I was never much of a gum chewer. Once the initial burst of flavor was over, I wanted it gone. So it never developed into a habit.
Don't know about now, but when I was in the army decades ago, those in higher positions than myself had decided there were certain little civilian habits that were unsoldierly. One was chewing gum. It fell into the same category as having your hands in your pockets or leaving your pocket flaps unbuttoned. You didn't do it. Gum chewing wasn't a problem for me, I didn't do it anyway.
Fast forward to a number of years later. After I got home from my three years in the regular army, after a while I joined the Army National Guard. I was in for six years, on single year enlistments because at that time, they had the "Try One" program for prior service people. Then I got out for several years, and later rejoined the Guard on a three year enlistment. I reported for duty at my new unit on my first drill. The only person I knew in the outfit was the captain who had conned me into rejoining. So I was standing in ranks before morning formation, we hadn't yet been called to attention and were just talking to guys next to us. One guardsman offered me a stick of gum as a friendly gesture. I figured, "Why not take it as a new member trying to fit in." I stuck the gum in my mouth and started chewing. Directly, the platoon sergeant came along and called the formation to attention. I tried to move my mouth as little as possible with the gum thing. First words out of the platoon sergeant's mouth, "I've noticed some of you have been chewing gum. I don't want to see any more of this." Etc. etc. Looking right at me during the lecture. What a way to start off in a new outfit. And I wasn't even a gum chewer.
Don't know about now, but when I was in the army decades ago, those in higher positions than myself had decided there were certain little civilian habits that were unsoldierly. One was chewing gum. It fell into the same category as having your hands in your pockets or leaving your pocket flaps unbuttoned. You didn't do it. Gum chewing wasn't a problem for me, I didn't do it anyway.
Fast forward to a number of years later. After I got home from my three years in the regular army, after a while I joined the Army National Guard. I was in for six years, on single year enlistments because at that time, they had the "Try One" program for prior service people. Then I got out for several years, and later rejoined the Guard on a three year enlistment. I reported for duty at my new unit on my first drill. The only person I knew in the outfit was the captain who had conned me into rejoining. So I was standing in ranks before morning formation, we hadn't yet been called to attention and were just talking to guys next to us. One guardsman offered me a stick of gum as a friendly gesture. I figured, "Why not take it as a new member trying to fit in." I stuck the gum in my mouth and started chewing. Directly, the platoon sergeant came along and called the formation to attention. I tried to move my mouth as little as possible with the gum thing. First words out of the platoon sergeant's mouth, "I've noticed some of you have been chewing gum. I don't want to see any more of this." Etc. etc. Looking right at me during the lecture. What a way to start off in a new outfit. And I wasn't even a gum chewer.