Thread: Cigars with some real-life heroes.

My great good friend Ray Valles returned from a year in Iraq on Sunday. His Arizona National Guard unit provided security in Baghdad and Ramadi - some pretty hot spots - with very good success. No casualties and no major combat-related injuries, thank God! Lots of guys now qualified for the Combat Action Badge, though.

Forum member 2400 was kind enough to send me some cigars to share with these good young men. Monday night, I met with Ray at a local pub, where he enjoyed some Hefeweisen and a puff. Another member of the unit, Ryan Kyler, joined us, as well. Both were in fine spirits, glad to be home, and proud of their excellent service to our great country. Everyone talks about "heroes" in politics or sports or whatever...but these brave young men are the real thing.

There's nothing quite like an evening spent with beer, good cigars, and a couple of heroes fresh back from war. I've posted a couple of pics. The first is Ryan, Ray, and me in the back. The second is just Ray and me.

Thanks to 2400 for his very generous gift of the H. Upmann cigars - we all enjoyed them a great deal! We're having a more formal welcome-home party for Ray on Saturday. I'll try to post some pics of that, too.