Which was the most third world country you've been deployed to?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:46:20 -0500

Some places earn a title FUBAR, thanks for the reminder SGT Chris Stock

I can think of a few. These would be places so behind in times, that no amount of money or military intervention will bring them up to first world status.

Tell your story, which was the poorest, most wretched use of land you've been to?

Somalia, Philippines, and Bangladesh come to mind...while Honduras is very poor, there is still hope.

Why is it that us SM get to visit all the poorest places in the world...okay Dubai wasn't poor, but the Middle East come on...I wanted to see England, France, Switzerland, and Germany....Nada.

Perhaps visiting beautiful places is reserved for another service, AF perhaps?

Marines -- finally you'll appreciate Detroit...should be a recruiting poster.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 2:53 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:53:28 -0500

Some will say all of the Middle East, but some port cities are actually pretty cool.

Response by Capt Gregory Prickett made Dec 30 at 2014 5:39 PM

Capt Gregory Prickett — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:39:38 -0500

Iceland, but it was only an RON at Keflavik.

Yeah, I know, I didn't get out much....

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 8:09 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 08:09:54 -0500

I would have to say Somalia- that place was jacked up when I was there 22 years ago.

A close second would have to be Haiti- I couldn't believe that people were fighting over the remnants of an empty can of lard that I just threw out in the trash.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 11:21 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:21:14 -0500

New Orleans.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 11:19 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:19:15 -0500

More seriously, I have been deployed, overseas, only to Afghanistan, so my basis for comparison is nil.

But I do remember driving into Kabul from Bagram for the first time in 2003, seated next to the Chaplain when he said, "God doesn't live here anymore."

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 12:36 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 12:36:39 -0500

The most abject poverty I saw while serving was in Egypt and the Philippines (Subic Bay). You can however also find horribly poverty stricken communities in the US as well. Drive around in the Appalachians for a while...

Response by SSG William Patton made Dec 31 at 2014 2:07 PM

SSG William Patton — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 14:07:34 -0500

Vietnam without a doubt. I recall the rural villages with thatched roof huts, excrement everywhere, rats everywhere, and disease rampant. Those we tried to help by inoculating their children were punished by the communists and thus afraid to try and improve their existence. Most Vietnamese were content with their life style since that is all most have known and that life style was passed down from generation to generation. Truly a sad existence by our standards.

Response by SFC Nyla Newville made Dec 31 at 2014 4:13 PM

SFC Nyla Newville — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:13:51 -0500

My only overseas deployment in 09 was Afghanistan I'd have to say that was bad enough.
I know my health is worst because of there.

Response by CPL Brian Clouser made Jan 18 at 2015 7:34 PM

CPL Brian Clouser — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 19:34:42 -0500

Iraq by far Freezing at night and roasting during the day Week long sandstorms And just so you don't get bored camel spiders and sand fleas

Response by CW4 Larry Curtis made Apr 7 at 2015 1:24 PM

CW4 Larry Curtis — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 13:24:35 -0400

Obviously any spot in Southwest Asia. But outside of deployment, I visited Romania shortly after the borders were opened in 1990. I adopted a little baby girl from an orphanage like so many others did. The trip there was pretty incredible because I drove from my home in Augsburg, Germany. As you crossed each political border along the way, you had this incredible sense of taking a step back in time, and the further east you traveled, the more huge the step seemed. It was like Austria was about 10 years behind Germany...Hungary was like 40 or 50 years behind Austria...and then Romania was like 100 years behind everyone. I stayed in Romania for several weeks as we went through the process of our adoption, taking a trip on the Orient Express train from Arad to Bucharest and back. It was by far one of the more incredible trips of my lifetime and I will never forget it. I became great friends with some very sweet Romanian people and I am still in contact with them today.

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made Apr 7 at 2015 5:12 PM

GySgt Joe Strong — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 17:12:37 -0400

There is no comparison to either of my choices, Morocco was horrible but had the mitigating factor of having relatively little depth away from the sea.
Inland Egypt, away from the cities, is the only thing I have seen that compares. Only never having been away from it could give your the courage to live there.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Apr 7 at 2015 8:47 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:47:10 -0400

Umm....Ft Dix New Jersey.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Apr 7 at 2015 10:35 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 22:35:58 -0400

My wife did a lot of work in Japan with their version of Unicef/Red Cross and travelled all over as a nutritionist. She has filled several passports with some real garden spots. She said in her experience, it was a toss up between Indonesia and Africa, but chose Indonesia as the worst. She stayed in places where everything in made from nature, what clothes they had were barely clothes, and the water was brown. The human and animal poop was ankle deep. The "facilities" included going into the back room and doin business through the wide openings of the bamboo floor. The animals were directly underneath these same facilities. I believe she could pass Ranger school.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2015 10:51 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 22:51:44 -0400

I would have to say New Orleans, LA. Hurricane Katrina stability ops.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 8 at 2015 12:52 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 00:52:20 -0400

Have been to Honduras for Joint Task force Bravo such a lovely place and than there was Clark AB,On the flip side was stationed at Aviano for 3 years best time ever :)

Response by SPC Todd Hanson made Apr 8 at 2015 12:18 PM

SPC Todd Hanson — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 12:18:29 -0400

Fort wainwright alaska

Response by SPC James Johnson made Apr 8 at 2015 12:33 PM

SPC James Johnson — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 12:33:42 -0400

Iraq and S. Korea are my only two overseas experiences, and Iraq def takes the cake between the two. Once saw a man trying to wash his feet in this dirty pool of water on the side of the road there, water that was just obviously murky gray-brown and had oil in it(or something that left that rainbow looking stuff on the surface). I pointed him out to the guys in my truck, and as everyone turned to look the guy cupped his hands in the water and took a drink.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Apr 10 at 2015 1:27 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 01:27:48 -0400

Cambodia! Poverty is rampant, and children try to sell these god-awful hand-made bracelets. They're really aggressive about it too. I never before wanted to punch a child in the face until I went to Cambodia.

My friends and I had to hang out in the area controlled by the Russian Mob just to get those damn kids away from us!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 4 at 2015 11:29 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 23:29:51 -0400

Wonderful Place. Wonderful People. Worst Disaster. Poor doesn't begin to describe it. Philippines.

Response by Cpl James Metcalf made Dec 29 at 2019 7:30 AM

Cpl James Metcalf — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 07:30:24 -0500

Somalia was the worst shithole I can ever imagine there was!