Posted on Jun 4, 2015
Is alcohol indulgence a part of being in the military?
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The military is inundated with alcohol consumption. We drink grog at unit functions and drink to our fallen comrades. We drink, cheaply, at MWR events and we drink when we get together with our buddies to talk about the times we have had.
We have all seen service members reprimanded for alcohol consumption in excess and those service members that probably need some assistance, though they have never asked for or received it.
Should we continue to embrace the traditions that include alcohol consumption or should the military evolve and remove those traditions allowing for a more public friendly organization?
We have all seen service members reprimanded for alcohol consumption in excess and those service members that probably need some assistance, though they have never asked for or received it.
Should we continue to embrace the traditions that include alcohol consumption or should the military evolve and remove those traditions allowing for a more public friendly organization?
Alcohol
Leadership
Social
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 16
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Drinking alcohol has been associated with the military since time immemorial.
I wouldn't recommend we take away our traditions when it comes to unit functions, such as balls, hail and farewells, or stable calls. Those have been around for a long time, and planners of these events plan around the alcohol that is served at these events. Unit commanders stress individual responsibility on the matter.
Is over consumption culturally encouraged in the military? Hell yes it is, and that bothers me. Having a few with your buddies is one thing, but drinking until you can't see/walk straight is really stupid. (Take into account I was once the youthful idiot at one point)
Keep the traditions, but begin a cultural change to discourage overindulgent behavior. Exactly how to do that will obviously be up for debate.
I wouldn't recommend we take away our traditions when it comes to unit functions, such as balls, hail and farewells, or stable calls. Those have been around for a long time, and planners of these events plan around the alcohol that is served at these events. Unit commanders stress individual responsibility on the matter.
Is over consumption culturally encouraged in the military? Hell yes it is, and that bothers me. Having a few with your buddies is one thing, but drinking until you can't see/walk straight is really stupid. (Take into account I was once the youthful idiot at one point)
Keep the traditions, but begin a cultural change to discourage overindulgent behavior. Exactly how to do that will obviously be up for debate.
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One of my regrets from those days is how much I spent on booze. That being said, those were still the best days of my life. Did we need to drink to have fun? Not really, but we were college age kids doing exactly what other college age kids were doing with their free time.
As to the public friendly but; F the public. The vast majority don't care one bit about us, and never will. It doesn't matter how PC or public friendly you make the military; until you change the culture of John Q Public, it will Beas it is.
As to the public friendly but; F the public. The vast majority don't care one bit about us, and never will. It doesn't matter how PC or public friendly you make the military; until you change the culture of John Q Public, it will Beas it is.
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I would disagree with this. I believe that the fact alcohol drinking on base and in clubs does happen that it is not part of being in the military. You can find the same thing happening on College Campuses all over the nation, does it make it part of all Colleges and Universities?
One can argue that while you are in the military you will consume alcohol. This is true but it is not part of being in the military.
Being in the military is about protecting your constitutional rights and our peaceful way of life while defending your family and friends against our aggressors. Comaraderie with our brothers and sisters in arms. Being apart of something that few people will ever experience or understand. I can go on and on. I know there will be people who will disagree and that's ok. But these are my thoughts.
One can argue that while you are in the military you will consume alcohol. This is true but it is not part of being in the military.
Being in the military is about protecting your constitutional rights and our peaceful way of life while defending your family and friends against our aggressors. Comaraderie with our brothers and sisters in arms. Being apart of something that few people will ever experience or understand. I can go on and on. I know there will be people who will disagree and that's ok. But these are my thoughts.
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Col Joseph Lenertz
Spot on target. Yes we drink, but large and small corporations across America drink too, with far less care for their work-mates than the military. And like many of you, I've noticed more serious and continuous drinking and other mind-altering drug use in lots of other places outside the military, and outside the US. We're certainly not perfect and we should always search for ways to keep it reasonable, but we've definitely improved from the 80s, and I'm not for beating ourselves up for a beverage.
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