Anthrax hurts

spongyblue · Post by **spongyblue** » 2002-12-05 09:51pm

The government today just gave yours truly the first of a seris of anthrax immunization shots. The shot itself didnt hurt, but five seconds later I got this really bad buring feeling that lasted about 5 minutes. My arms still sore, and will be for a week or so. And i gotta get another one in two weeks.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2002-12-05 09:53pm

i´d rather have shot against pocks.

spongyblue · Post by **spongyblue** » 2002-12-05 09:55pm

i aint gotta choice. but smallpox is probably next. They give you shots like its candy.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2002-12-05 09:59pm

spongyblue wrote:i aint gotta choice. but smallpox is probably next. They give you shots like its candy.

is there a shot for every us citizen?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2002-12-05 10:00pm

There is currently a program to get enough smallpox shots for every US citizen.

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2002-12-05 10:00pm

I think it's only the military units that are most likely gonna go to the gulf.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2002-12-05 10:03pm

phongn wrote:There is currently a program to get enough smallpox shots for every US citizen.

interesting. since germany is far from having enough doses i can once again use my devine double nationality TM to get a small pocks shot. even though chance of dying of the shot is probably higher than dying of a terrorist attack.

CmdrWilkens · Post by **CmdrWilkens** » 2002-12-05 10:16pm

Ted wrote:I think it's only the military units that are most likely gonna go to the gulf.

Well I can at least state that I am scheduled for a shot this weekend with my unit but as to why I have no clue. My guess is that it is DoD wide.

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2002-12-05 10:20pm

Of course this would be DoD wide, considering what they think theywill run into...

Another big scare as far as I am concerned...

Evil Sadistic Bastard · Post by **Evil Sadistic Bastard** » 2002-12-05 10:21pm

At least it's not as bad as getting the real thing.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2002-12-05 10:24pm

CmdrWilkens wrote:
Ted wrote:I think it's only the military units that are most likely gonna go to the gulf.
Well I can at least state that I am scheduled for a shot this weekend with my unit but as to why I have no clue. My guess is that it is DoD wide.

Either that or you'll be marching through the sands of Iraq and down the old Hittite road soon enough...

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-05 10:29pm

The current smallpox program is for the immunization of 500,000 of what are considered high risk personal. The largest Gulf plans call for 250,000. I'd figure some are because there expected to be sent to the gulf to fight and others because they may be used for some other overseas deployment.

Anthrax is DoD wide.

CmdrWilkens · Post by **CmdrWilkens** » 2002-12-05 10:31pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
CmdrWilkens wrote:
Ted wrote:I think it's only the military units that are most likely gonna go to the gulf.
Well I can at least state that I am scheduled for a shot this weekend with my unit but as to why I have no clue. My guess is that it is DoD wide.
Either that or you'll be marching through the sands of Iraq and down the old Hittite road soon enough...

My unit is a Bridge Company. I'd link to the LA Times article but now its in their pay-to-view archives. Anyway the gist of it, and its pretty darn factual, is that almost every plan fo invading Iraq requires that the Army/Marines cross the Euphraetes and possibly the Tigris as well (depending upon how the 4 stars want to manuever). Anyway teh US has in total, if I did my math right, about 10 bridging companies Army and Marine, Reserve and Active Duty combined. With at least one of those units tied down in S. Korea (and possibly two though I'm not sure beyond the first one). that leaves you about 8 companies to bridge a 1/2 mile wide river in hostile territory.

Now I say all of this because its publicly available and I actually don't know anything clasified and my unit, currently, is not being deployed so I really can't add anything more than speculation.

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2002-12-05 10:35pm

Only 10 bridging companies?

Are they a bit messed?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-05 10:40pm

So my guess we corrected. Not surprising. Hopefully Iraq will pull outs its seemingly unlimited supply pontoon bridges again and one will be captured. Unlikely, but possibul.

The First UK has organic bridging as well, small boost but then with such small number helpful. I don't know what the rest of the British Army has though, likely not much.

CmdrWilkens · Post by **CmdrWilkens** » 2002-12-05 10:42pm

Ted wrote:Only 10 bridging companies?

Are they a bit messed?

With the drawdown after the cold war how many people thouht we would actually fihgt another major set piece battle across a major river obstacle? Very few people. most envisioned conflicts like Afghanistan or Desert Storm where you don't have to cross major rivers. Now again the number may be a bit off but I'd doubt if by more than 50%.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-05 10:42pm

Ted wrote:Only 10 bridging companies?

Are they a bit messed?

Well when most modern US army units got formed or reorganized after Veitnam it was looking like we'd be the ones blowing them up in a future conflict.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2002-12-06 12:50am

Also, I think there is a bit of the "essential but not glamorous effect" for things like bridging units. Thus the low priority. Sort the way the navy treats minesweeping. But Id admit mabye Im being unfair.

There are quite a few Naval Reserve cargo ships out in Alameda. I was thinking of going over there and seeing if they are any indications they are prepping for sail. Hard to tell, they might not even be needed.