In 1966 I joined the Marine Corps and went to Parris Island, S.C., as a smoker. I was in 3rd Training Battalion in a new three-story building. After chow, the drill instructor would call for his smokers. We would line up, run down three flights of stairs, cross the company street and form a circle. One of us carried a bucket that was placed in the center. From the third floor, the drill instructor would yell, "The smoking lamp is lit," and about 60 seconds later he'd yell, "The smoking lamp is out." We ran past the bucket, dropped our cigarettes in and ran across the company street and up three flights of stairs.

Needless to say most of us quit smoking in basic training, but unfortunately I started again in division in Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C.