A Smoking Relief: Why Cigars Are a Veteran’s Best Relaxation Tool 
I am not here to explain why cigars are either good or bad for your health. I am here to share with you about an experience that you and I had at least once during our military careers. Before I joined the military, I never once touched any tobacco products. I just never saw a want or need for it. I was too busy playing sports, hanging out with friends, or playing videogames. Once I graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, I started to get exposed to all sorts of tobacco. Cigarettes, Dip, Chew, Snuff, Cigars, and all the above. Then, I was introduced to the “smoking pit” which can come in all forms of spaces and ideas of furniture. For example, you can have a 20×20 space with a few picnic tables and ammo cans as ashtrays or a dedicated area for troops to go smoke in with nothing but a sign “smoking designated area”. Either way, it was a place for us to take a pause on what we were doing. Whether it was training, logistics, cleaning weapons and equipment, or any other military activity, the smoke pit gave us the opportunity to relax for a few and build camaraderie with our fellow servicemembers.
For many of us, smoking cigars was a symbol of camaraderie that created a shared ritual that fostered strong bonds and moments of connection during high-stress situations. The cigar was just the vessel for us to be in and the opportunity was the experience we had smoking cigars. Being overseas in Iraq in 2008, we were donated cigars from back home. I wish I could remember where they came from because they gave us a sense of peace and a little piece of home while we smoke them. Whether they were great or not, we smoked the hell out of them. We barely knew what we were doing but it was a shared moment for me and my fellow Marines. I might not remember the cigars I smoked, but I’ll always remember the Marines I smoked them with. Even if we sat in silence, it gave us a moment to breathe.
Being in a high-stress environments require some level of mental escape to balance it out. For me, cigars provided a brief, comforting escape from the stresses of military life. The slow, mindful process of smoking a cigar helped many others and me momentarily disconnect from the pressures around us. I never rushed a cigar which made me mindful of when I was going to smoke one. If I knew I had limited time, I wouldn’t entertain the idea of quickly finishing a cigar. A cigar is meant to be enjoyed in a timely fashion. I knew that when the day was almost over, it was time to light a cigar and relax. On the other hand, I’ve celebrated many times with a cigar in my hand.
Cigars often marked milestones or accomplishments, like completing a mission or returning safely from a patrol. They became a tradition for honoring these moments by bringing a sense of normalcy and a morale boost. I can remember many moments when smoking cigars like when we came back from Iraq, to Marine Corps Birthdays, to reunions, and many more. It’s been over a decade when I first started, but I’ll always remember those moments. From small to big wins, I knew that a cigar was always needed.
As we continue to write about cigars, I hope to receive a lot of your experiences that you’ve had while in the military or law enforcement that involved a cigar. It’s a great equalizer for us because we know what it feels like to sit there with a cigar in your hand, preferably a nice drink in the other, and surrounded by great company sharing stories and memories. What’s your favorite memory with a cigar? Share it to me at [email protected]. Looking forward to it!
