Anyone else facing grief from CoC for vaping?

[sammym]

I realise that this forum is mainly American. However I thought I'd stick this here anyway. For anyone who is uk based and serving then you are now in the blessed position of speaking to a sapper.

Have not beeing using e-cigs for long. However I've found that throught my chain of command that there is a lot of grief coming my way. So far I've been told that I'm probably using drugs and will fail the cdt, that I'm likely to poison the other lads, and that if I'm seen sucking on little plastic sticks again it will be shoved somewhere it's not meant to go.

Obviously as a jnco there is not a lot I can do about it, other than raise a service complaint which I'm just not willing to do for career and living an easy life reasons.

I've been told by pti's that they are worst than smoking, and have even been accused of being a hippie or a homosexual for not smoking or quititng properly. Overally I'm starting to get ...... off with it all.

I have looked at QR's and can't find a reason - but I'm not consigned to the smoking shelters. I'm okay with that, but think it's a bit unreasonable for people who are trying to quit smoking to be forced to stand with smokers. I've also been told that I can't carry it when we travel as apparently they are prone to exploding and no RAF transport will let it on the planes... Now I've looked at bowman and surely that has li-ion batteries. I don't know and am not inclined to push it...

But to make matters worst - it's still the done thing to smoke in our corporals mess out of the window. But the SSM who oversees it has banned me from using it in there...

So just wondered if any of you guys were getting stick for trying to be a bit more healthy.

 

[retired1]

Here's a bit of info you can use to educate.

http://vaping.com/news/scientists-give-who-what-for

http://vaping.com/news/new-study-in-uk-points-to-vaping-success-as-quit-method

As well as a whole plethora of science here: Learn About Electronic Cigarettes

 

[mvroman]

Sapper on brother! I served as a Combat Engineer here in the US for a few years.

As far as your CoC goes, all you can try to do is educate them. It's still a relatively new thing, and as vaping moves through the baby phases you will always meet those who think it to be the devil among other things. As long as it doesn't affect your performance and you still pass urinalysis it shouldn't be a problem. Maybe try setting yourself up with a stealth vape until it becomes a bigger thing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[BaxterB]

Good links above! I agree. All you can do is try to educate! It took my CoC a little while to come round on the subject of vaping. Over the course of a year, we went from pretty much the same thing as you, to an atmosphere that not only allowed vaping, but even encourages it over smoking. The vaping community just on board my ship is significant. Good luck to you man. Keep fighting the good fight!!

 

[Caskark]

Sapper here as well. I get treated as a smoker, having to use it in designated smoking areas and what not. Haven't had any problems on airplanes or anything.

 

[brexin]

Nobody has gave a .... about my vaping as long as I'm not ignorant about it. If I'm in the office i don't throw big clouds up, usually under a desk or a step outside to exhale.

 

[Killowatt]

When I'm somewhere that might be a problem, I just go to the head and vape.

Tapin on my S5

 

[Yellow Hawk]

As a former Medical Officer in the U.S. Armed FOrces, (Yes, I will NOT even state which Branch). My name, IS my REAL Name. Or rather my handle I believe you call it. While JUst comimg to the end of my service, and resigning my commision, (Retiring) I was told by my SUperiors, that Vaping, was to be DISCOURAGED at ALL costs. We were to use a handout we were given as "references" to "SCIENTIFIC" testing done that shows HORRID results from vaping, and the vapor manufactured therein. As I wishedf to retire, I simply kept my MOUTH SHUT. One thing one learns in the Armed Forces, is that you can't (almost) fight Uncle Sam. And not retire with your pension, which I CANNOT do without. I spent my first time in service, as a Intel. operator in the USMC (enlisted), 2 tours in Vietnam. Then to school, and into another Branch of the Service? Use that last word loosely. And, I've talked to old friends recently, who said it is STILL that way. SO, be careful, especially those of you who are career minded. Or, who are commisioned. I am told that the Officers who are caught vaping, are requested to "Resign their commision". I do NOT know this to be true, as I am as far from that world, as one can get.
P.S. There are some mis statements in the above, just enought to make in nearly impossible for anyone to link the name I used there, with my name above. Pls. excuse this, but, I DO value my retirement. It MAY be a lack of courage, or simply the fact that I am now married, and wish to remain with my wife, and free on my ship, cruising the seas, and turning a odd shade of brownish red. VERY dark
Brownish Red. I wish you all well, I have studied, researched would be more accurate, vaping, and the vapors produced, and even using Mass Spec. have found nothing that is a deterent to good health. Except, we all know, that ANYTHING one takes into their lungs other than clean air in the proper ratio of gases, is NOT a good thing, though how bad it is, will be a story told in time. And, this discounts the effects of Nicotine of course. And, Nornicotine, and Anabasine, and other alkyloids of the tobacco leaf.

