Alcohol abuse weighs on Army

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The Army needs to double its staff of substance-abuse counselors to handle the soaring numbers of soldiers seeking alcohol treatment, said Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army's No. 2 officer.

About 300 more counselors are needed to meet the demand, cut wait times and offer evening and weekend services, Chiarelli, the Army vice chief of staff, said in an interview with USA TODAY.

Last year, 9,199 soldiers enrolled in treatment after being diagnosed with alcohol problems, a 56% increase over 2003, when the Iraq war started, according to Army records released Monday. Overall, 16,388 sought some type of counseling, data show.

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Horne, chief of Army human resources and policy, said "we need the nation's help" in finding more counselors. The service is currently down 20% from its authorized staffing level of 290, said Les McFarling, director of the Army Substance Abuse Program.

Last year, then-Army secretary Pete Geren asked Chiarelli to work to reduce the Army's record rate of suicide. Chiarelli said substance abuse has been identified as an issue in many of the deaths, which reached 160 confirmed and suspected cases in 2009.

McFarling said many soldiers are referred for substance-abuse counseling after an incident such as being cited by police for drunken driving. If counselors determine they do not have an alcohol-abuse problem, the soldiers are required to go through a two-day educational course instead of a formal treatment program.

Alcohol remains a much larger problem than drug abuse, making up 85% of the Army substance-abuse treatment caseload, McFarling said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2010...y-alcohol_N.htm

[alienlovechild 75]

Alcohol remains a much larger problem than drug abuse, making up 85% of the Army substance-abuse treatment caseload, McFarling said.

Definitely different than in the civilian world where drugs are bigger problem. Boozing among soldiers doesn't carry much of a stigma.

[dakay ♥ 10]

McFarling said many soldiers are referred for substance-abuse counseling after an incident such as being cited by police for drunken driving. If counselors determine they do not have an alcohol-abuse problem, the soldiers are required to go through a two-day educational course instead of a formal treatment program.

Alcohol remains a much larger problem than drug abuse, making up 85% of the Army substance-abuse treatment caseload, McFarling said.

soldiers are not the only, society must be aware of the problem

[almaty 19]

i got 2 clients one in the air force and one in national guard..referred to me last week,,,etoh and sweet lucy

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

When I was in the navy they were really cracking down on smoking and drinking. It didn't take much for someone to end up in an alcohol program. One guy told me he had to say his bad childhood caused his drinking. The thing is that he didn't have a bad childhood but they were going to kick him out of the program (and the Navy) if he didn't 'confess' something. It was a sham.

I'm not saying there aren't people with problems but the way the military sees it you don't have to drink very much to be considered an abuser of alcohol.

NADSAP

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou...mp;aqi=&oq=

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

When I was in the navy they were really cracking down on smoking and drinking. It didn't take much for someone to end up in an alcohol program. One guy told me he had to say his bad childhood caused his drinking. The thing is that he didn't have a bad childhood but they were going to kick him out of the program (and the Navy) if he didn't 'confess' something. It was a sham.

I'm not saying there aren't people with problems but the way the military sees it you don't have to drink very much to be considered an abuser of alcohol.

NADSAP

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sou...mp;aqi=&oq=

I had a battalion commander that said, "If you want to drink like men, then you have to work like men."

Seemed the more you drank the night before, the more likely it was you got picked for a mission the next day. Cruel #######! I got one of those 4 am calls!

[alienlovechild 75]

When I was in the navy they were really cracking down on smoking and drinking. It didn't take much for someone to end up in an alcohol program. One guy told me he had to say his bad childhood caused his drinking. The thing is that he didn't have a bad childhood but they were going to kick him out of the program (and the Navy) if he didn't 'confess' something. It was a sham.

I'm not saying there aren't people with problems but the way the military sees it you don't have to drink very much to be considered an abuser of alcohol.

Sounds like my former soldier, (no joke) Johnny Walker. The guy was hungover one day and went to sick call. He ended up in ADAPC (?) for counseling and I rarely saw the guy do a day's work because he had so many appointments.