Tobacco Business

[ 86 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ MARCH / APRIL | 21 ] S Storm Boen: Where did you go to college and what did you study? D aniel M c D ougal : I went toWashington State University. I received my B.A. in economics. I assume you did ROTC there? Yes, I did. I was in the [Army National Guard Simultaneous Membership Program]. Basically, that means that I went to college, [participated in] ROTC, and I also did drill with the 792nd Chemical Company in Grandview, Washington. It was an amazing experience, and I learned so much. What did you do in the Army and how long were you in? I was a 12A combat engineer officer. I spent eight years and nine months, and I can even tell you the amount of days, if you like. Ha! That is OK. How many tours in the Middle East did you do? I had a few tours. I went to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan once. I have over 36 months of combat time. What was your rank when you got out? I left the Army as a captain and proudly left with an honorable discharge. Where were you when you requested and received your Operation: Cigars for Warriors (CFW) warrior package? I received my first package—that I happily shared with my men—in early 2012 while I was deployed in Afghanistan. Let me tell you, I never expected such an amazing care package. There were so many cigars from so many different companies. How did you hear about Operation: Cigars for Warriors? Well, I had gone to an event at Outlaw Cigar shop in Kansas City, Missouri, and met someone who would later become a Cigars for Warriors volunteer. His name was JohnKrump, and he was telling me about a new cigar charity, something that had never been done before on a national level. When I deployed again, I found Cigars for Warriors, and I submitted my request for one of its warrior packages. It has been so long ago, and I’m not sure what method I used to request my package, but I believe I contacted CFW via Facebook. I knew your name way before I ever actually got to meet you. As you can imagine, being the first recipient of the newly formed Operation: Cigars for Warriors was a big deal—especially to all of the volunteers and supporters. What is one of your favorite experiences since becoming a recipient of CFW? One of my favorite experiences involving Cigars for Warriors was coming back to the states and attending a festival that was created to support the charity. It was C.A.T.S. Fest in San Antonio. I remember you introducing yourself to me at that festival. I also remember asking what your rank was, and you told me you were a captain. I told you that since your rank was higher than an E5, you were going to give a speech on stage. How did you feel making that speech? Honestly, Storm, I was very honored to be asked and happy to share my gratitude with all of the supporters of Cigars for Warriors and to the attendees who were getting their first exposure to the charity. What did the cigars and other goodies mean to you while deployed? I want the folks that are in their homes to understand how much our deployed troops need to decompress, and what better way to do