Starting another "Cigar Night" at my new base

It would appear that I'll be starting at least one new local herf with the help of the base chaplain at my new location, and possibly a second as I bounce between the two bases I'll be at over the next several months. I wasn't here but a few hours and had already met 3 cigar smokers that wanted to start a "Cigar Night" so it looks like I have an outlet for my free time.

I'll probably buy a decent sized humidor and the stuff to season and maintain it, but the big question I have is how do I go about doing the "Cigars for the Troops" kind of thing? Anybody know how I would go about doing this?


Thanks folks!


Kris

You are a private contractor making prolly three to four times the salary of the average soldier. You seem to ask how to get free cigars in many of your posts...What's up. If you can buy a humidor and the stuff to season it with surely you can buy a few smokes to fill it. I'm all about giving our troops free smokes...Not private contractors.

I'm not asking for anyone to contribute, I simply want to know if anyone has done this or can point me in the right direction. If you don't have the information I need, thats fine. If you do, please pass it on so I can make this happen for them.

Just like some of you, I have a mortgage, a truck payment, and taxes I have to pay. I also have a wife I have to answer to when I spend money, and just like some of you there is no way I can explain buying cigars for 20 plus soldiers per week just because I'm a contractor making "gobs of money". All I'm doing it trying to start a good thing, or in the case of being at the last base I was assigned, to simply continue it.

I do have my own stash here sitting in my humidor, and I don't mind passing out a few extra sticks once in a while to folks I know that either need a really good stick because of a tragic event thats happened, or to someone I know who would appreciate it.

I don't know if you just haven't had your Starbucks yet or you're not a morning person. Either way I appreciate you posting because it will eventually help me get the info I need so I can pass it on to the Base Chaplain.

I hope you have a better morning tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

I'm not asking for anyone to contribute, I simply want to know if anyone has done this or can point me in the right direction. If you don't have the information I need, thats fine. If you do, please pass it on so I can make this happen for them.

Just like some of you, I have a mortgage, a truck payment, and taxes I have to pay. I also have a wife I have to answer to when I spend money, and just like some of you there is no way I can explain buying cigars for 20 plus soldiers per week just because I'm a contractor making "gobs of money". All I'm doing it trying to start a good thing, or in the case of being at the last base I was assigned, to simply continue it.

I do have my own stash here sitting in my humidor, and I don't mind passing out a few extra sticks once in a while to folks I know that either need a really good stick because of a tragic event thats happened, or to someone I know who would appreciate it.

I don't know if you just haven't had your Starbucks yet or you're not a morning person. Either way I appreciate you posting because it will eventually help me get the info I need so I can pass it on to the Base Chaplain.

I hope you have a better morning tomorrow.

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Why are you asking "How it's done" when you made it appear you contributed to Kevin's?

Ya know, I'm a vet, served my country proudly......but I'll bet there are few around here that know it. I don't feel the need to publicize it. You would be off the mark to question my patriotism or love of our troops.

I have no doubt that you are in a dangerous place, but like Ken said, your circumstances ain't exactly the same as our troops. Your past posts here indicate that you freely give smokes, humidors, supplies, etc......to your buddies on the FOB, in the sandbox, in Iraq, where your office is a trailer and the lack of humidity really fucks with your cigars. Quite frankly, it's tiresome and worn out for me and I ignore just about all your posts.....but that's my personal opinion.

We've sent cigars to the troops from this board recently....um, K7 kinda ran it...remember. Use your mighty google-fu and search out Operation For the Troops or simply cigars for the troops or something, I bet you find what you need. Or better yet, bide your time and maybe a cigar rep will join the board and you'll hit the bonanza. Oh, wait.....:smiley3:

I've had my fuckin' coffee this morning and my brain is running fast enough to know your shitty ass tone to Ken was a mistake. It was made exceedingly funny to me given all your "sand in the vagina" posts to the newbs and asshats you like to pile-on..........pot meet kettle.

Ken's comment about how much money I make is where this entire thread went to shit but obviously since he's a FOG that doesn't matter. I wasn't asking for cigars, just some info if you had it.

I'm doing this for the Base Chaplain. He's not tech savvy and I offered to see what I could do because he'd like to start one for the troops here and didn't know where to go. All I'm doing is passing him the info if I can find it. I'm asking because I can't find anything after the first dozen or so pages of Google searching ..... which was the same road block I had the last time I asked.

