Redeployment Cigars

ArmyS1Guy

So I've got a few months before redeploying and looking to make one last order to carry me through to the end. I'm looking for recommendations for three cigars for the ride home. One will get smoked my last night here in Afghanistan, one during our stop before getting on the planes home (we fly mil air out of here to one of several places and then board a charter flight back to CONUS), and then finally one for home. I'm looking for suggestions for three good smokes. I'm either going to go three top shelf to spend some of my deployment money, or pick three with a theme behind it. One idea I had for three with a theme was a Camacho Liberty, a CAO America, and something else, maybe an RP Freedom. Kinda iffy on the America and Freedom as I don't normally care for maduro. Looking for suggestions either way, any thoughts?

Retircs1

Sounds like you have some good theme sticks to smoke for your time there in Afghanistan and on your way to. How about a suggestion for the ride back home? and the Focus should be on family IMHO so : Alec Bradley Family Blend would be a good one and a nice for the flight home Box of 20 In Stock $131.95 you just watch your six , and come home safe and sound God speed, thank you for your Service and your family's service too.

YankeeMan

Thank you for your service.

I too, like the theme idea. The CAO America is one of my favorites.

wwhwang

Why not the AKA Respect? It's a line dedicated to the armed forces and a portion of their proceeds go to Wounded Warriors.

Retircs1

WWhwang , what a great suggestion. I did not even know about that and I would be happy to purchase stick that support our brothers who have sacrificed much more than I. Please could you give more info I this ? I am new to the cigar some what of a beginner

ArmyS1Guy

Retircs1, I like the family idea. Looks like there are a couple choices beyond the AB too. Thanks for the suggestion. wwhwang, not a fan of the WWP. 40-60% (they won't say for sure) of all donations go to "overhead" (like the over $2mil in salary for the top 10 there) and not to troops. I understand it costs money to make money but there are some unanswered questions about their bookkeeping and where it all actually goes. I have also had a bad personal experience with them. There's a lot of better service related groups and causes out there. I will say though that our guys that have been injured this trip had good things to say about their reps in Germany. They were given $200 vouchers for clothes upon arrival and meal vouchers to go eat somewhere other than the hospital/DFAC whenever they wanted. Thanks for the suggestion, wish they were partnered with a different organization.

Retircs1

ArmyS1Guy, thank you for the heads up on WWP.

wwhwang

Was not aware of how much money they use for overhead. Thanks for the info. Haven't smoked the AKA Respect that onestrangeone sent me, but from all reviews, it seems to be a great cigar.

Hanibal

I am currently in Kabul for another couple of months. I have an Ave Maria Reconquista that has been aging in my humidor at home for a couple of years that I plan on smoking when I get back. Would recommend taking a look at their line to see if it is something that may affect your choices. I have smoked a few CAO Americas and have enjoyed them very much as well. As an active duty member of the military I have to agree with the comments on the Wounded Warrior Project. Their name has become synonymous for aid organizations that deal with wounded members of our military...much the same way as the name IPOD has long ago become synonymous with mp3 players (particularly in Africa and Europe where I have been stationed the past 5 years before deploying to Afghanistan). Not that they don't help but as mentioned in other posts there are other organizations that provide aide that are more worthy of consideration of a donation than WWP. -Hanibal

ArmyS1Guy

Hanibal:

I am currently in Kabul for another couple of months. I have an Ave Maria Reconquista that has been aging in my humidor at home for a couple of years that I plan on smoking when I get back. Would recommend taking a look at their line to see if it is something that may affect your choices. I have smoked a few CAO Americas and have enjoyed them very much as well. As an active duty member of the military I have to agree with the comments on the Wounded Warrior Project. Their name has become synonymous for aid organizations that deal with wounded members of our military...much the same way as the name IPOD has long ago become synonymous with mp3 players (particularly in Africa and Europe where I have been stationed the past 5 years before deploying to Afghanistan). Not that they don't help but as mentioned in other posts there are other organizations that provide aide that are more worthy of consideration of a donation than WWP. -Hanibal

Hanibal, I hear ya'll live the life up there. We have a couple LNOs there and my CPT's wife is up there. Everyone that goes up for a meeting or conference comes back telling how awesome it is. BAF really isn't too bad, nothing much to complain about. I love the Ave Maria line. I have a couple Reconquistas in my box along with a 5er of Immaculatas, a few assorted sizes left from a sampler box, and a 10 pack of Lionhearts. The Reconquistas are actually the ones I least like in the lineup. I'm going to sit on the two I have left awhile and hopefully they improve with some age. It may just be that, as I said earlier, I don't much care for maduros. Where all in Africa were you? I did a tour on the horn; Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Eritrea. Not a place I want to go back to, though there were some really cool places.

miller65rod

Are you located on BAF?

ArmyS1Guy

Yep, Warrior side.

ArmyS1Guy

Well I ended up ordering the following: Camacho Liberty CAO America AB American Classic AB Family Blend AJ Fernandez New World (yes a maduro but I heard such good things about it and I usually like AJ's blends, hard to beat the price too) Thanks for all the input.

Bigshizza

Great choices for sure! Safe travels!

jd50ae

YankeeMan:

Thank you for your service.

I too, like the theme idea. The CAO America is one of my favorites.

Good choice. So far it has been the only CAO I have liked. Have 2 different CAOs in the humidor getting some age on them thinking the 1st ones I smoked where not rested enough.