Nine years ago, while a Private at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Drill Sergeants held a uniform and boot inspection every Friday. The soldier with the best appearance would be excluded from the duty roster and have a weekend over-night pass.
I had my uniform prepared; X-tra heavy starch from the cleaners. I purchased new Corcoran II jump boots and spent hours shining them to a high luster. My weakest area, cheating me from victory the week prior, was a dark beard that a razor just cannot seem to remove the shadow from.
With a stroke of brilliance I went to the Post Exchange (PX) and purchased Nair (hair removal lotion, generally used by ladies in the US to remove hair from their legs). I assumed if the product could remove unsightly hair from a woman's legs, it should do the trick to remove my beard's shadow.
Before Physical Training (PT), I began personal hygiene and applied the product to my face in liberal quantities. After a minute I began to feel a burning sensation; I perceived this to be a positive sign the affected treatment was working. After the directed five minutes I rinsed the cream from my face, however the burning continued. Later that morning, instead of standing inspection I was being seen at the Troop Medical Clinic (TMC) with second degree burns about the face and neck.