FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq — Gen. Douglas MacArthur had his signature corncob pipe. Soldiers got cigarettes in their C-rations during World War II. Even today, America’s war on tobacco seems to have largely bypassed the military.
Now a proposal to make the forces smoke-free is drawing strong reactions from troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, even though the Pentagon itself says any ban is a long way off.
The troops’ fears — and, in some cases, hopes — were triggered by a study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department that recommends moving toward a tobacco-free military, perhaps in about 20 years.
“Your nerves get all rattled, and you need something to calm you down,” said Staff Sgt. Jerry Benson of San Bernadino, Calif., with the 5th Stryker Brigade in southern Afghanistan.
Benson said his first attempt to quit smoking was foiled by stress from a roadside bombing in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates seems to agree.
“He knows that the situation they are confronting is stressful enough as it is,” said his press secretary, Geoff Morrell. “I don’t think he is interested in adding to the stress levels by taking away one of the few outlets they may have to relieve stress.”
He said Gates is not planning any ban but is reviewing the study by the Institute of Medicine, which provides independent advice to policymakers, health professionals and the public, to see if steps can be taken toward having a smoke-free force someday.
U.S. military personnel and veterans interviewed by The Associated Press had strong opinions about life in the military without cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco.
Some said it would cut medical costs and make the force healthier, while eliminating smoking breaks would increase productivity. Others said it would dampen morale and reduce recruitment to the all-volunteer military.
Nearly all, however, said it was impractical and probably would never happen.
“It’s an outrage,” said Staff Sgt. Joe Dunn, 32. “I’ve been smoking for about 15 years, and being forced to stop — not on my own terms — is something I’d have a hard time dealing with.”
According to the study
Highlights of a June study commissioned by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department to combat tobacco use in the military:
Findings
• Tobacco use in the military has risen since 1998, threatening to reverse steady declines for several decades.
• The rate of smoking among personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan might be 50 percent higher than the rate of those who didn’t go there.
• The Defense Department spends more than $1.6 billion a year on tobacco-related medical care, increased hospitalizations and lost days of work.
Recommendations
• Establish a timeline to ban all tobacco use on military installations, starting with military academies and officer training programs in both universities and the military, followed by new recruits and then active-duty personnel.
• Stop discounting tobacco products in commissaries and exchanges and eventually stop selling them altogether.
• Prohibit tobacco use anywhere on military installations.
