How Blister Agents Changed Our EquipmentWe, as CBRN soldiers, can trace our body's roots back to World War I, where chemical agents were widely used both by the Allied and German forces. One chemical used was called mustard gas (H). Mustard gas is a type of blistering agent that causes large blisters (vesicles) on the skin, lungs, and eyes of people exposed to it. According to Heller (1984), when mustard gas was introduced onto the battlefield soldiers were not even aware that they had been exposed. Unlike other chemicals used at that time (chlorine or phosgene), the effects of mustard gas were not immediately apparent. According to Namazi, Niknahad, and Razmkhah (2009), exposed people did not feel the effects for 4-8 hours after exposure causing severe injuries. According to Heller (1984), the Germans were the first to use mustard gas in 1917 on British soldiers. When the British soldiers observed the explosion of the gas shells, they did not see or hear any gas; therefore, they believed that the Germans were trying to deceive them. Only several hours later did they begin to complain of pain in their eyes, throat and lungs. When the United States entered World War I we had no protection against chemicals used on the front lines. According to Heller (1984), “On April 6, 1917, when the United States declared war on Germany, the Army not only lacked defensive equipment for chemical warfare, but also had no concrete plans to develop or produce gas masks or any other defensive equipment.” (page 38). While the history of our body is very interesting, I will show the effects of mustard gas on unprotected soldiers and how early protective gear changed from what we are equipped with today. First things first... middle of the paper ......a new branch was needed to combat these new threats on the battlefield. Since 1918 the Army has done just that, adapted to the new technologies and techniques that today's enemies use. Works Cited Cochrane, R. C. (1960). 26th Division east of the Meuse, September 1918. Army Chemical Center, MD: U.S. Army Chemical Corps Historical Bureau, Office of the Chief Chemical Bureau. Heller, C. (1984). The Leavenworth Papers. Chemical Warfare in WW1: The AmericanExperience, 1917-1918, 10. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/pdf/chemwarfare.pdf Namazi, S., Niknahad, H., & Razmkhah, H. (2009). Long-term complications of sulfur mustard poisoning in intoxicated Iranian veterans. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 5(4), 191+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA231350837&v=2.1&u=40mwrlib&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w