Americans celebrate Armed Forces Day every third Saturday of May. The day is dedicated to paying tribute to those who serve in the armed forces of the United States. It is a day to honor the men and women in uniform who served the country in times of war and peace. The day features military parades and various community festivities.
(Pixabay / DanEvans)
The life of a United States soldier is never easy. They can be called up at a moment’s notice and are away from their loved ones for months and even years. They put themselves in harm’s way and suffer all manner of privations on behalf of their country.
One way of recognizing the sacrifices of military members is to send them cigars, which they can enjoy during breaks in their missions. These little luxuries of life can brighten a soldier’s day and show appreciation for their valor.
The cigar is intrinsically linked to the life of an American soldier. Great warriors in American history were associated with cigar smoking, including Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., and there are many iconic photos of soldiers smoking cigars in WWI and WWII.
Gifting Cigars to Troops
There are about 14 million service members in the United States Armed Forces. To provide cigars for the U.S. military, two organizations are sending thousands of cigars each year to the deployed troops: Operation Deployed and Cigars for Warriors.
Operation Deployed sends cigars, food, toiletries, and other items to deployed American soldiers. The donations are sent to the chaplains of the military units for distribution.
The Cigars for Warriors organization collects donations and sends premium cigars and accessories to American troops serving in active combat zones. Cigar lovers can shop for cigars at a CFW Donation Center, and CFW will make their counterpart donation to the soldiers.
