As Recruits we are all trained to be sprayed with OC Spray while in the Academy. OC Spray is considered more lethal than regular "mace" and many other forms of "pepper spray." The average scovilles (heating units) of regular pepper spray is 25,000. Unfortunately we were told the OC Spray used on us would be in fact 2,000,000 scovilles (source/proof). To make a point of the severity of the situation, the bottle of the OC Spray read: "for experimental purposes only." This was the company's fancy way of saying humans shouldn't be exposed to this form of OC Spray. Our instructor confessed that the version of OC Spray we would be exposed to is intended for "Bears."

As we waited in line to get sprayed our training officer explained to us that after being sprayed we would run over and attack a Recruit, then get on our radios and explain where we were. The purpose of this exercise was not only to show the effects of OC Spray, but to also teach Recruits to remain calm and use defensive tactics in violently painful experiences.

When the training exercise began our training officer called us one by one out of line, and had us step up approximately 4 feet away from her. After a direct order to open our eyes as wide as possible, we were sprayed. I had the luxury of watching 3 Recruits get sprayed before me. This turned out to be in fact a horrible mistake. The 1st Recruit immediately start hyperventilating, the 2nd Recruit fell to the floor and gagged, and the 3rd recruit did a combination of both. After watching the reaction of my fellow Recruits screaming this raised my level of paranoia. However anyone that knows me, can testify I might be paranoid as hell on the inside but I'm as calm as a duck on the outside.

So here I stand next in line. The echoing of screams and extreme choking in the background lingered profusely through the back of my mind. I reluctantly smiled and opened my eyes as wide as possible. The training officer without warning squeezed the nozzle and a stream of the hottest and by far one of the most painful substances I've ever felt in my life blasted all over my face. I immediately ran over to the Recruit posed as a violent subject and gave him 2 knee strikes before taking him to the ground. I could hear the chants and screams of fellow Recruits encouraging me to remain strong. As I got on the radio to explain my physical state and where I was the 50% vision I had at this point went completely to 0%. It was almost like someone had pushed a button labeled "GO BLIND NOW."

At this point I tried my best to regain consciousness but it was utterly impossible. One of the other training officers assisted me to the water hose and I couldn't of been more happier. He told me to open my hands and he squeezed dove liquid soap into my palms. His exact words was "flush your eyes." You would think after 20 seconds of flushing that the contents of OC Spray would fade away, but no - that's not the case at all. OC Spray lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours regardless of water being accessible. Does water help? Sure it does. Will too much water cause more pain? Absolutely....in fact too much water can further irritate the OC Spray and makes things worse. As we would learn the only thing that heals the pain is time in it self.

As time went on the pain became worst. The training officers turned off the water and made us stand in formation. I would later find out this was nothing more than a mind game. Not only were we not allowed to flush our eyes any longer, but we were told to get into formation as our training officer talked to us as if everything was copistetic. She explained to us that the pain would last for at least 45 minutes, not to shower with hot water because it reactivates the OC spray, and not to touch any other body parts or the OC Spray will burn that area as well. Once we were released, everyone ran to the shower. I stayed in the shower a total of 40 minutes until the burning sensation slowly calmed down. My vision didn't return to it's normal state until at least 2 hours after the initial OC Spray. Yes 2 hours of burning, itching, and blindness!

To conclude my OC Spray experience, I must admit I've never been in that much pain in my life. I've always been one of those people that doesn't shy away from pain. I've never been afraid of anything. However when it comes to OC Spray, I literally seen the little girl inside of me come out. The irony of it all is my department is making all of us get sprayed for a 2nd time after graduation, except this time it will be recorded on video. I'll try my best to upload the video for everyone to see, so maybe people can understand the totality of the pain instilled by 2,000,000 scovilles of OC Spray. But to be honest, there's no words or visual evidence to explain it. I've heard Recruits literally say "I rather get shot than go through that experience again." Oddly enough, I slightly agree.

Here are several pictures taken during our OC Spray exercise. The image quality is horrible, but it's better than nothing.

Two female Recruits decided to go first, after watching their initial reaction the two male recruits in front of me decided it would be best to let me go next.

After being sprayed this Recruit immediately proceeded to attack his subject then get on the radio. Notice the large blue "fire extingusher" in the Officer's hand. THATS THE OC SPRAY!

There's nothing like a blinded Recruit throwing high guard kicks to the stomach, as he screams verbal directions.

This Recruit, a former Marine says this was in fact the worst experience he's ever had in comparision to the "gas chamber" and other methods of spray he's been trained with.

This Recruit had eye sorness and redness well into the next day. Poor guy.

The pain, simply unbearable.

One Recruit gets hosed down with water, however it doesn't help. That's me in the background going into panic mode while laughing (I have this weird thing where I laugh when I'm in pain). I rememer at this exact point I was having a hard time breathing.

Close up of me enduring the pain. Still laughing, but not out of joy.

After everyone was sprayed we lined up in formation.

Water was cut completely off at this point, and the mind games began. Some recruits are gagging, while others are screaming. I'm all the way at the end with my back exposed....I couldn't stop from pacing in circles screaming "when does this stuff wear off."

Below is a video of Johnny Knoxville from Jackass being OC Sprayed (500,000 Scovilles).

Go to 2:30 on this clip and he admits the OC Spray was the worse by far in comparison to the tazer. If you ask me he had it easy, at the time of this video (2003) 2,000,000 scovilles wasn't legal in stores or available to Law Enforcement. The highest content of the OC Spray used in this video could have been, is roughly 500,000 scovilles. That's 1/4th of the scovilles I witnessed.

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This is video footage of a surprise party I attended recently. Pay attention to her reaction as she opened the door. What's more scarier than opening the door and having 40+ people in your Loft scare the hell out of you.

Shout out to Jas. Happy Birthday!

Final Thought: I don't care who you are and what you've experienced. If you haven't' been OC Sprayed, don't come running and telling me your war stories about how you broke a finger nail at work on the fax machine. Because at the end of the day until you feel your nose and eyes burning til you get tunnel vision and lack of breathing, then you haven't experienced real pain. Chump!