Some of the sites I've found aren't online or they simply can't meet the demand. Some of the sites are blocked or aren't categorized, and since our internet at work is filtered by content they either come back as blocked or they simply don't load because of the lack of being categorized. Trying to work around that problem, I've tried it from the internet connection I get in our living area but my IP shows up as being from the Middle East and blocked by them on their end. There are some forums I visit, like Diesel Power Magazine, that will not allow me to login because I have a foreign IP.

Like I said ..... I can do a few cigars and a humidor, but there is no way I can do 80 to 100 cigars a month because my wife would kill me. None of you can honestly try to tell me that your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend wouldn't do the same to you. If you guys can help me out with info then I'd appreciate it ..... if you can't then that's fine as well.

I didn't realize my "contractor money" was an issue for some since all I really wanted, and made perfectly clear, was some good info.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

Ken's comment about how much money I make is where this entire thread went to shit but obviously since he's a FOG that doesn't matter. I wasn't asking for cigars, just some info if you had it.

I'm doing this for the Base Chaplain. He's not tech savvy and I offered to see what I could do because he'd like to start one for the troops here and didn't know where to go. All I'm doing is passing him the info if I can find it. I'm asking because I can't find anything after the first dozen or so pages of Google searching ..... which was the same road block I had the last time I asked.

Some of the sites I've found aren't online or they simply can't meet the demand. Some of the sites are blocked or aren't categorized, and since our internet at work is filtered by content they either come back as blocked or they simply don't load because of the lack of being categorized. Trying to work around that problem, I've tried it from the internet connection I get in our living area but my IP shows up as being from the Middle East and blocked by them on their end. There are some forums I visit, like Diesel Power Magazine, that will not allow me to login because I have a foreign IP.

Like I said ..... I can do a few cigars and a humidor, but there is no way I can do 80 to 100 cigars a month because my wife would kill me. None of you can honestly try to tell me that your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend wouldn't do the same to you. If you guys can help me out with info then I'd appreciate it ..... if you can't then that's fine as well.

I didn't realize my "contractor money" was an issue for some since all I really wanted, and made perfectly clear, was some good info.

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I don't give a flying fuck how much money you make. Nothing in my post was directed at your salary. It's also been my experience that Chaplains have shit loads of contacts to get help/assistance for their troops. Maybe that doesn't apply to cigars though.

Here's one link: http://cigars.about.com/b/2008/04/16...for-troops.htm

And also, some cigar outlets on the web donate cigars to the troops when you purchase certain brands or samplers or sumptin'......I don't think you can specify exactly which troops they go to though, so this might not be what you're looking for. :smiley2:

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

It would appear that I'll be starting at least one new local herf with the help of the base chaplain at my new location, and possibly a second as I bounce between the two bases I'll be at over the next several months. I wasn't here but a few hours and had already met 3 cigar smokers that wanted to start a "Cigar Night" so it looks like I have an outlet for my free time.

I'll probably buy a decent sized humidor and the stuff to season and maintain it, but the big question I have is how do I go about doing the "Cigars for the Troops" kind of thing? Anybody know how I would go about doing this?


Thanks folks!


Kris

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First blush for me is that ithis s a legit question - but one loaded with all kinds of potential nasty traps...

I personally like the idea of putting as many creature comforts I can into the hands of those that don't have very many creature comforts (i.e. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan). For example - I'd love to donate pizza's to all of the troops so that they can have pizza nights. But how do I do it in any kind of a meaningful way without desroying my personal finances?

To that point - does CigarSmokers now become the sponsor of the nightly herfs at the FOB you're at? Just as you don't mind sharing a few cigars from your personal stash - many here too would be so inclined. But - how do we accomplish the desire to provide smokes for the soldiers in a way that doesn't result in the same situation you're trying to avoid (i.e. wipe out entire cigar stashes)?

Kris - if I were you - I'd first start out by thinking of ways you can approach the CigarSmokers community to accomplish what you're looking for, in a way that is respectful of the CigarSmokers members - AND getting a "Cigars for the Troops" done at the FOB's you're at in a way that is something they'd enjoy. :smiley2:

http://www.cigarsmokers.com/threads/...0774#post70774

I'm totally with Jamie on this. It's really obvious how to get cigars to the troops. It's been demonstrated before.

