America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Let me give you some advice since I did nearly three years in Iraq. Don't use a third party to send anything to the troops, the actual troops will get what the officers don't want, and what the third party didn't already pick over. That's if they're even aware anything is being sent to them. Appalling? That's the way it is...

If I can't get a trade, I'll definitely offload theses gars to my battle buddies down range. But, I have their names and apos. They'll actually receive my packages.

I'm not saying y'all are using third parties or whatever. But this stuff does happen, and it happens much more often than not. The Joe's (enlisted men and women that do work) will generally get nothing, or are completely unaware that anything was sent to "the troops" at all.

So here's a very likely scenario. The officers appointed over "the troops", at the lake side, with golf clubs, at camp liberty/victory all day, everyday. Drinking the palette of Starbucks that was drop shipped to "the troops" while they smoke your free opus x's you've been sending, because you're an awesome patriotic American. It's also likely, these officers appointed over "the troops" are also the ones making 100k+ down range. While, the enlisted Joe's that do all the work, and risk their lives everyday. They make more like 25k a yr down rang, and are supporting a family at home while deployed. They can't actually afford to buy cigars, or coffee. Again, completely unaware you exist, or that you're sending anything to "the troops".

Ok, I'm gonna stop because I've personally seen too much of this and I'm starting to get pissed. But, you get the idea...



Thanks,
- Frank

Thank you for your service, we are aware of these issues. We cope by bombing the shlit out of them. Plus we have some inside connections that Sting!!!

Btw when are we gonna fill another cooler. Got about 50 or so that need to go.
I missed the last bus

Thanks
Hillbilly

^ Sounds like you should run the next bus.

I would be honored to. But my spare time is scarce.
Somebody worthy will speak up.

Let me see if I understand you:



A third party opens the boxes before they reach the actual units the boxes are addressed to? I didn't realize this. I would think that someone would have contacted the great folks at OpFTH and made them aware of this. Hopefully, one of the MANY OpFTH agents that hang out here can tell us how many times they have been made aware of such an occurrence.




Great idea. Some S/BOT'sL who frequent here just did a very similar thing. I think there was a thread or two regarding this occurrence.



I don't think anyone here is talking about sending a palette of Starbucks. It would seem like opening a lot of boxes looking for premium products.

I know nothing of OpFTH. I'll refrain from further generalizations, but I'm not going to single out a business or charity either.

I can only offer advice, take it for what's worth. You or someone in your family knows a marine, soldier, airmen, or seaman. I'd send them stuff, not some third party. But hey, that's me. I've only spent three years downrange, some have spent a lot more time, some less. Some have had a lot different experiences than I've have, some similar.

If we're going to nitpick; the reference to Starbucks sending a palIette of coffee to Camp Liberty. I was there for that, it was divided amongst the officers. A few bags may have leaked down to the warrants, that's how a lot of the E7+ that interface with them daily found out about it. I'm sure a good portion of it ended up at Gen. Allen's personal palace they acquired for him.

Now that we've sufficiently derailed this thread to no avail, downplayed my gars to garbage, tricked me into viewing pictures of naked men, and expressed various perspectives of the military from both officer and enlisted. Which, by the way, in terms of branches, you couldn't select two branches further apart than the royal air force and the army. Furthermore, to compare officer life to enlisted, well... You, just can't, it's not at all the same. One guy sits in a green zone, in an air conditioned room ordering Joe's to go conduct suicide missions. Then of course, as a Joe (enlisted), you're out on some KLE (key leader engagement) or manning some check point along MSR Tampa (a dangerous highway in Iraq) waiting to get blown up. That's if you're not stuck patrolling the desert looking for insurgents and IED/EFPs (improvised explosive devices, explosively formed projectiles).

I think I'm done here, it's been real fun. Great community!

Glad he chose not to do the trade, I was going to hook him up.

Seems like there have been quite a few Noobs lately who think their POV is the only one that counts, become very mean spirited when another POV is pointed out, and think we care that they leave because we hurt their feelings.

Guess he didn't like the thonginator...

That will teach me never to "jump to bottom".
Will send downrange instead.

Sadly - those who do not take the time to get to know anyone around here, come in making broad statements (no offense Wheel!) and talk chit from one point of view without knowing they are preaching to the choir, don't last long and we are probably better off.

Knowing OpFTH has APO's of those serving downrange, making sure that is where most of the goods go, I am a proud supporter of this fine organization.

Hasta La Vista Azzwhole

Just my .02

RY

Yeah, I believe that's what it was, I don't remember for sure, but I know I have some of those.

shhh, don't tell dharbolt.