Gang-
Just returned back from the big “as” tray and I can tell you, along with hand sanitizer and wet wipes, stogies are awesome to send to your warriors. First, make sure they smoke them. Then, send them to them.

They not only take your mind off all that is evil but also encourage conversations and esprit de corps.  I was very furtunatly to have all of you great AS warriors send my Marines and I some stoagies and I can promise you IT MADE A DIFFERENCE!!!

So if you have sent cigars to troops, share a few tricks of the trade here. I will do the same.
Time for one myself-Semper!

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Easy answer:  Because we love you.  Even though they are bad for you and don't smell good, we care about you and want to help take care of you whatever way we can...  Heck, Major, I even wrote you a love letter after reading your post for the first time...LOL...and was going to send you ceee-gars even though I know they are bad, but felt you deserved them.  Anyway, I never sent the letter, and also didn't get the cigars in the mail either...I was afraid they wouldn't have been to your liking...So I putzed around and you came home.  Will just have to find someone else to "lavish" them on....LOL

 

Am glad you are back safe and sound and hopefully have gotten all of the dirt out of the cracks an crevases by now...lol

 

Thanks for everything you do.

 

Debbie

Major! How utterly awesome to hear from you!!! I actually have a question that maybe you can assist with the wisdom of your experience. I sent 2 small assortments to a Soldier once, and that's the extent of my cigar buying experience. This gentleman also let me know that his group particularly enjoyed Macanudo brand, so of course I headed to the World's Largest CigarStore, J&R, about 20 min from my house ;). I found Macanudos, and not only were there more varieties than I could make heads or tails of, they were also far out of my budget :(. However, there was a J&R "substitue," "if you like Macanudo you'll love this" brand that was more affordable. But I felt nervous not knowing, and guilty for depriving them of the real thing. So, in your experience, is a "if you like X brand, you'll love our J&R substitute" a decent alternative... Or should I just stick to beef jerky? Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Kristen

Welcome Home Major!!

Hey Major!!     Do you know if the Bada Bing is still in place?  I usually send an assortment figuring someone will like something in the variety. I also like to send the ones that are in a humidore box.  I have been into the foreign territory of the cigar store but find it a little easier to use the on line shops that ship direct.  So glad you are back and with absolute sincerity I thank you for your service!

 Kristen-

Thanks for the welcome home! I would recommend using one of my favorite lines..............."The best kind of cigar, is a free cigar".

 

Yes, the ones from JRs are great, smoke them myself.  Remembers, this isnt "break the bank" is troop support so if yo get a wif of "We have to have this or that from any troops.....please let me know and I will handle it". We all are very fortunate to have you great supporters out there-Thanks for the forum hit-shoot me whatever else I can help with!

 

Semper

 Thanks VickiV and thanks for all the support you shot us overthere-YOU are making a difference!

 The last I knew, the BB was still there. Now the trick will be contacting someone there to help you put the two together. Email me if you havent had any luck. Im sure I can help.

 Why send cigars?  Because if it relaxes them, doesn't kill them and they are allowed I say send away.  My thought is I can grab a cup of coffee or a beer with friends and chill out without much thought or planning so why not send cigars the soldiers can chill out with.

My only "trick" is I lightly vacuum seal them with a everyday kitchen appliance and then double zip lock bag them.  I put in slightly blown up baloons to add cushioning and to help to keep them from getting crushed.

I don't consider myself an expert, I don't have a whole lot of requests for cigars. I go to a local smoke shop and the owner helps me pick them out, thank goodness.

Best,

 

Sorry, Major, no one will ever find a cigar in one of my boxes.  Yes, you guys deserve everything we can ever send you to make you happy and thank you for the awesome job you are doing...BUT on the very good chance you come home, there is no way I want to contribute to anyone having lung or throat cancer.  You see...I know exactly what cancer is.  I've had it twice.  To think that someone could survive the hardships that you all go through and then have cancer because of something I did, is heartbreaking to me.  You lie in bed, confined and weak, the chemo takes away your thoughts, you lose your dignity.  I could go on.  I started with anysoldier.com because in April (my birthday) was the 10th anniversary of getting my groshong catheter removed from my chest for my chemo.

