They came from beneath the sand!

Insurgents aren't the only enemies you face in Southwest Asia. You'll also be battling ticks, mites, chiggers, mosquitoes and other biting insects. One of the worst threats comes from sand flies. Bites from these little buggers spread a disease called leishmaniasis. There are two forms of the disease:

It can take several months from the time you get a bite from an infected sand fly until you show signs of the disease. If you suspect you have either form of leishmaniasis, seek medical attention immediately.

OF COURSE, THE BEST DEFENSE IS TO AVOID SAND FLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE. HERE'S HOW ...

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* Treat your BDUs with an insect repellent known as permethrin. It's available in a 6-oz aerosol can, NSN 6840-01-278-1336, or in an individual dynamic absorption (IDA) kit, NSN 6840-01-345-0237. One can treats one uniform and the treatment lasts through five to six washes. One kit treats one uniform and the treatment lasts through about 50 washes. That's considered the combat life of the uniform.

* Treat your exposed skin with an insect repellent containing DEET. NSN 6840-01-284-3982 brings a lotion you can apply to uncovered areas such as hands, face and neck. It wards off insects for up to 12 hours.

* Protect yourself while sleeping. Get insect netting, NSN 7210-00-266-9736, that you can hang over an insect bar frame, NSN 7210-00-267-5641. Drape the netting over you so that there are no openings. Tuck the edges of the net under your cot, mattress pad or sleeping bag.

A self-supporting pop-up bed netting is now available. NSN 3740-01-516-4415 brings an olive drab net. NSN 3740-01-518-7310 brings a coyote brown net. The new net has smaller mesh than the old one. It's also factory-treated with permethrin, and it doesn't need a separate frame.

* Cover as much of your skin with clothing as possible. Wear the BDU top with the sleeves rolled down. Close all openings in your clothing. Tuck your undershirt inside your pants, and your pants inside your boots.

* Never wear after shave, cologne, perfume or scented deodorants or soaps while you're in the field. They attract insects.

* Each day, wash and inspect your body for insects and their bites. Use the buddy system to check your clothing for crawling pests such as ticks. Wash your uniform regularly to remove insects and their eggs.

* Never dry-clean a permethrin-treated uniform. Dry-cleaning solvents will completely remove the permethrin. It's okay, though, to commercially launder and press a treated uniform.

* If you're using both sun screen and DEET, apply the sun screen first. Wait 30 minutes so it can bind to the skin. Then apply the DEET.

* If you're using both DEET and camouflage face paint, always apply the DEET first. Then apply the paint. Camouflage face paint that has DEET in it is now available. Get it with NSN 6840-01-493-7334.

* Never wear unauthorized products--such as animal flea and tick collars--for personal protection. They'll protect Rover but not you, and they may even be hazardous to your health.

For more information, go to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) website at: http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/

Once there, click on Leishmaniasis.

The USACHPPM website also has information about insect repellents.

From the home page, click on DOD Insect Repellent System.

WE'RE BEING INVADED! WE NEED MORE PROTECTION!!

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ONE FORM CAUSES, SORES ON THE SKIN, ALSO KNOWN AS "BAHGHDAD BOIL." LEFT UNTREATED, THE SORES CAN ENLARGE, CRUST OVER AND BECOME SLOW-GROWING ULCERS. THEY CAN TAKE MONTHS TO HEAL AND CAN LEAVE SCARS.

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THE OTHER FORM IS INTERNAL, CAUSING FEVER, WEAKNESS, LOSS OF BODY WEIGH, AN ENLARGED SPLEEN AND A LOWERED BLOOD COUNT. LEFT UNTREATED, IT'S USUALLY FATAL.

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HOWEVER, SAND FLIES ARE TINY AND THEY CAN CRAWL THROUGH THE MESH OF THE NETTING.

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THAT'S WHY YOU MUST SPRAY THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE NETTING WITH PERMETHRIN.

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