Need some help in Afghanistan

[RJT]

Originally Posted by papajohn67

Sort of late input but one of the problems is as word spreads and requests from individuals or small units come in this thing has started to snowball. Support among CS members has been great but their is a limit and also a breaking point when the pot starts to run on empty and the last thing I would want to see is for those of us who have been providing cigars, gathering donations, shipping stuff to end up wearing out our welcome on Club Stogie. If Edwin can handle the parceling out of sticks to different units then it seems IMHO to be the best way to handle it. Afterall he's on the scene.

Until recently I've only sent stuff to the 101st and left it up to the Division Command Sgt Major to see that they go to the right people. The other day I sent stuff off to a specific individual and since I made that commitment I will continue to send sticks to him and his buddies if requested. but situations like the Tiki Hut as well as a reliable contact with the 101st or other outfits seem to be the best way to go unless the sender really knows for sure where they and who they are sending sticks too.

I'm not waving my crying towel here or looking for either help or sympathy but this thing is a labor of love, easy to burn yourself out on, damn expensive and very time consuming and we owe it to the BOTL's who have donated sticks for the troops to do our damnest to see that they go to the right people. I may sound jaded but while in Vietnam I saw to much stuff that was intended for the guys humping their rucks out in the bush being cherry-picked by REMF's and the left-overs being sent our way.

Just my opinion, so much for my .

I agree with this idea.

[gene]

To all that contributed to this thread: Sorry about taking so long to getting back with you all and I'd like to thank everyone for the responses to my initial thread and respond to them in kind.
-I have responded to the "Cigar for the Troops" thread, but did not get a response to my private message.
- The morale is well enough, but the boredom between the exciting times can wear on a person.
- I am not on anysoldier.com
-I apologize for breaking any unwritten ettiquetteby asking for a favor with my first thread. When I was referred to clubstogie by one of your regulars (Edwin) he never mentioned any protocol. Yes I have ordered my own cigars and hopefully they'll arrive soon. I don't think that "FOBette" would describe anyone on our FOB- We have a mission that puts us all in harms way and we all have had our share of going outside the wire (obviously some more than others- the radio operatorsget stuck on base without hope in site until they leave the country). I'm a Physician Assistant providing med support for US forces, ANA/ANP (Afgh National Army/Police) and recently extended that care to keeping sources of information alive. I used to be on the enlisted side of the house fixing aircraft for 10 years. I'm permenantly stationed in Georgia suffering from a case of death by clinic with a relapse in symptoms during my stay in Afghanistan. My favorite cigar was Fighting Cocks until they became as scarce as chicken lips so now I tend towards a Padron 2000. BTW- Yeah, I'm an officer, but I don't mind.
My address was posted in one of the reply's but I can send it out over Private Message to anyone that needs it.
Edwin's job is not a supply Sgt so I'm not going to entertain that idea. If I can't maintain a supply for our crew I'll have only myself to thank.
-Alan, your awesome! Can't thank you enough, but I'll try. -See your PM-
-Lastly I want to say hi to my smoking buddy Pitt from Ft Riley. All is well and getting better as it heats up. Got to use highspeed toys recently while practicing my arts.
Thanks again and keep up the fight on the home front until we get back.

[68TriShield]

Package on the way...

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by 68TriShield

Package on the way...

Nice going Dave!

[gene]

Thanks to everyone that's sent us a package. The generosity is overwhelming. In fact, the Tiki Hut was just given some of our overflow. It wasn't much, but I was at least able to pay back a portion of what they gave to help start us off and supply for a couple of meetings. I'd like to thank all those with CS for making this available. If we have a surplus it will continue to go to those around us that don't have access to these resources or are running low. Thanks again Edwin for starting us off.