Sorry Major...maybe you guys could bond over a clear bottle of water.  I would be happy to send you one.

with loving regard and highest admiration.

 Lisa,

Glad to hear you survived the chemo and related treatments and are still here with us.

Best,

 Your on FIRE! Great pkg tips and know the guys thank you although they may not directly ask for them. You are correct, breakfast, lunch dinner, post raid attak snack, they are grreat anytime.  Thanks for your notes!!

 Keep attacking! whisper..............baby wipes are almost as good as cigars :)) Stay tuff warrior!

Okay, it's really late and I should just go to bed and pretend I didn't peek in on this thread....but here goes.......

 First, welcome home Major Bourland.   I have enjoyed reading your posts over your deployments.  Sincere thanks for your service, and thank you for taking time to be part of the forum.   I am afraid I have to agree with Lisa on the not sending cigars...you won't find them or cigarettes in any of my care packages because actually they do kill....I understand the part about chilling out and good conversations with the guys, but may I respectfully suggest swizzle sticks as an alternative

Now to the crux of this post...the reason I could not just turn of the computer and go to bed....something Lisa said really, really bothered me and I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I just cannot let the comment pass....I also started on AS to give me something to do to take my mind off of my cancer.  I was diagnosed in June of 2006 with *** cancer.  September 5th was my birthday, the anniversary of the day I had my surgery two years ago.  I just finished in March with my chemo, radiation and  a year of adjuvant therapy.   I have been balder than an eagle, had "chemo brain," known exhaustion that I would never have thought possible... you haven't lived until you've stood in a shower watching your hair fall out in clumps and land on the shower floor leaving you bald except for a few silly tufts sticking up here and there--an emu comes to mind...so I can relate to what you said Lisa...all except for one thing...cancer has never taken my dignity.  

I was in the hospital for something else and they came and put me on a gurney to wheel me down to where I was going to have some tests done.   As we were heading out the door, I suddenly realized I had not put my hat on and was about to enter the hallway bald....I panicked and told the orderly to wait, that I needed to cover my head to at least maintain my dignity.  My cardiologist heard me, and said Rosemary wear that bald head proudly.    It shows that you are a fighter, that you will not let cancer win.   He said, go down for your tests.  Nobody will stare or point at you in the hall, trust me.  I suddenly realized what he said was true.   It was different being on the patient side of hospital life.  I had worked all my life in hospitals, and knew what he said was true...that nobody would notice unless I made a big deal out of it myself.

Cancer is a coward.  It is insidious.   It is a thief.  It haunts you because you never really know if it's really gone or just gone into hiding.  It has stolen countless hours of my life with testing and treatments and the never ending checkups.    If I were to have a place where everybody knows my name, I guess I'd rather it be a social club and not the local cancer center.   But it has also given me much and in some ways is a gift.   Every minute of every day counts.  Every day I see something beautiful on God's earth that I did not notice before.  I can take joy in the simplest of things.  Lose my dignity....I think not. 

Rosemary

P.S.  Don't forget the swizzle sticks. 

   

WHY SEND THE CIGARS--------WHY NOT SEND THE CIGARS

"Happiness?  A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar, and a good woman-----or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle."
       ~ George Burns ~

For the troops.....a cigar is a small luxury they can enjoy in between car bombs exploding, bullets whizzing by, IED's detonating, roadside bombs......the list goes on.....

I mean they are fighting for our freedom and putting their lives on the line, and, if smoking a cigar is pleasurable for them, give them the "choice" to smoke them......

So, Why Not Send the Cigars.............George Burns lived to be 100

Mimi