C4 Gas Mask Straw Problem

[z1pher]

Good day everyone,

I'm still on BMQ and last weekend we had to practice drinking from our canteen using the straw found inside the C4 gas mask. For some reason I find it extremely difficult to reach the straw with my teeth, and I have to use my fingers to push it toward my mouth. Maybe my skull is shaped in a weird way... I don't know.

Anyhow, has anybody had this problem before? If so, what did you do to make it easier for you to drink using the dreaded straw?

Thanks a lot!

 

[1feral1]

These C4 respirators have been around for about 20 yrs, and I've never had a problem with the straw thingo. Here we use the UK S10, same style of straw too, and never an issue.

I guess practice makes perfect, try differnt methods of getting the straw, and go from there. Then whatever works for you.

Face it you won't be using the mask much once that phase of training is over.

In all my years in with the NBCD/NBCW/CBR thing, aside from the odd visit to the gas hut, only the last 6 weeks of my tour in Iraq did we carry the masks outside the wire for real, and that was do to huge enemy chlorine (pressurised in about 9kg sized bottles) bombs used in jam packed cement/dump trucks, along with a nasty HME booster. One day in Baghdad, one was SVBIED'd, killing about 7 and causing gas casualties of over 300.  I think I was the first of my family to carry a mask from a genuine gas threat since my Great Uncles in 1916-1918 in Europe.

Regards,

OWDU

 

[multihobbist]

I had the same problem with the gas masks too except I had to ignore how
irritated I was with the condition of the gas mask and reached out to the straw with my tongue
and guided it to my teeth and pulled it with my jaw to use it.
I also don't see the problem with using your hand to push the gask mask from the out side

 

[PMedMoe]

Yes, use wahtever means necessary to get the straw to your mouth without breaking the seal of the gas mask.  Have you tried turning the straw in a different direction?  I know with me, it's usually sitting near my chin when not in use and I just use my tongue to get it into place.  Just make sure you don't twist the straw right out.  Or you'll end up with a gas mask full of water. 
                                       

 

[chrisf]

Good day everyone,

I'm still on BMQ and last weekend we had to practice drinking from our canteen using the straw found inside the C4 gas mask. For some reason I find it extremely difficult to reach the straw with my teeth, and I have to use my fingers to push it toward my mouth. Maybe my skull is shaped in a weird way... I don't know.

Anyhow, has anybody had this problem before? If so, what did you do to make it easier for you to drink using the dreaded straw?

Have you tried (and I know this may be a crazy thought) but asking one of your instructors? That's what they're there for... if you had asked, said instructor should have pointed out to you that the straws are not attached, they can rotate, if I were to guess (Because 999 times out of a 1000 this is the problem) your straw is rotated up away from your mouth.

 

[z1pher]

That was it (the straw was in the wrong direction)! I should have asked my instructor... I guess I'm still a bit shy when it comes to asking questions to him.

Thanks again everybody.

 

[chrisf]

When they say there's no such thing as a stupid question, they mean it. If there's somthing not working or somthing you don't understand, ASK!

 

[Crafty 441 Tech]

Well, I can tell you, on good authority (as I'm one of the guys who services these masks) that either the straw is in backwards, or is just twisted! Try rotating it to stick out further into the nose cup, it will practically pop itself into your mouth! :nod: