Red Cross - Is it really a Louisiana exclusive?

[jingram058]

I used to smoke, rather heavily before I went into the Navy and early on in the Navy. My first ship, USS Midway CV-41, I think EVERYONE on that ship smoked, officers and enlisted. Hell, if you didn't smoke, and drink on liberty, you were looked on very carefully. "What's wrong with that guy?" You lived for the "smoking lamp" to be re-lit. It was out throughout the ship while transferring fuel, during unreps alongside an oiler. There were no women on that ship, or any other ship in the Navy other than tenders, at that time, early 1980s. Because of working during flight ops, it was pretty much impossible to get to the mess decks for chow. My healthy diet consisted of coffee, "Cup Noodles" ramen, and cigarettes. The cigarettes of choice were Marlboro reds, 35 cents a pack, $3.50 a carton, in the aft smoke shop or main deck ship's store.

Shift gears to the early 1990s, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf on USS Independence CV-62. You could still smoke, but while I was serving on that bird farm, the smoking policy changed from all authorized spaces to only designated places outside, i.e., sponsons. I now saw women occasionally; aviators who would fly out for "car quals" (arrested landings and cat launches) and sometimes have to remain on board overnight. Because I was now a 1st Class Petty Officer, a supervisor, I could now eat regular meals. And I cut way back on my smoking.

Now shift again to USS George Washington CVN-73. A new ship, and women all over the ship. The policy now is the smoking lamp is out. Now I am an officer, LT(jg), and I stand bridge watches and qualify as OOD (officer of the deck) underway. Now I have to set the example. Everything the enlisted people have to do, I have to do, only better. Otherwise, how can they have any real respect? My smoking and drinking days are far behind me. Now, instead of smoking, physical fitness is the thing during hours not on watch; running laps on the flight deck, push-ups, sit-ups, etc.

At some point before I quit "cold turkey" smoking altogether, I changed from strictly Marlboros to the occasional pack of Newports. Those cigarettes were made by Lorillard. Still around since the days of t205, t206, t210 and t211.