I suppose it would be a nice feel good to see our cigars in the mouths of your comrades, but I truly do not believe this community could muster enough cigars to create a regular herf at your location.

Maybe I'm being presumptuous here, but it seems as though the FOB Kris is at may not been the recipient of cigars that have been donated to the troops. I mean - I'm hearing that the non-tech savvy Captain is asking Kris where he might get some cigars for the guys...

Kris - I'd suggest you or the Captain reach out to the following individuals:

Bill Schmidt - smitty@opfth.org
Michael Ladd - michael@opfth.org
Clint Green - clint@opfth.org

Perhaps they can arrange to send some cigars to da boys...

In this thread he states he is moving and has a new address. http://www.cigarsmokers.com/threads/13186-Moving-....?p=150856#post150856

He goes on to say he will get his address to people if the are going to send something. Seems like he is already getting cigars from some folks here...Has he already? Why would he ask how to get cigars for the troops if he already is getting them. If anybody has sent him cigars post up the circumstances around the transaction.

Your nozzle is showing.

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Originally Posted by cigarsarge

You are a private contractor making prolly three to four times the salary of the average soldier. You seem to ask how to get free cigars in many of your posts...What's up. If you can buy a humidor and the stuff to season it with surely you can buy a few smokes to fill it. I'm all about giving our troops free smokes...Not private contractors.

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The thing that pissed me off was this post because it was totally uncalled for. Ken, I apologize for flaming you .... I was so pissed that it set me off the deep end and I wasn't seeing clearly.

There are a couple of guys that have sent me cigars, and a couple I've done trades with .... which is why I posted about the address change. The post office at the previous base has shut down, and they don't do "change of address" forms out here like in the States. Any misrouted mail goes all the way back down to Kuwait before being resent which means being in a connex for up to a month and ruining anything sent.

As for the "Cigar Night" project I made it clear I don't want anyone to send me cigars for it .... I just wanted information. Someone either doesn't understand that, or can't separate between me personally and me trying to do something good here for the troops.

So how about this .... to anyone wanting to send me cigars, I appreciate it but please don't. I know there is one guy in particular that has PM'ed me, and I'll send him a note not to send it now. I don't want anyone to think that I'm hustling the members for free cigars for myself. From now on I'll stick with trades because I plan on being here in Iraq for a while, and at least a year or two in Afghanistan.


Kris

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

The thing that pissed me off was this post because it was totally uncalled for. Ken, I apologize for flaming you .... I was so pissed that it set me off the deep end and I wasn't seeing clearly.

There are a couple of guys that have sent me cigars, and a couple I've done trades with .... which is why I posted about the address change. The post office at the previous base has shut down, and they don't do "change of address" forms out here like in the States. Any misrouted mail goes all the way back down to Kuwait before being resent which means being in a connex for up to a month and ruining anything sent.

As for the "Cigar Night" project I made it clear I don't want anyone to send me cigars for it .... I just wanted information. Someone either doesn't understand that, or can't separate between me personally and me trying to do something good here for the troops.

So how about this .... to anyone wanting to send me cigars, I appreciate it but please don't. I know there is one guy in particular that has PM'ed me, and I'll send him a note not to send it now. I don't want anyone to think that I'm hustling the members for free cigars for myself. From now on I'll stick with trades because I plan on being here in Iraq for a while, and at least a year or two in Afghanistan.


Kris

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Well, Ken can address your apology to him.

Now, as for the "someone" who doesn't understand........I can see where there would have been some confusion. I think any misconceptions have pretty much been eliminated now. :smiley2:

Did you forward the contacts that George gave you to the Chaplain? For what unit are you working on arranging packages?

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

The thing that pissed me off was this post because it was totally uncalled for. Ken, I apologize for flaming you .... I was so pissed that it set me off the deep end and I wasn't seeing clearly.
Kris

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I think it was a legitimate question. You are there by choice. You are making good money compared to the soldiers. The soldiers are there because they have are defending America's interest. We owe them for their effort. You are thee for a salary. I thank you for your previous service but that in no way is related to your situation now. I simply do not understand why you would accept free cigars just because you are in "the sandbox".

