Dod Pulls Pd

[Berta]

http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfDEC07/nf122207-1.htm

Their estimates seem impossible -wonder if they will re-post the article.

[john999]

I really thing alcoholism was worse than drugs in the Army in 1970-71. However, drugs got the attention of the military whereas all the drunks were tolerated. When mom and pop back home found out via the media that junior was taking dope in the Army the shit hit the fan. When we left out of Vietnam the guy in charge of our group said he was going to leave the room and for all of us to drop our drugs into a box. He said when he came back with a drug dog we would be in trouble if he found it on us. You should have seen the people dumping their dope. Pretty funny. I had heard the situation in Germany was even worse especially race riots.

[Ron II]

I missed the race riots in Germany (where I served 15 years) mentioned previously. However, the Army did institute drug testing at some point (don't remember when) and many personnel were discharged for

use of illegal drugs including a close family member who was caught during an unannounced urinalysis. He had smoked pot during leave. Additionally, many personnel who showed signs of alcohol abuse were referred to and often required to attend classes and residential treatment for their problems.

Edited December 28, 2007 by Manitou Sprgs

[cowgirl]

Was shown recently by my doc that years ago a disgnosis was placed in my records that would have effected a PD release, but was somehow overlooked. SMR entry short time later,different doc kindly corrected the diagnosis. Whew, guess it was close! My original C&P gave me a 'probable' diagnosis of pd, as well as a laugh and much stress to me. Thank God and Hadit, many years later with the pd 'probable' diagnosis is changed now to mdd!

In Germany, I saw flights&squadrons caught with drugs, MPs, and others after R&R bus trips to Amsterdam or returning from TDYs to Turkey or Spain. Not sure if those were PD discharges, just probably kept 'quiet' considering the sheer numbers. Sure was lots of drinking on the job, just like water and much too often. I too saw and know how much alchohol and drugs hurt military families, overseas and stateside, too many. My heart goes out to todays military warriors and the unseen stressors that could effect them a possible PD label while on active duty and after even!

I missed the race riots in Germany (where I served 15 years) mentioned previously. However, the Army did institute drug testing at some point (don't remember when) and many personnel were discharged for

use of illegal drugs including a close family member who was caught during an unannounced urinalysis. He had smoked pot during leave. Additionally, many personnel who showed signs of alcohol abuse were referred to and often required to attend classes and residential treatment for their problems.

Edited December 29, 2007 by cowgirl

[Ron II]

I saw plenty of drugs in the US Army 1969-70 in Europe and also a lot of drunks.

During my first few years in the Army and while living in barracks, I thought it was SOP for each barracks to have an overweight, red-nose sergeant assigned to one of the small rooms at each end.

They would usually stagger in around midnight...

[Ricky]

In the 70's I started out as a legal specialist, went on to make 1SG as a Special agent and finally retired as a CWO in the Army. I too have see my share of bad ones. Murders, rapes, thieves, doppers, child molesters and drunks. A division is just like a small city so it has it all. Never got to see the final discharge on the bad ones but they all originally began with some very nasty people so no telling what the Army ended up doing (discharge wise).

In the 70's drunks were a normal part of the culture. I had a platoon sergeant that would become durnk during our PT runs. He was an alcoholic and had so much alcohol in him that when his blood got to pumping through his body it made him drunk. He was Top's and the battalion SGM's buddy so no body fooled with him. It was just a part of life. Even at the end of my career as long as you did not hold a TS clearance drinking, at any level, was just fine. All you had to do was stay out of trouble with the locals and make it to formation on time hahahaha.

Yep we agents had our share of them also. Lots of dirty skeltons in the closets of investigators. Just as long as you did not become a murder, rapist etc..... You tended to have a successful career. I guess there is some truth to the ole saying that if you want to catch a criminal you gotta think like one. So I guess that in order to think like one you gotta know the tradecraft hahahaha.

[Ron II]

Re: "...In the 70's drunks were a normal part of the culture. I had a platoon sergeant that would become durnk during our PT runs. He was an alcoholic and had so much alcohol in him that when his blood got to pumping through his body it made him drunk. He was Top's and the battalion SGM's buddy so no body fooled with him. It was just a part of life. Even at the end of my career as long as you did not hold a TS clearance drinking, at any level, was just fine. All you had to do was stay out of trouble with the locals and make it to formation on time hahahaha..."--Ricky

I can beat that. There was a guy who ran just in front of me during PT runs who almost made ME drunk because of the amount of alcohol that was coming from his body! He must have gotten completely toasted every night because I don't remember ever not having that horrible smell flowing back from him...