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Author: TriSec    Date: 07/19/2022 00:52:45

Good Morning.

Well, we've got a juxtaposition of stories today.


Drink-Driving is a vexing problem across many levels of society. It is perhaps one of the great equalizers...Joe Schmoe down the street gets loaded at the neighborhood joint and drives home, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Celebrities like Tiger Woods get loaded and drive their SUVs off a cliff. It makes no difference what part of society you are from in that regard. (Punishment and societal paybacks are a completely different matter, of course.)

Soldiers are no exception to this rule, and of course many movies have been made showing that hard-drinking soldier unwinding with his buddies after a long day at war.

Of course, we know alcohol as one of those "gateway" drugs...once the ordinary effects of alcohol become normal for the body, moving on to the next greatest thing will get everyone into all sorts of trouble.

So it is perhaps alarming to see that the United States Army is considering relaxing some rules to allow beer in the barracks.


There’s nothing like cracking open a cold beer after a long day at work. But soldiers who reside in the barracks at some assignments have been limited from doing just that by Army policies.

In June, the Sergeant Major of the Army took to Reddit to ask questions about improving culture, including one that hinted at the possibility of removing barriers for soldiers to drink alcohol in the barracks.

The Army hasn’t made any changes yet, but Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston told Task & Purpose that the branch’s approach to alcohol is under consideration.

“The intent, first right off the bat, was [to] ask ourselves ‘do we have the right culture that we want in the Army for alcohol?’” Grinston asked. “I think that was a fair question, and I think the majority of the individuals said ‘yes, we need to take this on and do something about it.’”

Drinking regulation enforcement has largely been left up to individual commands, a service spokesman told Army Times. However, according to enlisted leaders, limitations don’t appear to prevent excessive drinking or foster a culture of mindful drinking.

“Except for prohibition of alcohol consumption in Initial Entry Training barracks, there is no Army policy regarding how much alcohol a Soldier can possess in the barracks; however, some units have established policies locally,” Army spokesman Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Hewitt told Army Times.


Interesting that it seems to be essentially a "states rights" issue, where individual units establish their own policies without guidance from the military hierarchy. I suppose this can only end one way.

But the great juxtaposition I referred to....this next story was featured above the fold right alongside the previous story I linked to.


Scooters have, in recent years, become one of the most popular ways to maneuver around major cities. However, like the operation of any vehicle, sobriety is key.

In Germany, the land of Oktoberfest and beers served in boots, it can be hard to avoid the temptation to imbibe and drive. Some soldiers stationed at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Bavaria, unfortunately, sipped and scooted their way to an alcohol ban.

A U.S. tank brigade deployed to Bavaria was placed on alcohol restriction after several instances in which soldiers drunkenly rode electric scooters off-post, Army officials told Stars & Stripes.

The revocation of drinking privileges went into effect on July 7. Overnight travel has also been suspended temporarily for soldiers with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

Five soldiers have been charged with scooter-related DUIs, brigade spokesman Maj. Patrick Connelly said.

“It is vital to our mission in the European theater of operations that we uphold good order and discipline within our formations,” Connelly noted Wednesday in a statement. “These restrictions will ensure we maintain our mission readiness and remain good guests with our host nation.”

The incidents have prompted a brigade-wide retraining. Two years ago, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach also put out a guide to safe scooting.


How strange and bizarre that the military can't send a clear message regarding alcohol consumption and use. One must wonder what kind of unified command, vision, or even mission the Armed Forces share with this kind of disjointed leadership.
 

5 comments (Latest Comment: 07/19/2022 19:52:55 by Will_in_LA)
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