FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
The U.S. Department of Defense encourages its military personnel to join troops around the globe by taking a 24-hour break from smoking Nov. 18.
"Every day, our military men and women train hard so they are well prepared when duty calls. Now we are urging them to prepare for another important mission, the Great American Smokeout, also known as GASO," said Navy Cmd Dr.R Aileen Buckler, M.D., M.P.H., U.S. Public Health Service officer and chairrman of the DoD Alcohol and Tobacco Advisory Committee.
GASO is the American Cancer Society's nationally- recognized day that urges smokers to take the first steps to quitting for a lifetime.
"It's the perfect opportunity to help smokers begin the process of quitting, and work towards becoming tobacco free, once and for all," Commander Buckler remarked.
Military members wanting to participate in GASO can find support through DoD's tobacco cessation campaign website (www.ucanquit2.org), as well as through several Tricare resources. The award-winning website has all the tools and support needed to assist individuals to quit smoking, and when you are ready to quit, help is only a phone call away. All non-Medicare eligible beneficiaries can receive assistance with smoking cessation through Tricare's toll-free Smoking Quitline. Toll-free telephone lines are available in each Tricare region offering support, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year.