For all my current & former Military Brothers:
You might be deploying to a “Shit Hole”:
1. If your boss tells you to update your Gamma Globulin, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Dysentery, Tetanus and other fun immunizations- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
2. If the Mobilization NCO tells you not to waste your time bringing a radio, or any other electronics, as there is no electricity and there are no signals- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
3. If the Travel Pay folks give you a travel advance and the Per Diem rate is only $8.00/day, for everything- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
4. If the “Area Cultural” briefing is only 30 minutes long, but the briefing on communicable diseases is 3 hours long- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
5. If the “Area Cultural” briefing includes facts that some leaders in the host country keep young boys as sexual slaves- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
6. If the “Area Cultural” briefing includes facts that male members of that society have multiple wives, but also engage in sexual activity with barnyard animals- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
7. If the “Medical Briefing” includes recommendations not to walk barefoot, drink the local water, or eat ANY food on the local economy- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
8. If the “Medical Briefing” includes information that the roadside ditches not only serve as flood control, but also as a common latrine- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
9. If the Daily Report for your new assignment includes an area for “Number of Personnel Med-Evaced” from theater for unknown diseases- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
10. If the monetary exchange rate is greater than 50 to 1 for local currency to US Dollars- You might be deploying to a Shit Hole.
Reminds me of my deployment to Asia back in 1968 and 1969.
On the other hand when I went to Baja back in 2000, they had flush toilets but no toilet paper. We were told to buy two sheets from the man with a desk in front of the restrooms, whether you needed it or not. Behind the man was an armed policeman. We bought.
Well done!
The Navy duped my brother off atop a mountain on Haiti and left him there for a couple weeks.
He confirms that the place definitely looked like a shithole from up there.