can remind you of different times in your life. One of the strong is smells. From the smell of your mother baking a pie to the smell of fresh clean laundry or even the amazing smell of bacon frying up in the morning; smells can send us back. Some are not as nice as others. For those of us that have deployed; there is a long list of smells that remind us of our time down range. Personally, I remember the indescribable smell of Iraq. The dust, the smoke, the smell of not showering for a few days.

So the question is simple. What smell takes you back there? For me; its the smell of hand sanitizer.
Avatar feed
Responses: 29
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
1
1
0
As others have said, Diesel. It's just uncommon enough to take me back, and just common enough to where it pops up 1-2 times a year.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Tony Clifford
1
1
0
Stagnant water, crap and garbage remind me of Iraq. That is pretty much what Mosul and Kirkuk smelled like.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CWO3 Randy Weston
1
1
0
Ammonia. It smells like monoethalnolamine, which is the chemical used on submarines to remove the CO2. The entire submarine smelled of amine.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CDR Michael Goldschmidt
0
0
0
Oil, crude oil, which smells like motor oil.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SPC John Messenger
0
0
0
The smell of garbage, burning garbage, dirty dipers, hot oil, the list goes on and on
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
1SG Jamey Schuldt
0
0
0
Burning plastic and a wet dung heap. You asked!
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Cpl Mark A. Morris
0
0
0
The smell of the sea.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SFC Observer   Controller/Trainer (Oc/T)
0
0
0
Burnt JP8
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SPC David Hannaman
0
0
0
Sewage.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close