A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
Ok, I think we have most of the details worked out. I’ve emailed with Jeff Jackson and I have created a chat board for all of us cigar novices to ask him questions. And he has also made the offer to help out the project with orders that are from all of us military supporters. There are some things that still need to be hammered out, but the main things are for you guys to have a mailing address for the cigars and someplace to ask questions.
Basically, Cpl M has appointed me his Girl Friday in the US for Cigar Hour while he’s deployed. We will be using my PO box as a drop point for the cigars and also for any cards or letters or small care packages that you guys would like to send to him. I would ask that you limit the size and weight of gifts and care package items to the Cpl. I’m footing the expense for reshipping everything to him and so if you intend to send 50 lbs of books, you’ll break the bank. haha
Also, for security reasons, I will vet each box to make sure that you are not sending things that are in violation of Customs Laws. That’s for his sake as well as mine. I have to know what’s in the boxes to fill out the Customs form and I’m not signing my name to it unless I know I’m not going to go to jail because of it. 
Any malicious items sent to my PO box will be reported to Postal Inspectors, the local PD, the FBI, the NSA, the CIA, and any other agency I can think of. I don’t play around. I’m sure most everyone here only wishes the best for our Cpl, but there are some who may not. I’m not going to say any names, but my main worry begins with the letters “Cliff.” And since I saw where his house is via Google Earth and I know his name and address after deep IP research, I’ll be keepin’ an eye out for that.
So on to the meat of the post.
Any cigar orders that are not being mailed directly to the Cpl (some of us do have his mailing address in Iraq and we will be sending him stuff privately) can be shipped to:
Wendy Stewart
PO Box 583
Rockford, IL 61105
I will recognize the cigar company shipments.
As for personal support things like letters and whatnot, please, please, PLEASE make sure to address them as:
Cpl M
C/O Wendy Stewart
If you don’t, I won’t be able to get the mail because my local PO office is very strict about mail addressed to people other than those listed as authorized receivers on the box. You can even just address it to me and mark the lower left hand corner “For Cpl M.” The boxes have to be marked for him because I also use that PO box for another blogger and I don’t open his, I just forward them directly. Unless you want your stuff being sent to Oregon, I ask that you make a distinction somewhere on the package or letter or card. The same applies to anything ordered from Amazon. Make sure to make the shipment as for the Cpl in care of me.
The chatboard is found here. I have set up the basic outlines and I welcome any and all suggestions on how to improve the site. I’m sure it will be slow going at first, but hopefully, this will be a useful tool in learning about cigars.
Now, I know a lot of people don’t support tobacco products and I’m all for sticking to your own moral code on that issue. There is no pressure to contribute to this project. It is strictly voluntary. For those who ARE considering contributing cigars, cutters, and whatnot, I give you a hearty THANK YOU in advance. Any questions for the project can be directed at me in comments and if I can’t answer them, hopefully Cpl M can answer them when he has the time. There may be some lagtime between the question and the answer, but I’m sure ya’ll are a patient group.
Thanks again. You guys rock!
(7) Readers Comments
Leave a Reply
![[UPDATE] The “Face” of Military Dating Scams – The Wall of Shame](http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/themes/LondonLive/thumb.php?src=http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2.jpg&w=53&h=41&zc=1&q=100)
555FAA71-9003-E525-37025352646A88C8
I am posting this in case someone by the name of susan just goes to th
Tracy
Well, I know absolutely nothing about about cigars, but I will definitely be sending cards and letters!
LL
And I’m sure he’ll LOVE to hear from you and the other readers here. He’s so busy right now, but I’m sure he’d want everyone to know how much he appreciates all the support he’s gotten so far for his posts.
You know…mail is just so important to those guys over there. I always have a stash of funny and supportive cards in my house just to send at random intervals so my “babies” know that they aren’t forgotten and that they are appreciated every day.
I truly think that is one thing that separates REAL supporters from those who SAY they support the troops. “Actions speak louder than words” and 39 cents for a stamp and a few minutes of time to jot out a brief letter speak volumes to those guys.
Thank you, Tracy. You’re a gem.
Tracy
I, too have the stash of funny cards that I send out. The Hallmark store must think I’m nuts b/c I go in there and look at cards and laugh my head off for about 20 minutes.
The ones that make me laugh out loud get bought.
LL, you are a gem too!! Thanks for organizing all of this for Cpl M and his men!!
LL
hahaha, I do the same thing at my grocery store!! Hallmark has that “Fresh Ink” label that makes me laugh so hard I snort. There are one that go in the “coping” category. The best one ever that I sent to one of my Marines was this geeky kid in 50s horn-rimmed glasses showing his “muscles” on the front. It says, “They can take your lunch money, but they can never take your pride.” And inside it says, “Hang in there.” I snickered and snorted and he really liked that one. Check out that line of cards. They’re GREAT.
And I’m not really doing too much. He’s like a baby brother and I gotta make sure he’s taken care of. But he’s the one who came up with the idea and is working with the chaplain on his end. He’s doing the hard part.
Tracy
Heh, “He’s like a baby brother” I say that kind of stuff all the time~that I like to mother or big sister my soldiers. LOL Even when they are the same age as me.
That is a great card. I’ll have to look for it.
The 2 best cards I’ve sent are this: I send to a soldier that has tattooes (I think like 6 of them). I found this card that said, “Things you never want to hear when getting a tattoo. ..” and the examples were like “EAGLE? I thought you said BEAGLE??, There are two o’s in Bob right?, the flag is done and the extra rolls of fat give it a nice rippling effect” etc. etc. LOL
Two farmers talking. One has his donkey with him in blue jeans. He says to the other farmer “Do these jeans make my ass look fat?” ROFLOL
Yeah, Cpl M is no slacker is he?
Pingback: Chromed Curses
Bill Discher
Greetings,
I bought a pack of 4 cigars at a local tobacco shop.
The pack had pictures of soldiers, sailors and marines on it
and said “Cigars for the troops” on it.
The deal was, for every 4 pack sold they send
a cigar to a soldier in Iraq.
The box had a website on it, cigarsforthetroops dot com,
but when I looked it up the site had been taken down.
Was I flim-flamed ? Did I buy a cigar for a soldier over seas?
or was that just a way to get me to buy their cigars?