The Navy makes me sick

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I would rather chew off my arm than vomit. So as I look back on my military career, I find it curious that of all the services out there, I chose the one that offered the most opportunities to get sick.

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I almost joined the Coast Guard, because they had a reputation of being a shallow water Navy. That sounded like something I could handle.

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Then I found out that they head OUT when the weather gets rough. They even head TOWARD hurricanes, for crying out loud.

I wouldn’t have stood a chance, let alone a full watch.

Naval aviators don’t have it any better. If I were a pilot I would fly C-130 cargo planes. They stay nice and level, and don’t pull Gs. Jet pilots are crazy, and they are mean. I say this because a certain pilot in Texas did his best to make me sick several years ago, on a “fam flight.” He only relented after I threatened to throw up on him and fill the cockpit with yesterday’s lunch. I swore off the flight option from that point on until forever.

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Getting sick almost killed me back in 1978 (“Adventures in the South Atlantic“). (In subsequent seasickness episodes, there were times I wished it had.)

I could have been an Army guy. Army guys don’t get seasick because they don’t go to sea. Marines have to ride ships every once in a while, but they are smart. They get off as soon as they can.

Navy guys don’t have that luxury. Yet, knowing what awaited me, I joined up because I loved the Navy.

I figured if it got bad enough, I could always chew off my arm.

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1 Comment

  1. On an MSO I was stationed on watch standers often reported with platic bags tied to their belts.

    I guess that I am lucky in that I have never been seasick a day in my life.

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