A smoke free military? WTF?
Completely ridiculous.A new study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs recommends a complete ban on tobacco, which would end tobacco sales on military bases and prohibit smoking by anyone in uniform, not even combat troops in the thick of battle.
posted by Wek @ 7/12/2009 11:26:00 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
It's the dumbocrat "Nanny State", soon, they will be hiring people to ensure we wipe our ass properly and make sure that we wash our hands until the monitor finishes singing happy birthday. If you want a picture of how too much government can ruin someone just look at the black community. Professional victims who don't even know how get out of town when a hurricane hits. Helpless because the government tells them they are poor and less fortunate.
You know our military are there to fight for the people of the U.S.A. They are our HERO'S! We the people best get a grip of what is going on...We keep sitting back and letting the government tell us what to do and what we can't do...There needs to be an up-rising soon...Be prepared if we the people don't come together!
Lets ban alcohol, and churches, and the club system and any other recreational places on base. We cannot give our service members the same rights as the people are guaranteed in the Constitution that the military defends everyday. Smoking as been removed from all government building and now we want to remove that from the people who dedicate their lives who defend our rights. This not a nanny state, this is a Nazi state
I think it's like this: In years past, our military bled and died to defeat the Nazis. Now, in the 21st century, we show every sign of at least emulating, if not actually becoming National Socialists. What gives there, Jerry? What, indeed. I say 'abolish the health Nazis', and pay close attention to the level of political clout attached to so-called 'healthcare' these days, something's rotten in Denmark, there, and probably the best thing for healthscare would be to go through it with some airborne-certified accountants...
I say ban tobacco and lift the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the Army. I am gay, a non-smoker, and I serviced my country in the U.S. Army, a very labor intensive job. I resented the smokers taking 1/4 of each hour to go smoke while the rest of us worked. Tobacco smoke causes illness and death in non-smokers. Smokers are more likely to become ill and miss more work which hurts military readiness. I don't care if troops smoke at home, but they should not be allowed to pollute and cause ruin to the health of other troops. And smokers don't deserve to get roughly an extra 90 minutes off during their working day to feed their addictive habits while non-smokers pick up their work. I wold love to live in a town or city where all public smoking is criminalized.
Марко Фризия I have to say you are very hypocritical. Lift one ban to put in place another one. Next you will be saying let gays in and ban drinking, crap, why don’t we just go with banning free thought. I love your embellishment of covering for the smokers when they go outside for 10 mins. every now and then, I never had any one cover for me when I go out to smoke I just come back and work. I miss less work than non-smokers and I am better shape than the majority of non-smokers in service and out. Smoking is a staple of the military it unwinds nerves at work and after a long day or night (many non-smokers smoke while deployed and stop once the deployment ends, I have seen it), it’s like having a drink after getting home. It is a life style that you of all people really should not judge, I don't. Now look down at your foot, open your mouth and insert said foot into mouth. If they ban smoking in the military I will just leave and there will be many more to follow. Where does his stuff come from, how come it is never anything beneficial like actually ending a war or trying to figure out how the hell GB Jr. managed to stay in office for to fucking terms messing up the country.
I have been in the Navy my entire adult life, I say ban it! It is a ridiculous crutch which no one should start and everyone who does should quit. There a plenty of ways o 'unwind' after work which do not kill you in the process. The military stared the smoking addiction by issuing cigarettes to the troops in WW II, now it is time to stop this 20th century addiction on filth and unhealthy lifestyle.
When I put this post up I did it with the knowledge that this is off topic for OYE. But so what? I enjoy reading the debate.
Although one thing I cannot stand is when a comment strays to bizzaro-land (i.e. Anon @ 13:24). In no way am I finding a parallel with smoking in the Military and Hurricane Katrina. This is a big internet universe. I'm sure there's another site that would better appreciate your sentiments on this particular topic.
Hi there anonymous woman or man. What branch of the military did you serve in? Also, me being gay isn't likely to give my coworkers respiratory illness or cancer. Get a blog and an identity.
No, you'll just make them catch the gay.
The only thing that banning smoking is going to do is make it necessary to bring back the draft or some form of mandatory military service. We already tell those who can vote but yet cannot drink that they can fight and die for their country. We continue to serve to protect the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this nation, not so that some group of bureacrats can come up with half-baked ideas to save some money at the cost of large numbers of military memebers those who aren't going to give up their own freedoms.
Hey there Miss Anonymous (I will just assume you are a straight woman) since you are a wimpy coward hiding behind Internet anonymity. No, I can't turn you into a lesbian. But the lesbians wouldn't want you. The GOP is into gay bashing, so you must be a Republican, too. Which branch of the military did you serve in? Why are you avoiding that question? Or are you actually yellow elephant? If you aren't willing to serve in the military, why do you have such a personal investment in Department of Defense policies? Talk to me about DoD policy when you have pulled a few combat tours. No name given, you have zero credibility. And your homophobia has the whole Jerry Falwell flavor. Get a life you wussy! When you can tell us about your own military experiences, then we'll take you seriously. Right-wing trolls on blogs are so 2004.
Марко Фризия there are several anonymous people on here you may have to clarify before going on a tirade.
To those posting as "Anonymous": Please differentiate yourselves. Use any name you want but use something different than "Anonymous". You don't even need to be creative. Calling yourself "anon 1" or "anon 2" will suffice.
Okay Марко Фризия just for you I got an account. I am really going to go out on a limb here and say that you are addressing me. First off I am going to say that I don’t care what sexual orientation you are as long as you can point and shoot, hopefully hitting a target. I didn’t know that I needed a background check but I will humor you. I spent some time in the Marines as an Infantryman I have been on Med floats, I have been to Kosovo and I have been to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now I am serving my time out as an Army Paralegal, fun times right there I tell yeah. Hence why reading into Army Regulation and DoD policies.
That being said the country hasn’t even accepted gay rights, placing someone who is out of closet in my unit would have caused some high tension, and then it becomes a safety issue. The rest is for another conversation somewhere else at another time.
Is that enough for you or should I start from child hood. Again look down at your foot, open mouth and insert said foot into mouth.
If they want to ban smoking in the military they would have to do it for the rest of the country, fair is fair now. Saying those that defend our freedom shouldn't have any, bullshit. If you don't smoke great, don't push it onto me.
@Lennox, the same complaints you make about gay people were made about African-Americans being integrated in the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948 ("the nation isn't ready or accepting..."). There is still much racism in the USA. So does that mean you are opposed to blacks serving beside whites, too? The whole country isn't accepting of race mixing. I don't smoke, if you are a weak-willed nicotine addict don't endanger my health or increase my workload by pushing your toxic addiction on to me while you smoke and waste time. Smokers don't deserve extra time to goof off at work to feed their filthy addiction while decent people continue working (any more than the military should give personnel time off to shoot Heroin -- but at least Heroin IV use doesn't endanger the health of innocent people). Oh, make no mistake about it, I think tobacco should be outlawed like other illegal drugs, not just the DoD but nationwide. It should be banned indoors and outdoors, except for private property. Thousands of non-smokers have been assaulted and murdered by smokers. People who blow their smoke on non-smokers are causing injury and death. They are not defending our freedom. It's nice that you are sitting on you ass as a chairborne ranger. Good for you. If I insert my foot anywhere it won't be in my my mouth, it will be up the ass of the next vile pig who blows their cancer causing secondhand smoke in my face. Tobacco users are inconsiderate dreck, a subhuman life form, criminals who are guilty of assault and murder. If I knew you I would buy you five cartons a day to hasten your death. The less smokers, the beter.
Oh, one more thing, I hope state and local child welfare agencies remove children from homes and parents where they are poisoned by second-hand smoke. That's child abuse. I am now 100% service-connected disabled from and IED blast in Iraq. And I know how to shoot straight just fine. I didn't spend my Army duty sitting on my ass in an office chair, taking smoking breaks. Aren't you concerned about the harm tobacco addicts are doing to their innocent victims. Tobacco use (with all we know about the harm it costs, the health risks) is a sign of a diminished IQ. We already have plenty of stupid people in government. We don't need more stupid people in the military. When I went through Army basic training in 1988 tobacco use was totally banned? Do you think tobacco addicts deserve extra breaks? In Army Basic Training tobacco huffing was prohibited (and alcohol use was, too). Basic Training is very stressful. If someone can't survive Basic without tobacco addiction, they don't have what it takes to serve, unless they are wimps sitting on their asses in military offices. If someone is so prejudice that they can't handle working alongside gay people, they shouldn't serve. I imagine quite a few racists were chaptered out when Pres. Truman integrated the Armed Forces in 1948.
This Dr Ken Kizer that prepared the report the government is using is going to head-up Medsphere Systems, a California-based health information-technology company, with the goal of cutting the price of electronic patient record-keeping by using the free, publicly available open-source system that the VA devised. Thats in his resume.. that he developed the system for the VA. First of all the V.A did not devise a computer medical records system. The many people that post to Open Source developed it and the VA used it. They did not develop it as this same doctor makes claim to have done. Isn't one of the Health Reform issues about just that. Medical records being computerized and digitized across the country. Of course he wants to create sensationalism, He wants to get a government contract. What better way to make a name for yourself and get support, after all, smoking is not looked upon favorably for various reasons. This report isn't about the truth, it's about getting a contract with the government. How much you want to bet he's a Republican that calls himself a "conservative".
