The ship had a plumbing problem for a couple of days. This was a issue because we had no fresh water in any of the Marine troop berthing spaces. So we went two days without showers or shaves. We weren't expecting to be field living, so no one brought any baby wipes to keep clean. Plus, it's hot as hell right now. (Last night's overnight low: 87 degrees. Seriously.)

But after two days of Marines not washing or shaving, the problem got noticed by the highest levels. We had two sergeant majors in our spaces yelling at some Navy chiefs, and then the MEU commanding officer showed up. Yelling at the chiefs just made them dig in their heels, but the CO is a real "enlisted first!" type, which makes him popular with us. He directed that all the enlisted could shower in the head in Officer's Country. The lieutenants may have been irritated at having to wait for five hundred Marines to use the six showers up there, but none dared complain out loud.

I didn't have time to wait in that line, so I went to work dirty and itchy and generally pissed off at the world. They got the water fixed at about the time I was getting off work, so I am happily clean again.

Posted by: Boviate at 05:56 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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