I accept your apology for flaming me...I just don't understand your reasoning

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Originally Posted by ashauler

Well, Ken can address your apology to him.

Now, as for the "someone" who doesn't understand........I can see where there would have been some confusion. I think any misconceptions have pretty much been eliminated now. :smiley2:

Did you forward the contacts that George gave you to the Chaplain? For what unit are you working on arranging packages?

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Good post...Good questions.

I've passed the info to the Chaplain, and he's very grateful .... so thanks for giving me that info and the e-mail addresses. He's so excited that he's going to print flyers and asked the Mayor Cell (controls the rules on the base) for a designated smoking area in front of the Chapel and have some benchs made for troops to sit on.

What pissed me off was the assumption that I was trying to get free cigars when I made it clear all I wanted was info. Either some folks on here jumped the gun and assumed I wanted free cigars, or didn't completely read my posts on this. Either way, I got the info I wanted ... I'm happy, the Chaplain is happy, and he's got about 2 dozen troops ready to hear more good news.

Next payday I'm going to get them a decent humidor and fill it until the free cigars make it out here, so it solves the storage problem and starts it off nicely.

So to everyone that helped me with the info, I want to say thank you. You've made some folks out here really happy.

I'd also like to say thank you to those that couldn't help with info but made posts anyway. It kept the thread alive long enough to get me the info I needed to pass on to the Chaplain.



Kris

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

I've passed the info to the Chaplain, and he's very grateful .... so thanks for giving me that info and the e-mail addresses. He's so excited that he's going to print flyers and asked the Mayor Cell (controls the rules on the base) for a designated smoking area in front of the Chapel and have some benchs made for troops to sit on.

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What unit? A simple question you seem unable, or unwilling, to answer.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

What pissed me off was the assumption that I was trying to get free cigars when I made it clear all I wanted was info. Either some folks on here jumped the gun and assumed I wanted free cigars, or didn't completely read my posts on this. Either way, I got the info I wanted ... I'm happy, the Chaplain is happy, and he's got about 2 dozen troops ready to hear more good news.

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lmao, funny. Again, what unit do these happy troops belong to?

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

Next payday I'm going to get them a decent humidor and fill it until the free cigars make it out here, so it solves the storage problem and starts it off nicely.

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Toot.....Tooot.....Toooooooot.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

So to everyone that helped me with the info, I want to say thank you. You've made some folks out here really happy.

I'd also like to say thank you to those that couldn't help with info but made posts anyway. It kept the thread alive long enough to get me the info I needed to pass on to the Chaplain.



Kris

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Which folks? Wouldn't it be a great thing for these helpful people to know exactly who they have helped?

I've read more of your posts than I care to admit. I think I understand most things I read. Did you tell the cigar rep you were a contractor? Or did you just say thank you for the cigars he thought he was donating to the troops?

In my opinion, you have not made it clear in your posts that you are NOT a deployed US service member. I have to ask myself why that would be......looks as if others are doing the same.

It's also interesting that you're happy now, since you've reached the ends you say you desired. We'll see how that goes for ya.

I'll be honest, I don't know which units because there are several there. We've got Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and even some UK troops (Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos).

I haven't had the time to find out because I'm standing up comms on a new base and spending most of my time either on the phone or configuring switches and routers ..... and lots of 25 hour days.

And if you don't want to read my posts ..... well, then don't.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

I'll be honest, I don't know which units because there are several there. We've got Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and even some UK troops (Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos).

I haven't had the time to find out because I'm standing up comms on a new base and spending most of my time either on the phone or configuring switches and routers ..... and lots of 25 hour days.

And if you don't want to read my posts ..... well, then don't.

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You seam to have plenty of time to post on the net.
I think your full of shit.:smiley38:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

I'll be honest, I don't know which units because there are several there. We've got Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and even some UK troops (Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos).

I haven't had the time to find out because I'm standing up comms on a new base and spending most of my time either on the phone or configuring switches and routers ..... and lots of 25 hour days.

And if you don't want to read my posts ..... well, then don't.

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So you're being honest now? :smiley3:

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

...I haven't had the time to find out because I'm standing up comms on a new base and spending most of my time either on the phone or configuring switches and routers ..... and lots of 25 hour days...

