We have all been there! Hanging out at the smoke pit with your friends, strangers, and the "civilians" that managed to get on base on a Friday night "smoking and joking". What starts as a cigarette and a cold beer ends as an entire night telling stories about your time at "your last unit" or about the "time Doc was way too excited about the silver bullet." No one is "one upping" someone else. You are just reliving the old times and a story told by a stranger may awaken a memory you had long forgotten. The intent of this website is to gather those stories and put them in a book, a "green duty log book" to capture what we call memories and civilians may call "military history".
Stories from the Smoke Pit
Share Your Story!
Every generation, every branch, every MOS, we want to tell it all—uncensored and unfiltered. While we'll change names for anonymity, we won't hold back on content. Share the stories that shaped you: the time you "weren't hazed," the brawl with civilians, the moment you felt like you truly belonged, or the achievement that brought tears to your eyes. Whether you deployed to Afghanistan or never left the States, your story has a place in this book.
To make it even more meaningful, a percentage of the proceeds will go to Non-Profit 501(c)3 organizations that genuinely support active duty and veteran service members. When you submit your story, include the organization you’d like to see supported.
Do you have a story that takes a few days to write? Perfect! Take your time. Jot it down on a note or type it up in a Word document. When you’re ready, email it to us or attach it to the submission form.
America craves the details only you can provide, so let's give them what they want! Your unique experiences deserve to be told in full color. Don’t hold back—share the moments that shaped your journey. Whether it’s a hilarious boot camp memory, a heart-stopping deployment tale, or the unforgettable camaraderie of the smoke pit, we want it all.
If you aren't a writer, feel free to email us an audio clip and we will type it out word by word!
Your story matters! Let's make history together!
Jacksonville, Florida