Cigars For Troops Program

August 2, 2007
Gary,
Larry Monte and I packed up over 150 cigars to send to Camp Eggers. Lots of odd names, no names, some called 'free sample', some called 'factory mistakes' and a bunch of Churchil and double Corona Bucaneros. That should keep TSgt Santos busy for a while making up 'stogie care packages' for the guys at the forward operating bases. I will push Santos to get photos of the guys out at the FOBs holding up their cigars if I can.
Later,

Mitch

August 20, 2007
Gary,
After Larry Monte's cigars, I also sent about 100 to both TSgt Santos and SFC Bizarri in Kabul. Last week Larry Lynn sent another 200 to Pedro Santos, who is doing a great job of distributing the cigars throughout Afghanistan.

Mitch

September 10, 2007
Dear Robert at Atlantic Cigars Inc. (www.atlanticcigar.com),
Thank you for your kind offer. Here is the address of TSgt Pedro Santos. He and I were deployed together in Kabul, Afghanistan. Pedro is still there distributing cigars to bases all over the country as I am able to help with finding good people like yourself that support those of us in the military defending our freedoms so far from home.

Pedro Santos
755th ESS
CSTC-A, J4
APO, AE 09356

We formed a group there called the 'Camp Eggers Cigar Smokers' (CECS). I will make sure that TSgt Santos takes some pictures of the guys and gals with the cigars you send to them. If you want to send them yourself to one of the other FOBs (Forward Operating Bases). Thank you again for your offer and for all the good will and good thoughts. This really boosts the morale of the troops.
Sincerely,
Major Mitch Fadem, PhD

September 11, 2007
Once again, Larry Lynn come through (lynncigars.com). I am going to have to get the boys at Camp Eggers to send him something as a nice thank you. Maybe I will just go visit him myself and thank him in person. I will get hold of TSgt Santos and OS2 Tomko to see if they can hook up with Issac Roy. Later,

Mitch

MAJ Fadem,
Thank you for the contacts. We received some cigars from Larry Lynn a couple of days ago...Thanks for all your help!

OS2 Tomko, George

September 12, 2007

To all supporters of the 'Cigars for Troops' program, I am forwarding this email to keep you informed as to how the program is going and more importantly, how the members of our armed forces are doing. As you will see from the message below things are not good. I know both Capt Gray and Nelson. Now more than ever these troops need our support. The cigars are a great morale booster and even though it does not make the pain go away it does have a real positive effect especially at times like this. Thank you all in advance for what ever you can do.

Major Mitch Fadem, PhD

Major,
I hope the cigar companies will get back with you it would be nice to get cigars from the manufacturers directly. I sent a batch of cigars to Kandahar Capt Gray is going to be there for awhile and you know what kind of a shit hole that place is. I also sent some cigars to Camp Phoenix so our supply here is getting low but we are not out yet. Since our last attack Nelson lost an eye. He is still in Lanstuhl,Germany and he is going home so we won't see him again. Chaplain Weber is trying to get a Romanian soldier a medal for pulling our guys out of the burning vehicle after the attack. He burnt one of his arms badly while doing it. He would have done it quicker but he could not release their seat belts. They were on a softskin Prado. Now we are not allowed to roll out unless we are in an uparmor. We just had an attack at KAIA (Kabul International Airport) front gate one ANA (Afghan National Army) soldier died. It was a car bomb. Now we have to drive around a deep crater in and out of the airport. Well that is about it for now. Keep in touch.

Santos

September 25, 2007
Major,
I got a package today from Monte's Pueblo Pipe Shop. Larry sent us 4 bundles of Nicaraguan. Can you tell them thank you for us? Col Perez tried some and he said they were good cigars. I am still waiting for your package.

October 1, 2007
Gary,
Here is another message from the troops. I spoke to Chaplain Butler this morning and have hooked him up with TSgt Santos to get some stogies down to him.
Mitch

From Kandahar
Greetings Mitch!!

This is a great thing you are doing for our troops. When I got to country (Afghanistan) I came in through Camp Phoenix in Kabul. This was in May and during my short stay there I learned of a group enjoying to graciousness of those supporting "Cigars for troops". I was out of Phoenix almost as soon as I arrived and did not have time to get information on the program, i.e., contacts, etc.

As a chaplain here at KAF I do some work on our MWR program. When the Colonel asked me to work on this he specifically mentioned a cigar night. Our unit HQ is relatively small with about 12 participants on our designated cigar nights. In addition we have soldiers dispersed throughout southern Afghanistan in really remote areas without many of the niceties of home, or anywhere. These are the heroes of this war.

I was wondering if there were a way or a contact that we might communicate with in order to participate in this program. Any and all information is appreciated.

Thanks for your support, and God bless you and all who lift our soldiers in this way,

Roy M. Butler
Chaplain, ARSIC-S

Pedro

October 6, 2007
Major,
Yes I got the Olivas and CD, Col Perez and I had some and they are wonderful. I am saving the cigar juice for special occasions with CD only. Tell the guys at the cigar club we appreciate what they are doing for us. Just the thought that people back home supports us here goes along way. Every time we light up a cigar we would always say that it would be nice to have you here smoking with us. I guess cigars taste as good as the company you keep.
Thanks

Pedro

Pedro,
Just checking to see if that box of Oliva V's ever made it to you with the cutters and the cigar juice. I am going back to the cigar club today to get another box ready to ship out. The guys at the club have been throwing in cigar singles, bundles and money for the past couple of weeks so it should be full now. I will try to call tomorrow if I can. Say hello to the guys for me.

Mitch