Indeed.
Upon arrival at Ft Bliss, back in the last millennium, we were shown a black and white 1950's training film on STD's and we were warned of the perils of Juárez.
Then a chaplain gave us a brief fire and brimstone morality sermon about that den of depravity across the river. He closed by saying,"I know a lot of you young men, particularly when under the influence of alcohol, believe you are immune to the horrors of disease. Well you aren't, so at least think of your wives or girl friends. When you venture into strange, dark, wet places wear a raincoat and galoshes."
I laughed aloud at the minister's double entendre. My reaction drew scowls from the powers that be and puzzled looks from those seated near me. One 18 year old next to me quipped, "Stupid fool, ... raincoat, galoshes ... everybody knows it doesn't rain in El Paso."
But it definitely was moist in Juárez.
The first weekend 3 guys were scratching like crazy. They were deliced and restricted to the use of one designated toilet which was marked "OFF LIMITS" to the non-afflicted.
One 18 year old flew home over the 4th of July weekend to marry his high school sweetheart. We threw him a bachelor party entertainment the night before his flight. Even gave him a live present. Sunday night about 4 am he woke me up complaining it burned when he peed. I told him not to drink anything, skip breakfast, go straight to the dispensary, and then to the chaplain.
"Why should I see the chaplain?"
"Do you really want to call your wife of two days by yourself ... to tell her you have The Clap?"
Turns out he did. Her lawyer proved her premarital blood test showed she didn't before the wedding.
Of the 27 guys I was stationed with at Ft. Bliss, 24 had one form of STD or another.
Three guys, me and the two married guys accompanied by their wives were the exceptions.
That was experience enough for me.