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25 hour days don't lend well for many "Cigar Nights" at the new base... :smiley2:

For me, I don't see any issue with supporting both troops and contractors. Though the former may not have as good a deal going as the latter, both are integral to the successful completion of the mission and both are doing jobs that I neither can nor would want to. I'll happily by either group a beer and good cigar :smiley20:

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Originally Posted by Cigarbear

For me, I don't see any issue with supporting both troops and contractors. Though the former may not have as good a deal going as the latter, both are integral to the successful completion of the mission and both are doing jobs that I neither can nor would want to. I'll happily by either group a beer and good cigar :smiley20:

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This wasn't about the importance of contractors and the role they play in the "completion of the mission".

This guy wreaks of sour bullshit...


I'm just sayin'.....



If he wanted to be a good guy, he woulda started a cigar for the troops himself after seeing the example K7 did... Not hard to do folks... I've even done a few passes from here, and lots of people might of jumped at the chance to help him organize it, had he started the thread posting his intentions and a plan, not asking for hand outs and having everyone else do the work....

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Originally Posted by ashauler

This wasn't about the importance of contractors and the role they play in the "completion of the mission".

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That's a fair criticism. My post was pure philosophical and not intended to be a defense or commentary on Kris' responses and subsequent controversy.

Stinks here

Oh for fucks sake, people. I didn't ask for a hand out, I just asked for info ...... there's a big difference.

Fuck it, I give up. No one has taken the time to read what I posted and wants to believe I'm trying to get free cigars ..... so believe what you want. I'm just trying to start a good thing here, so I'll continue with trying to make it a success.


You guys have a good one.

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Originally Posted by MarineOne

Oh for fucks sake, people. I didn't ask for a hand out, I just asked for info ...... there's a big difference.

Fuck it, I give up. No one has taken the time to read what I posted and wants to believe I'm trying to get free cigars ..... so believe what you want. I'm just trying to start a good thing here, so I'll continue with trying to make it a success.


You guys have a good one.

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I think where the issue has come is that there were a lot of guys here that thought you were still an active duty fighting man over there. I now understand that you are a contractor but myself I had believed that you were still an active duty Marine stationed in Iraq. I never bothered to look at your profile so that is a bit on me, however your intro on the forum never mentions that you are now a private contractor it just mentions you are in Iraq, that coupled with your screen name certainly added to the confusion and misconception. I could tell by posts of other, certainly Shane, that others believed you were active duty as well and you from what I saw did not do anything to change that for them. I think it may seem to people that this was on purpose. Now it may or may not have been the only guy who knows that is you. My thoughts now is that you just need to post a slightly better intro maybe and say I'm sorry if there was a misunderstanding.

As far as this cigar night thing was concerned I think the simple act of posting a thread was what set people off really, it came across to me as if you were going to do a cigar for the troops type thing and then have them sent to the guys that you associate with where you are located. When you look at that it sort of seems you are trying to get free cigars for a night that you will participate in and thus enjoy some donated cigars yourself. Now while I respect what you are doing in Iraq as a contractor it does leave a bad taste in some mouths to believe that you are asking for smokes for a cigars for the troops that you will take part in. IMO it would be in poor taste for an active duty Marine to ask for smokes to be donated to his unit in Iraq, not because he doesn't deserve it but because I have more respect for the guys here to believe that they try to help take care of our fighting men overseas without the request.

It would have been better if you had just sent Kevin a PM asking him for information for how he did his as you knew he ran one.

Like I said my suggestion now is for you to just lay it all out and apologize for any misconceptions.

prophetic_joe :smiley20:

If i spent a week trying to explain why it bothered me i could not have put it better.

I really do agree, there was some misconception, and misunderstanding that happened here, but instead of saying Sorry, I didn't realize you thought that way, you instead got real defensive.

I think an apology would be a great next step, but that is just IMO.

Keith

And change the screen name to contractorone

I had refrained from posting in this thread because I knew that people who used common sense would chime in. IMO, this is all one big headache and reminds me of the "FARK" days.

Speaking of common sense, I find it worthless to ask for an apology from someone who did not have the common sense to begin with to know that it was warranted.

Be a man and let your balls drop already, if you fucked up, you fucked up. Acknowledge it and move on. I respect a man that openly realizes his mistakes as opposed to beat around the bush like a little bitch whinning all the way back under a rock

:smiley43: