A new flywise vent

[flywise]

So I hear a couple months ago that the military is thinking of outlawing smoking by it's personell. Now I don't know if this idea was an Obama idea or not.
There rashinale(sp) for this was that health care for vets. with smoking related illnesses was costing too much.
Well, I say **** off with this idea. If a person volunteers to defend me and my family, I'm not going to have a problem with some of my tax money goes to pay for his/her health care in the future
But what really makes me mad at this idea is the fact that I also pay for the health care of WELFARE recipients and no one ever tries to put stipulations on the money they get do they!!! Welfare recipients never come up in the conversations that try and limit how we live. If smoking cost the tax payer so much in health care cost for military folks dosen't it cost just as much for the Welfare folks? At least I am getting something for my investment in the military. I get nothing for my investment in the lifetime welfare recipient

[prkchp]

Good point

[Bonesplitter]

Excellent point!

[WCB]

I just quit smoking after 38 years. But if a soldier wants to smoke after defending my sorry ***, then so be it!!
I'll pay...

[k9trainer]

I see where you are coming from but I also see the point. People these days JOIN the military, it's a job in a sense. You sign up, you play by their rules.

[flywise]

thanks,

[DocHolliday]

dosen't it cost just as much for the Welfare folks?

costs WAY more for the welfare folks

plus, our current Commander in Chief smokes, would this apply to him?
doubtful

[reconman]

I never really thought of it that way. I started smokin after I got home from the desert to calm myself down. Way to many fights back then. I wish I wouldve found a better method though. I have to agree with you on this point! I'm also for regular random drug testing of those on welfare. You pop, you lose!

[Smart]

If a cigarette helps a soldier get through a night of constant shelling and insurgent fire or the possibility of any of it then "cornbread" any point the govt has for making them quit. There are some places in this world where one needs a crutch or vice....and I think war qualifies....

[flywise]

I never really thought of it that way. I started smokin after I got home from the desert to calm myself down. Way to many fights back then. I wish I wouldve found a better method though. I have to agree with you on this point! I'm also for regular random drug testing of those on welfare. You pop, you lose!

agreed

[flywise]

If a cigarette helps a soldier get through a night of constant shelling and insurgent fire or the possibility of any of it then "cornbread" any point the govt has for making them quit. There are some places in this world where one needs a crutch or vice....and I think war qualifies....

x2

[Tommyh]

There was an AF General who tried it earlier this year and was quickly rescinded. I have heard of hospitals overseas in Aviano that the personnel were told not to smoke on site, then not at all, but that was a couple of years ago. not sure how it worked out.

[flywise]

Smoking is just the issue that got me to thinking about it and ticked off, I know smoking is bad for you. My dad died on my 30th b-day from lung cancer. If they want to try an encourage people to try and quit fine, but do the same thing for the people that do not produce anything for their cheque

[Tommyh]

Their reasoning for it was that the soldiers would replace the smoking as a stress reliever with something worse, such as drugs and alcohol. theyre having a hard enough time with booze now that more people becoming drunks would be a bad thing.

[tvc184]

You're getting worked up over nothing fly. A "study" came out and it showed that banning cigarettes was good. Duhhhh..... They needed a study for that? They could have forwarded half of the money to me and I would have given them the same results as a discount but back to the issue........

It was "suggested" to the military to ban tobacco. About four days after the suggestion came out, it was squashed by the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The issue was over and done with almost two months ago.

While it is true that we are paying for welfare queens, it is that way whether they ban anything in the military or not. People on welfare probably have a higher than average percentage of drug addiction, smoking, obesity (figure that one out on welfare), teen pregnancy, alcoholism, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases, lower life expectancy, criminal record, etc. If we start basing what we or the military does in reference to them, then we are in trouble. The thought that people anywhere should be able to smoke simply because slugs on welfare do seems to be a failing argument.

The military should make efforts to get people from being addicted to tobacco. They just shouldn't do it by banning its use. That is exactly what the SoD Robert Gates said they would do. Education and treatment will be an option but not banning of tobacco.

Now... back to your rants.