Originally Posted by Snauhi

yeah drinking and smoking should be banned from the army, let those smokers learn not to smoke

Calm down there kiddo.

Yes smoking is very bad for you, and it kills your physical health and all that good stuff.

But sometimes when you are taking a break from a Patrol or a Firefight. A smoke is just what the doctor ordered.

I smoked in Afghanistan and in all the prep to the invasion, and I don't smoke now..

Sometimes, it just makes you feel good.

P.S All these war movies you see with people smoking while on patrol.. That is a load of ****, you can't smoke on duty or on patrol... Do you know how far you can smell a normal cig from?? 1 1/2 miles away.. Tell me why you would want to do that.

I love the old WWII movies that have the Brits going into battle with a pipe jammed in their teeth, very realistic, I think.

I was talking to an E-7 at Ft. Knox who told me that when he was in the field, he would spit (dipper) in his breast pocket so as not to leave a nice trail of tobacco juice for anyone who might be looking for them.

*cradles copenhagen* NOONE TAKES MY TOBACCO AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!!

I can tell ya from experience, there is no smoking allowed in (Marine) boot as for others dont know. Marine boot your lucky to breath let alone smoke. Also, I quit smokin Nov12, 1992 and still to this day after sex, meals and drinkin I still want a cig. Do not judge people for something you know nothin about. I had to quit because my wife has asthma and it made sense, every now and again I will have a cigar. It is something people will never understand, most people against smokin have never done it. I am not talkin about a drag to try I am talkin a real smoker. This is just like some of you guys that have a lot of Mt.Dew durin the day, try to go one day without a soda. Then you will have a fraction of the way a smoker feels.

Originally Posted by Snauhi

tobbaco and smoking are just , it will drop your physical performence...

Normally I would agree, but Ive met several soldiers that are in the same physical state they would be in if they didn't smoke. If you keep in shape afetr you start smoking, you'll stay in shape.

Originally Posted by Nero

Normally I would agree, but Ive met several soldiers that are in the same physical state they would be in if they didn't smoke. If you keep in shape afetr you start smoking, you'll stay in shape.

Not true, as I said earlier, I was a smoker. And when I ran my couple miles in the morning, I could tell how much I'd smoked the evening before. I was in good shape, but it improved fairly rapidly right after I quit.

I can go with that one. I was smokin 3 pack of reds a day and still had a perfect PFT and ran a 17min, 3 mile. I can't imagine how much better I could have done if I hadnt been smokin at that time. Every person is different on how things effect them. it is like coffee, some people can drink it with no effects and others get and instant speed rush.

true, I knew a women who smoked about 40 to 50 cigarettes a day and she lived to by 84, I think, in perfect health, and some people smoke 5 of them a day and die at 39.... life just isn't fair. (and neither is death)

When I left the service, despite my smoking, my drinking 2 pots of coffee a day, my eating an apple at lunch and my jogging in fatigues with no socks in my combat boots, I was still kicking the butts of my subordinates. I was 39! I am 44 and still kicking butts (and wearing socks now! ). People still think I am "weird" though!
In the French military, you can smoke and drink when not actively involved in whatever military matter (training, maintenance, PT,...).
Lunch, dinner, parties always involve drinking and smoking. Bivouac and regular nights on the field too.
Getting drunk or U.I is forbiden but accessing a drink or cigarettes is easy at all the clubs, all ranks, when off duty. Even in operations one can get a beer and a Penthouse! It prevents all the kind of black market things that go on around troops denied access to these "comodities" + a "control" on what to whom!!!
Cigarettes where in the C-Rats up until the late eighties + a little bottle of schnaps...
But don't worry, political correctness and health police are catching up!!!