[gene]

I should probably be posting this in the "Bombed Section", but since this started here I thought it best to expose kansashat (AKA: Alan)for the rascal that he is this thread. I was minding my own business and a couple days ago I get a PM stating "tick tock". WTH- I actually disregarded it and pondered throughout the day if Alan was going senile (I know different now). I have recieved a 7lb 11oz bomb that contained aproximately 125 primo cigars and a few other niceties (I'm drinking one now). To be bombed in Afghanistan and enjoy it this much- I never thought I would be saying that.
We had a session last night and several cigars gave up the ghost in a most glorious and tasty plume... Tonight we have our regularly scheduled smoke night around the Smoke Pit and we expect to have a good turnout- I want to put a big dent in this bomb that so unexpectedly exploded in my lap.
I was particularly touched with the Army, Navy, and Marine cigars- unfortunately we don't have any Marines on the base so I'm going to send that one to a certain 1st Lt in Iraq. The Army and Navy cigars go to my fellow medical team members Maj Wegmann and HM2 Dykehouse as reps of their branch.
I'm going to stop rambling and get to the pics- hope this turns out. Thanks Alan!!!

[gene]

Attempt at pics again

[gene]

The rest of the pics had to be put on a word doc and compressed in order to attach them.

[kansashat]

Thanks Gene. You guys are more than welcome.

It is easy to sit on my bony ash back here & send you guys my overflow, so it ain't much of a sacrifice compared to what you guys are doing.

There are a lot of folks on this site that donate on a regular basis that deserve the kudos.

Hope you fellers enjoy the smokes.

[gene]

That's some nice overflow! After I finally got the pics up I had a medic visit from a remote site and was able to unload about 25 sticks to him- he was beside himself with joy since his fiancee hadn't gotten the cigars to him quick enough so his humi was bone dry.

Thanks to everyone for making a difference to not only our base, but all those that are over here.

[JohnnyKay5]

Originally Posted by pistol

I'm all about helping out the troops (seeing as I am one); I still send lots of stuff over to my old Battalion in Iraq, and please don't take this the wrong way. However, this is starting to verge on poor form in my opinion, coming to a forum and asking for something with your first post isn't right. I was there 3 years ago now and we ordered our own cigars from Thompsons and JR all the time. No one sent us CHIT, and we still smoked at least 3 times a week. Again, I'm all about helping out the boys, but if you guys are so desperate, order some yourselves until people from the forum can send some your way. I don't buy the "unless you send us some, noone will smoke" plea though... That being said, stay safe and keep up the fire...
*edit- That may have come off too harsh. Instead of asking for stuff with your first post, introduce yourself and join in on the goings ons of Clubstogie. Trust me, when people find out you are a soldier in Afghaniland, they will send you more chit than you can handle... I'm just seeing a lot of guys hop on the forum saying, "hey, I'm deployed, send me chit." BTW, let's be honest here (and I'm not talking about you, I don't know you), but there are lots of guys over there that are living large in LOG-i-land, or are FOBettes (guys that never leave the Forward Operating Base)- their biggest threat is getting a hangnail or developing carpal tunnel from all the paper they are pushing... I want to know something about the guys that I send stuff too because I want the bullet sponges to get my cigars, not the staff officers... Tell us more about yourself, who you are, what your job is, make friends!

I'm overhere now and I second that notion. For the first 8 months I bought my own smokes with no problem until I found this Awesome cigars for troops site. Literally All i did was say "hey im new, thanks for your support" and i had 2-3 contacts willing to send me stuff. On this note I vow to share these shippments with anypone possible, even having a few cigar virgins joing us for a smoke just to try it. All your support definatly helps the time fly by, even on these 15 month deployments. Like pistol said, its not soo bad out here in most places. Unless your at a COP or PB (Combat Out-Post or Patrol Base) out in the middle of no where, no one is that desperate for smokes.

To get everything straight, it is sad seeing troops taking advantage of deployment strictly to gain freebies, its different than great americans offering support to the troops. Overall I want to thank all those that are supporting those over here that are supporting the fight, and I can reference enough our's country's great support and for learning a lesson those that served during out vietnam era had to experiance! Good smoking to you all!