I was a 2-pack a day (more if I was at a bar, or bored, or any number of other factors…left to my own devices, in a place I didn’t have to go outside to smoke, I was a terrible chainsmoker) smoker for roughly 15 years. I smoked when I entered the military, and the first thing I did upon graduation from basic training (where tobacco is not permitted) was get a pack of Lucky Strikes. I first discovered e-cigarettes on the internet, during my second tour in Iraq. I’d tried to quit before, but spectacularly failed every time (lack of nicotine seems to affect my mood at the high end of the bell curve). These things were a godsend. I immediately noticed a difference when taking my Army Physical Fitness Test; a noticeable improvement in my cardio event was quickly forthcoming. I use my e-cig all day, every day, and have seen a dramatic decrease in the the (long term) effect of coughing, hacking up phlegm, and such. Even more telling, if I go out on the town, and chainsmoke all night (as I was wont to do as a smoker), I no longer wake up feeling like someone put my lungs through a cheese grater. If you ban these devices, I personally know at least 20 former smokers (and two former dippers; smokeles tobacco users) who will be forced to try to quit cold turkey (a method statistically shown to have a dismal success rate), or go back to so-called analog cigarettes. This is both detrimental to the health of the public at large, and to the US military’s operational readiness. Last but not least: I’m not sure if the flavor of my e-liquid is an issue in this particular hearing, but it has been in the past. I’ll just relate this anyhow. I am a 31-year old adult. I do not, in real life, know a single person who likes tobacco flavors in their personal vaporizer. We all, in my circle of military vapers, like flavors like cherry (my personal favorite), sweet tart, chocolate, banana, and strawberry. So, you know, don’t ban that either.