Марко Фризия wow out of all I wrote and you pick a few things out, weird. I work harder in one day than you did your whole military career. You should be use to this phrase by now but for you I will repeat it; look down at your foot, open mouth and insert said foot into mouth. Now go back up and read the whole entry. You must have been a linguist?
I have no idea what the hell you are talking about. Now make a coherent statement then we can proceed.
Ms. Lennox, Spend some time on the American Cancer Society website and learn what your nasty and selfish addiction is doing to innocent non-smokers. Try learning a second or third language for your country like I (a big faggot) have. Your blog is blank, try writing some more if you are literate enough. I served 20 years in the military (Army) and I retired with 100% service-connected disability (bullet wounds, extensive burns, and shrapnel wounds from an IED, I had two seizures today as a result of a traumatic brain injury from that IED - when did you last bleed for our country like I, a big nelly faggot, did?) Try to have a little more respect and compassion for the wounded gay warriors you hate so much. And don't disrespect me or other wounded veterans by making uninformed and ignorant assertions about my military service while you sit on your lazy ass, filing your finger nails in a stateside, air conditioned office. You have no idea about my military service and shame on you for denigrating me. Ma'am, it seems like we are both Democrats and I am sure you are a hot looking lady (maybe slightly fat from your office job). Let's just agree to disagree. Is there a postal address where I can mail you several cases of unfiltered Camel cigarettes? I am totally cool with you smoking your way into a hospice. When you get lung cancer and die, that's one less tobacco addict blowing their cancer-causing smoke in the face of innocent victims. I am serious, I am willing to buy your homophobic pie hole filterless cigarettes until you do us all a favor and die from lung cancer. Good riddance to an ignorant polluter and spreader of disease. So are you a total dyke or are you into men? If my foot goes anywhere, it will be up the ass of pigs who spread cancer from second-hand smoke.
Марко Фризия you make me laugh with your banter. It looks like you are the one that is uniformed and being ignorant. I am not the one going off topic and speaking like you are. A Linguist trying to tell an Infantryman about war, this is a new one to me. I doubt that your head injury is from an IED, but from the headphones being too tight from inside the skiff. Can you send me those smokes, I haven’t tried those. I said I did it for you, so don’t be expecting a blog right off the back here. By the way Lenoxx is spelled with two x’s not two n’s
Still I have no idea what point you are trying to make, all you did is call me names. You might be trying to get me all riled up; I have been through worse than someone trying get me pissed over the internet. Sorry bud, I have said this before and I will say it again: look down at your foot, open mouth and insert said foot into mouth. Now step off your soap box, before you slip off.
Now if you want to have an actual conversation about them banning smoking in the military I’ll give you the floor.
Seriously read the whole entry. I don’t recall ever saying I was homophobic or anything to the sort and what does it have to do with this blog.
Also can someone help me on where I have done wrong to where this gentleman is up in arms about? Besides the spat I put in my first paragraph.
Lenoxx, I was a linguist attached to an infantry unit. I entered the U.S. Army during the tail end of the Cold War. If you knew anything about the Defense Language Institute, you'd know that little if any use is made of headphones now. I speak/read Russian, Bulgarian, French, and Arabic. Some of the best military linguists I know are gay men (men you claim would elicit violent reactions in your small-minded military world). I did foot patrols along with the unit I was attached to in Iraq carrying a rifle (and sometimes a 9mm). I was also trained as a combat life saver (at Ft. Campbell, KY) and before I was wounded I helped stop excessive bleeding in three badly wounded soldiers, started IVs to prevent shock, and administered pain medicine. I received the combat medical badge for this work. When our unit was shot at and hit by an IED blast, I took two bullets and was burned badly. I had two seizures in the last 24 hours from the traumatic brain injury I received from an IED blast. If you are really in the military you would know that linguists are atached to many if not all deployed infantry units. You'd also know that linguists, medical personnel, and other support personnel are wounded and killed alongside other combat arms troops. The seizures are uncontrollable and I am facing brain surgery. I am shocked you don't have more respect for combat wounded veterans. When and where were you wounded? The only place my foot will go is up your ass. You really disappoint me with your lack of respect and your obvious ignorance about the miltary. When you post your name, your picture, and write a blog, I will respond to you again. If you post a mailing address I will be glad to supply you with filterless cigarettes so you can smoke yourself to death. Just don't exhale your toxic smoke on to innocent people. You seem to be obssessed with my feet and what I do with them. Is that a fetish you have? I am unable to work becaue of the seizures, but I have helped start a community food bank, I volunteer for an animal shelter, and I do some outreach work with prisoners. I am trying my best to help other folks (and animals), even though I am quite limited with what I can do. Other than poissong the air with tobacco smoke and insulting wounded servicemembers, what are you doing to make the world a better place.
