[SamAdams76]

I guess you could say I had a "near-death" experience in the Mojave desert back in 1981, when I was stationed at the 29 Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.

I was sent there after boot camp for some electronics training and this was my first time out in the desert. On a Saturday morning, I woke up early and decided that I would "walk" into town as it was such a perfect morning. I figured I'd walk out there and catch the bus back. Only, instead of walking along the road, I was going to cut across the desert.

Well as those in the desert know, everything out there looks closer than it actually is. That mountain range that you think you can reach out and touch is actually 30-50 miles away!

After 2-3 hours of walking, I started realizing that the town wasn't getting any closer and now the sun was up high and temps were approaching 100 degrees. Had no canteen either. I at least had the presence of mind to know what direction the road was in so I managed to get to the road and flag down a ride before I became too disoriented and weak to carry on. The guy who picked me up happened to be a gunnery sergeant and he chewed me out big time for being so incredibly stupid.

When he dropped me off in town, I remember sitting outside a store and drinking Gatorade after Gatorade. I threw up a couple times in between. I am convinced that I would have died out there if I didn't manage to get myself back to the main road.

[jettester]

My wife's family has one of those little “line-shack” places looking down at the base from the west. In fact, I think theirs is the last row with nothing between their 5 acres and the base. Have sat out there many a night plinking cans and watching the sunsets. The firework shows were always pretty good too.

[Flycatcher]

You're lucky to be alive. Seriously.

When nausea sets in, you're looking at heat exhaustion. If something isn't done, the next step is heat stroke, which is in many cases fatal.

I'm glad your "walk" into the desert turned out OK. Sad to say, that's not always the case.

[righttackle44]

Glad you made it. But I think you almost died after you made it to town. The throwing up while drinking Gator Ade is very telling. You were exhibiting signs of heat prostration--possibly heat stroke. Gunny did you a great service by chewing you out, but he should have gotten you to a hospital. Again, I think you came close to dying.

No, I'm not a doctor--but I live in Phoenix. We don't have boxcar loads of people dying from heat stroke. But it does happen, and I am very aware of the effects of desert heat on the human body.

[happygrl]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-12-08/news/0090030143_1_rother-marine-corps-safety-valve

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason J. Rother, called the “bravest Marine who never went to war.”

This was a heart-breaking story.