Luck to all

Yellow Hawk

 

[PocketGroove]

Good Story Yellow Hawk. What exactly were you guys "vaping" back then? haha

No grief from the chain, here...infact, I got my XO and 4 others in the unit off the Ciggs. I just keep it on the DL, mostly.

 

[Dristwaz]

None here either other than you're not supposed to use them where you can't smoke and nothing like Yellow hawk mentions. They even dedicated a smoking pad just for e-cigs.

 

[Leithan]

That’s too bad, we have a very vaping friendly environment here, a lot of soldiers have given up dipping and smoking for vaping, we have an awesome PIF system going to help folks make the switch. We even have group get togethers, Soldiers and base Civilians, to car pool to vape events. My 1st Sergeant doesn’t like me vaping in his office because he says the smell makes him hungry. Other than that, just like brexin said, you have to be smart about it.

 

[JonasDK]

This whole thing is very surprising to me.
I'm in the Danish army eod. And for the past year my platoon have been working closely with the British eod. During that time I've been doing training courses in England an a deployment to Afghanistan. And no mater where I've gone I have never experienced anything but support and curiosity from my British colleagues. Weather it has been privates, WOs or officers. And then of course allot of kind-hearted, but really bad jokes about my big-... mod, because they're not used to seeing anything bigger than an e-go.
I guess the only thing you can do is try educate them on the subject, and maybe keep your vaping a bit more discreet.
It shouldn't have to be that way. But I guess that's the reality you live in as long as you're in uniform.

 

[Xethm]

Given the negative affects of smoking on your body, it seems really stupid for your CoC to throw a fit about vaping. Just a veteran here, but I know that smoking played hell on my combat effectiveness. While I was in basic, everything was a lot easier because I was forced to quit. Running was a lot easier as well as all of the other intense physical training. I made the stupid mistake of starting to smoke again when I graduated basic training, and nearly failed my first PT test because I almost passed out on the run from not being able to breath. I know I'm not an active service member anymore, just giving my 2 cents.

 

[westonG]

Those are some crazy stories from you guys, we had vaping kind of blow up at my command about a year ago and people were vaping in the spaces and it was all fine and good.. but then there is one person that was pregnant and threw a huge fit about how it was going to hurt her baby and the toxins and everything else that might be involved with it.. and just from her got it banned from use inside, and people that wanted to vape had to go out to the smokedeck, now more recently, word got to this lady (who is pregnant again) that a couple people were vaping on watch at night and being super disrespectful about it (like blowing clouds over the people sitting at the computer in front of them) and got all upset with it again, and now we cant even have them sit on our desk while working because we might be using it when noone is looking.. by doing this now i have to keep my mods in my pockets (i typically bring 2 or 3 to work for my 12 hour shifts) and risk having them autofire in my pocket or something crazy if the locking ring comes undone or something. Crazy stuff but still better then being totally banned and people telling you all kinds of lies and misinformation about vaping..

 

[6mgRSST]

Don't worry, it will pass once the scientific community catches up what we as vapors. In the U.S. Army, they are investigating if they will govern this trend. Technically it's not against regs, but in most barracks there is still a no nicotine usage policy.

 

[kiltedfox]

Now, part of this may be because I'm the go-to guy in my shop (I'm on the computer side of the house in the Squadron S6), but even as a lowly E4, I don't get any grief over vaping at work. When a field officer is in my office, I don't cloud chase, but that's really the only concession I make. I don't blow huge clouds in anyone else's office either...on the few occasions I've been questioned about it, I've simply shrugged and said, "Well, it keeps me in the office, rather than in the smoke pit, right?"
The higher-ups consider this for a moment, shrug, and say, "Good point. Carry on." One particular dude doesn't wish me to vape in his office, but that's his territory, so I respect that.
^_^
Side note: about 5 other dudes in my shop vape on devices ranging from eGo tank systems to RDA mech cloudchasers (to say nothing of our last NCOIC, who was also an ardent vaper).

 

[icharus29]

No issues in my shop either. A few of us vape. Occassionaly in the office, but generaly we step outside. No flak from the powers that be.

Ichy