Марко Фризия finally a coherent entry, I thought I lost you there for a second. Actually I know a lot about intelligence field, I happen to married to a Russian linguist that speaks French and Spanish. My first duty station in the Army was with an MI Brigade so I am well acquainted with what they do, and yes headphones are still used.
If you would have read the entry of me being a Marine Corps Infantryman you wouldn’t have asked me those questions but I will entertain them. I was a Squad Leader during the initial push into Iraq. I have been blown against walls walked through hailstorms of bullets, watched RPGs bounce down streets at me. I have fired AT4s out windows to shot enemy emplacements. I have pulled the fallen to cover and hung on to humvees and 7tons as we advanced and to get those even more out of harm’s way. I have called in shake and bake fire missions. I have cleared buildings with a squad from the ground and from the air. I have helped rescue the captured. I have risked my life to get what my Marines need so the mission can continue. I have jumped from moving vehicles to engage the enemy. I have met the enemy face to face and cleaned his blood off me. Yes I have spit my own blood, pulled out my own shrapnel and bandaged my own wounds and that of others. When it was all over I would sit down light up a butt and wait for it to start over again. There were no translators embedded in the units we had to learn what little we could to make sure we could get around. They did make it a point to put embedded reporters in with us.
Afghanistan was somewhat the same but I was now a sharpshooter. I carried the SAMR and at times the Barrett (M82 .50 caliber sniper rifle). I have engaged targets up to a click away. I have destroyed weapons caravans as they tried to smuggle weapons in to the country. Found out that I was in an unmarked minefield and hoped that I would make it out of it. Again when it was all over I sat down smoked a butt and waited for it to start all over again.
Now I am in the Army as a Paralegal working towards my degree in engineering. I like new experiences and this was something interesting the law.
You are very disrespectful. You did not show any respect but I did show you respect, I have respect for wounded veterans because I know so many of them. As you were bashing yourself, and I don’t know why, you missed what was being said. So I can truly say this and that is you are true linguist it doesn’t matter if you were in a line unit or not. You are high on yourself and that you do not read what is written in front of you. You only see what you want to see. You feel it necessary to keep adding about gays, I really don’t care what gets your rocks off you can like goats I don’t care. You also keep adding about you being a combat veteran, great I am also. Don’t pick fights if you can’t handle them and don’t try to side track the topic with them when aren’t even relevant.
Also don’t dictate to me what happens in war or the military service I think I better grasp on it than you at the moment. I would like to see you put a foot my ass and your head will be the least of your worries.
Now quit trying to insult my intelligence, I am here to blog about banning smoking in the military.
The floor is still yours; now add something with more of a structure.
@Lenoxx, you need to learn to write English better. What was your first language? Your wild syntax reminds me of a speech by George W. Bush, another non-English speaker.
"I think I better grasp on it than you at the moment..."
"As you were bashing yourself, and I don’t know why, you missed what was being said."
"I happen to married to a Russian linguist that speaks French and Spanish."
"I have fired AT4s out windows to shot enemy emplacements."
"I would sit down light up a butt and wait for it to start over again..."
Are you status-post traumatic brain injury or just a man or woman with a very low IQ? The Army has programs for remedial English and functional English literacy where you can get some help. Your English is pathetic. If you can't handle simple things like subject-verb agreement and fifth-grade level grammar, spelling, and punctuation, I wish you would leave the Army and go back to the Marines. God help any soldier you "assist" as a paralegal. You have no legible point to make about tobacco in the military. And your spelling and misuse of the English language is the only real insult to your "intelligence." The Army also has smoking cessation programs available.
I was at Guantanamo Bay for Joint Task Force 160 in 1995. One compliment I can give the Marines: they are great and insatiable bottoms. Who knows, maybe that is where your real talents lie.
Most telling is 1st Anonymous on 12 July 1324 hours admits he doesn't wash his hands after he wipes his ass! And the "Dummocrats" better not try and make him!
"It's the dumbocrat "Nanny State", soon, they will be hiring people to ensure we wipe our ass properly..."
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
Your wife will vote for the Nanny State, as you put it, for the next million years if that will just make you come to bed at night clean. It's true. Trust me.
NoLikeyTheStinkey
Oh no Марко Фризия you caught me in a moment. Wait a minute I was being graded, shit. I do like to use commas everywhere though. I can say the same thing about you, nothing that you have typed as made a point about anything. All you have done is find ways to insult me. Now I will take my leave of this conversation since I don’t like to talk to douche bags who like to wine. When your balls decide to drop and you want to have an actual conversation about this shoot me an email.
I think you mean "whine" and not "wine." Want me to send you a dictionary with those filterless smokes?
I bet you are really good looking. Most of the Marines I've boned are, just not too bright.
It's fun insulting you -- great foreplay.
You are always welcome to email me -- email address is mapko217@telaugos.com
Talking via a blog comment system is a hassle.
Bye for now Jarine!
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