(IJCH) VBSS - Injuries and Such

IJCH - Inside JaiChai's Head (meaning: My warped, personal opinions and musings.)

From the Author

Salutations.

I am JaiChai.

And if I haven't had the pleasure to make your acquaintance, it's always nice to meet a fellow Steemian.

Unless you want to spend an inordinate time comparing injuries, never bring the subject of injuries up around ex-football players, ex-wrestlers and most of all, military veterans.

But since you're here. Let me tell you a story...

My 24-year military career could be summed up like this:

Train, train, train, if lucky - go on op, complete mission and sustain "normal" wear and tear dings (or sometimes, more serious injuries), recuperate while performing instructor or advisor duties at a training facility, then rinse and repeat.

One time, my team was tasked to perform VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) ops in the Persian Gulf.

It was our responsibility to board foreign ships, corral the crew on the fantail, inspect ID's/passports, and search for contraband.

"Contraband" was a very broad term; comprising of ever-changing lists of what was legal and what was not.

Items on the contraband list could be anything from illegal Russian oil and unsanctioned dates to illegal olive oil and high-tech components.

I was rousted out of bed at 0315 to fill in for Alpha Team's Leader - he had just underwent "emergency" tooth extraction (four molars pulled out at the same time). Of course, this was a time-honored ruse; it being the only way to get 48 hours of Sick-in-Quarters time away from ops.

Anyway, I accepted my fate and did my duty.

My team took a "Rubber Duckie" (RHIB - Rigid Hull, Inflatable Boat) and made our way to a huge cargo ship flying some obscure African flag.

They didn't want us to board, but was coerced into compliance by some fly-by's courtesy of the jet jockeys from the nearby aircraft carrier.

When my RHIB was close to the ship's starboard side, instead of a retractable or cargo net ladder, only two single lines were lowered to us.

WTF?

Oh well, we knew we had to just make do and carry on.

My first man forgot to secure a leg to one rope, while making like an inch worm with the other. He ended up in the drink, cussing to high heaven at our dubious hosts (and also because he knew that he would have Hell to pay later for doing such a bonehead move.)

Next came me on the line.

I not only secured a leg in one rope, I wrapped the other one around my left shoulder and armpit - twice. I wasn't about to look foolish and be waterlogged before I met the ship's Captain.

Many people are quite familiar with the wave motions of the ocean. It is that side-to-side swaying that induces seasickness in many personnel.

But what a lot of people don't know is that in open ocean water, the sheer vastness of currents and waves can produce an up and down "elevator" effect - even on large ships like tankers.

And that's exactly what happened as soon as I secured my arm to the rope.

On the upward portion of the elevator cycle I was yanked out of the RHIB. Then during the transition to the downward motion, I felt like I was suspended in mid-air (Matrix style) for a couple of seconds.

Finally, I was yanked back up like a human yo-yo upon the next upward phase.

I think I went through at least three cycles of this torture until I could inch worm up the rope. It took me four times longer than it should have.

Why?

The nonsense with the elevator effect had, well, effectively dislocated my shoulder; meaning: I pretty much shimmied up the ropes without the use of my left arm.

Imagine that?

When I finally was aboard, I felt like the knuckles of my left hand were close to dragging on the deck. Needless to say, I was rather "uncomfortable" too.

I quickly ducked behind the weather deck island infrastructure - so nobody on the team could see me. Then, Mel Gibson style, I rammed my left shoulder into the bulk head.

Easy-Peasy. Dislocation solved.

The VBSS op was uneventful and later I found myself in the medical department of my destroyer receiving ice-pack therapy, cortisone shots into my left shoulder and heavy duty pain meds (PRN - as needed).

Two days later, Alpha Team Leader had to fill in for me because the Medical Officer refused to clear me for full duty.

I guess it also helped him make that decision with my humble gift of two bottles of Jack Daniels?

So, I showed that Alpha Team Leader a thing or two, no?

I could save the molar extraction ploy for another day...

By JaiChai

Many thanks for reading my post. And if you enjoyed it, please: Upvote, Follow, Comment and Resteem.

- JaiChai "My mind was a terrible thing to waste..."

About the Author

He is a retired U.S. Military veteran. Believing that school was too boring, he dropped out of High School early; only to earn an AA, BS and MBA in less than 4 years much later in life – while working full-time as a Navy/Marine Corps Medic. In spite of a fear of heights and deep water, he freefall parachuted out of airplanes and performed diving ops in very deep, open ocean water.

He spends his days on an island paradise with his teenage daughter, longtime girlfriend and three dogs.

Parting Shot - "Self-Inflicted"