Thursday, June 17, 2004

Depend

Evan Wright writes in "The Killer Elite":
The Marines took a combat-stress class before the war. An instructor told them that twenty-five percent of them can expect to lose control of their bladders or bowels when they take fire. Before the war started, many in First Recon tried to get Depend diapers -- not just for embarrassing combat accidents, but in case they have to wear their chemical-warfare protection suits for twenty-four to forty-eight hours after an actual attack. These never arrived, so they piss and shit frantically whenever they can. (Rolling Stone 925, June 13, 2004)
Cf. "During extremely dangerous moments, inability to control bowel and/or bladder functions may occur. Incontinence is embarrassing, but it is not abnormal under these circumstances" (Marine Corps Reference Publication (MCRP) 6-11C, Combat Stress; Navy Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (NTTP) 1-15M, Commander’s Handbook on Combat Stress; and Army Field Manual (FM) 90-44/6-22.5, Combat Stress, June 23, 2000).

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