Sunday, May 8, 2016

Does The U.S. Navy And Marine Corps Have A Drinking Problem?

Drinking at cafes (The Ghost Army/PBS)

Reuters: Problem drinking starts before military deployment

Binge drinking and alcoholism is a big issue in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and the problem may begin even before sailors and marines deploy, a recent study suggests.

More than a quarter of sailors and marines who were anonymously surveyed within two weeks before their deployment admitted to binge drinking regularly, and nearly 40 percent reported dangerous drinking. A small but significant number also reported that they had been drugged against their will.

Previous research has focused on the drinking habits of military personnel while deployed or after returning home. Little is known about drinking in the period before reporting for duty, the researchers write in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

That period could be a time of higher stress and people may drink more because they will not be able to drink while aboard ship, the researchers write.

“This is a time of major transition away from family, friends and important social support networks,” said coauthor Dr. Braden Hale, program manager at the Department of Defense’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Soldiers and drinking alcohol is as old as time.

4 comments:

James said...

There is an old story of a US submariner during WWII whose boat had pulled up in Australia between patrols. He got off and wasn't seen for three days coming back a day late with a $5,000.00 bar tab. Upon returning he found out that Japan had just surrendered, so he did the only honorable thing, went right back out drinking.

War News Updates Editor said...

LOL. I find a few pictures of that James .... soldiers drunk after the end of the war.

TWN said...

I had to drink, just to deaden the stress.

James said...

TWN,
" just to deaden the stress."
Unless they've been there people really have no idea how much there is.