I won't bore anyone with the mundane details of today. I'll just get to the subject. I received my anthrax annual booster today. My NCOIC had researched another TMC here at Camp Liberty and determined that they had anthrax serum in stock. We wouldn't be seeing the Metrosexual Joe again after all. About 1800 we drove to another section of Camp Liberty to visit Riva Ridge TMC. There was a long line of Joes and they were all waiting for the same thing. When I walked inside, the medic said, "Sir, you don't need to get in this line. Just fill out the paperwork and we'll get you out of here." I gratefully complied.
A few minutes later, another eager medic came out and reviewed my paperwork. Then she asked, "Sir, which arm?" I took off my ACU jacket and rolled up my left t-shirt sleeve. Upon seeing my tattoo, she exclaimed, "That is beautiful artwork! I love it!" I thanked her and asked that she just not stick me in the middle of my dragon. Needles are no problem to me. I didn't even feel this one. She extracted it and said, "There you go, sir. Let me know if you have any unusual discomfort. You've had several anthrax before." The "flash-to-bang" was about thirty seconds. Some of the Joes were watching me. I tried to hide the wince of pain. Holy shit! The searing burn from within ripped through my shoulder. I actually broke out in a minor sweat. My NCO looked at me and asked, "Sir, you ok?" I looked at him, winced again and said, "I'm only going to say this once - mother fuck!" The Joes in line overheard me and laughed. I grimaced as I put my ACU top back on. I hate the anthrax shot. It is the most painful serum once it's inside your arm. The burning wore off several minutes later. My arm remained sore for the rest of the night.
Oh well, necessary evil of military life. I'm good on anthrax for another year. I reviewed my shot record later just to tally up the number of immunization shots I've received over the course of my past four deployments (starting in 2003 through now). Keep in mind that several immunizations involve multiple shots in series. I've had almost 60 shots since January 2003. That includes shots for typhoid, yellow fever, rabies (yes there is an immunization for that too), smallpox, anthrax, hep A, B, and C, tetanus, and various other things. I'm amazed that I don't glow in the dark. It's no wonder I never feel the needles.
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