Inevitably, there will be some type of adjustment to Army camp life in the desert, even for those that have been here before. It might be extreme to call it shock, at least in my case, but it does take some getting used to. As mentioned in a previous entry, there are many things that are taken for granted back home, particularly with respect to convenience and time.
For instance, taking a shower at home is a relatively quick and easy task. Your toiletries are all in a familiar cabinet, located in your very own bathroom, which is usually adjacent to your bedroom (or just down the hall). Some type of (relatively) clean, permanent flooring beckons your bare feet. The air temperature is easily controlled, as is the water temperature. Your towel hangs conveniently within reach. A toilet and a sink, for convenience are in the same room. And most times there isn’t even a crowd in there (unless you have young kids). Yes, showers are pleasant and easy at home—so much so that, depending on my activity level, I often took two (or more) a day. Nothing like freshening up! I realize that this is a very American thing, and that we have perhaps gone overboard with personal cleanliness.
Taking a shower on Camp Arifjan requires knowledge of the Latrine/Shower trailer system. There are Latrine (Head, for Navy sakes!) trailers, Shower trailers, and Latrine and Shower combo trailers. They like hanging out together in big clumps. Think single-wide trailer park and you’ll kind of have the picture. These are usually a short walk from the tent cities where many of us live. They are fairly well maintained and operable, however they tend to have the worst qualities of a hot steamy bathroom and a porta-potty wrapped into one. The A/C units have been dumping more hot than cool lately, perhaps because it is winter here (although NOT by my standards!). They tend to be bustling places during all the usual times, i.e. first thing in the morning and just before taps.
The process for taking a shower involves something like this: Put PT clothing on. Gather towel, toiletries, shower shoes, and undergarments. Walk 300 feet through gravel and sand to hot and steamy trailer. Commence with taking shower, ensuring that clean clothing has ample space on a bench so as not to end up trampled on the wet dirty floor. Get dressed in aforementioned PT clothing (with fresh undergarments, of course). Shave and brush teeth, if that’s your thing. Walk back through gravel and sand 300 feet, while avoiding wet skin and hair to be exposed, as it attracts blowing sand (i.e. dust) and creates thin film of mud. Enter tent. Undress out of PT clothing. Re-dress into uniform and boots. Hang accoutrements to dry, lest they become hideouts for mold and fungi. Depart for chow.
After all this rigmarole, you can see why most of us just aren’t going to be taking a lot of extra showers. Besides, from what I’ve heard once the heat turns up and into the 120’s and above we will forget about feeling cool and clean (of perspiration, anyway). We might as well get used to it.