I have several friends whove come back and they contracted a parasite from sand fleas. The flea bites and the parasite is transmitted to the host. Please google it, I forget what its called but it shows up all over the place wherever the host was bitten for years and years. The crap thing is, I don't believe there is a cure.
My husband in a Iraq Veteran also, and had this same skin condition. I thought Boils? Due to sand/sand mites & bacteria that has gotten under the skin?
Except that now (many yrs later) I am suffering the same skin condition..
could it be a staph infection or MRSA? it is very hard to treat with antibiotics.... you may want to google MRSA. Good luck.