[crazylilkelly]

i believe, back when i did the chamber, that you couldn't wear contacts & ppl who had glasses on had to take them off. when you go to the desert you get a special type of UGLY goggle-like glasses that has a strap which goes around your head. This way, the gas mask seal isn't compromised....otherwise it's pointless to even have it donned, especially in a real life situation. Remember, the whole point of doing the gas chamber is to learn to use & trust your gas mask. You'll be fine & have a "fun" memory when it's over!
I went to navy boot camp & I remember the instructors telling us that if we needed to puke we had to puke inside our shirts so we didn't get their floor dirty. Honestly, at that point I didn't care how it was going to feel or how much snot would run down my face...i just focused on not puking!!!!! lol.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

Originally Posted by MCB43076

Contacts are fine I believe.

Not only NO, but HAY-EL NO!!!

CS gets under the lens....

Its not a fun experience to go thru, but if you heed the suggestions here and make sure you have an empty stomach, you'll be FINE!!

[MCB43076]

I wasn't talking about inside the gas chamber. We were talking about military dress in general. Look at earlier posts please.

[crazylilkelly]

Originally Posted by MCB43076

I wasn't talking about inside the gas chamber. We were talking about military dress in general. Look at earlier posts please.

whoops, sorry.

[LLLovely]

Actually, the ugly goggle glasses don't go under the mask either. There are prescription inserts for the mask itself for those who require corrective lenses for anything other than reading.

The military still issues the ugly giant frame glasses of old, but they now have a program called "frame of choice." At each eye exam, if you require a new prescription, you are authorized a free pair of frame glasses in a civilian contemporary style of your choice. Of course, the selection is limited, but they are pretty normal. You also get issued two pairs of the ugly glasses and the goggle-style glasses and a pair of mask inserts. They are all free.

When you are in garrison, as in NOT deployed or in the field, you can wear the frame of choice issued to you or civilian glasses that you pay for yourself if they meet military standards. Generally, the standards are that they must be the right size for your face, not faddish or extreme, not mirrored lenses, and no writing or logos on them. The same is true for sunglasses.

I've been in the military for a long time and I have only been in the chamber twice. There is no formal requirement to do it annually or on any other specific timeline, at least not in my branch of service. It burns and you spill snot everywhere, but even in basic training they are pretty nice to you when you are in the chamber because it hurts and it is difficult to follow directions when you are thinking that your lungs are burning. It's over relatively quickly. Definitely do not wear your contacts!

And, chamber or not, keep your tissues and tampons and the like sealed tightly in a ziploc bag. In fact, make friends with ziplocs now. Those and baby wipes will save your life.

Lastly, I don't know how long the field problem is at OBLC, but in my experience, it is better not to shower in the field at all. Use the baby wipes and your canteen or CamelBak for basic hygiene. Showering is so hard because you have to go to great lengths to get privacy and it is like trying to shower at the little hut at the beach. As soon as you are done, you have sand everywhere again and you're already sweating before you have clean clothes on. It always just made me feel worse. The max I've ever gone without a shower is 12 days and it wasn't as bad as all that because everyone is dirty. You don't notice the smell until you get back and smell a clean person and by then you're on the way to the shower anyway.

[Stanley-RN2B]

Friendly? Lol they kept us in until everyone took off their mask. Of course one guy wouldn't so after about 1 and a half minutes we beat the bejesus out of him and ripped his mask off. Then they made us do pt and do all sorts of silly stuff. Then when they let us run out no one informed us that a tree was 4 feet in front of the door so we all ran into the tree or got trampled.

Friendly indeed...

[olderthandirt2]

that is funny as heck.

cb

[LLLovely]

Originally Posted by StanleyRW

Friendly? Lol they kept us in until everyone took off their mask. Of course one guy wouldn't so after about 1 and a half minutes we beat the bejesus out of him and ripped his mask off. Then they made us do pt and do all sorts of silly stuff. Then when they let us run out no one informed us that a tree was 4 feet in front of the door so we all ran into the tree or got trampled.

Friendly indeed...

Oy! You were infantry or some other combat arms branch I presume?

I guess this is another example of how experiences vary. I suppose it could still be summed up by saying that it doesn't last all that long.

[Stanley-RN2B]

Originally Posted by LLLovely

Oy! You were infantry or some other combat arms branch I presume?

I guess this is another example of how experiences vary. I suppose it could still be summed up by saying that it doesn't last all that long.

Nope. Was a 98G. Cryptologic Linguist. Intel. However, all my friends that stayed in have all been attached to infantry units and are pretty much infantry in Iraq.