Smoking in the military: An old habit dies hard

AP ^ | 082909 | DEB RIECHMANN,

[Artemis Webb]

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Gen. Douglas MacArthur had his signature corncob pipe. Soldiers got cigarettes in their C-rations during World War II. Even today, America's war on tobacco seems to have largely bypassed the military.

Now a proposal to make the forces smoke-free is drawing strong reactions from troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, even though the Pentagon itself says any ban is a long way off.

The troops' fears — and, in some cases, hopes — were triggered by a study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department that recommends moving toward a tobacco-free military, perhaps in about 20 years.

[Artemis Webb]

I’m pretty anti-smoking but the idea of weakening our forces for the sake of political correctness disguised as a health concern.

[billorites]

I find it hard to argue very forcefully in favor of smoking.

[library user]

Next, when they’re not working, they’ll have to drink O’Doul’s or Pabst N.A. Alcohol can damage the liver you know!

[Lurker]

I find it very easy to argue forcefully for minding your own damned business.

[RandallFlagg]

These busybodies need to leave our Armed Forces the hell alone!

Make Washington go non-taxing before telling these heroes to go non-smoking.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Normally, smoking is not the soldier’s number one health concern. Lead poisoning is.

[armymarinemom]

They are trying to force people to quit smoking yet are trying to allow gays in the Military. Homosexuality has a pretty poor record for health risks.

[RaiderRose]

So you wanna send these guys (and ladies) into dangerous, high-stress situations, and take away one of the only “comforts” they have. It may not be healthy, you may think smokers are trash. But I’ll use the old “it’s their body, their choice” on this one.

This whole anti-smoking propaganda crap is really getting on my nerves. Everyone knows it’s bad for you. It’s a choice we are, as of yet, allowed to make for ourselves.

[The Pack Knight]

Seriously. They already tried to ban Playboys at the PX. They’re treating our soldiers like children, and it makes me sick.

[gaijin]

so....we’ll ask them to rush a machine-gun next, but take away their SMOKES...?

See? Libs allllways turn the military into a big social program LABORATORY..

[Eyes Unclouded]

I don’t like it one bit, but I can’t say it don’t make sense. Say what you want to about the Dems but at least they are consistent. They won’t let our boys smoke AND they won’t let them fight with any real ROEs... damnit I wish we weren’t stuck with two term presidents.

[Misterioso]

I’m pretty anti-smoking but the idea of weakening our forces for the sake of political correctness disguised as a health concern.

Got a verb?

[EyeGuy]

1) No smokes.

2) Force service in close proximity to perverts.

3) An America and military-hating race Marxist as Commander in Chief.

Good luck getting any real men to serve in the military.

[Misterioso]

Don’t these troops realize that smoking is a matter of life and death?

[Laur]

agree. With as little comfort as must be the case in places like Iraq, why deny soldiers something like that? We just can’t leave people alone, can we?

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Fricking nany staters.Theres a bunch of pillow biters in the pentagon coming up with this crap.

[Senator John Blutarski]

I’ve never been in combat myself, so perhaps some folks who actually have bee nthere can confirm or deny the following: From what I’ve read, cigarettes were seen as essential chemical stress relievers for troops in the front line and during WW2 were considered by the soldiers themselves as important as food and ammo.