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So here's a question sure to drive some opinions from all over. Two beers in a combat zone, should it be allowed or no? I know for me personally, and no I'm not an alcoholic, but after a long day at work or busy day doing stressful tasks, I enjoy coming home and cracking a cold one. When I was in Iraq in 08-09 we were allowed to have two beers at our little JSS while watching the Super Bowl. To me it was a nice chance to kick back and take a load off. My thinking is, with all the cases of PTSD coming up, what if we allowed that decompression each night (provided soldiers are not immediately going out on mission), would it potentially lower the stress levels of soldiers knowing no matter how bad the day is that at the end of it they can crack a cold one and chill out a bit? So, should it be allowed or not?
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
Alcohol
PTSD
Deployment
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan Alcohol PTSD Deployment
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 115
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I love beer!!!! I have beer on tap... I have a beer fridge outside by the pool... another beer in a fridge under the bar, beer in the kitchen fridge, and yet another fridge (beer) the garage... But, I still say no. I was in places with the 2 beer limit... and that did not work... The Superbowl, I get. But, every day... No! Yes I know all of our allies (most of them) are drinking off duty. Sorry SFC (Join to see)
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A cold beer after a mission is ideal, but in Afghanistan two religious leaders one American and the Muslim agreed to No Beers, alcohol. But I was the official tea drinker, green tea, hash leafs, and opium roots; crazy war. I am having a beer now to General Order 1.
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I understand that Soldiers (people in general) let loose with a cold one. I also know that a problem can develop under certain conditions and stresses (either job or back at home). The best way to cope is to experiment with alternate means to self-sooth. Such ability will empower the individual to feel a greater sense of self-control to avoid a potentially escalated and/or difficult conversation/situation. Self-awareness and individual responsibility will set you apart for either being part of the problem or reason for the compromised/successful resolution.
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1LT William Clardy
So MAJ Monique Salinas, preferably using words of one syllable or less so that formerly spear-carrying guys like me can understand, does that excellent example of multi-syllabic motivational verbiage that would have sounded impressive as all heck on my final OER translate into a "Yes", a "No" or a "Maybe, if..."?
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MAJ Monique Salinas
Compliments of my academic damnation at the present time. Funny that you mention OER, I wrote my XO's OER (yes, I wrote it, the whole thing...with an actual support form. They do exist. Lol) Her senior rater said she had to pull out a dictionary and that my "fluff" would get another reader confused in the context instead of focusing on my intent.
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1LT William Clardy
As someone who can (and will, for entertainment value if nothing else) bloviate with the best of them, I see nothing wrong with extending folks' vocabulary. Think how boring our correspondence would be if we didn't occasionally hornswoggle them into learning new ways to express themselves, or to use words which are more accurate.
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That is why they have R&R.If there is a way to get around the limit one would find it. Not no, but hell no. I would rather have someone sober and alive to be able to work out any problem that may arise.
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1LT William Clardy
SFC Kenneth Hunnell, we used to be able to distinguish between having a drink while on duty and being drunk or unfit for duty.
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SFC Kenneth Hunnell
That was the good ole days. That was when someone owned up to the decisions that they made. That was then and this is now
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I was at Balad for that 08-09 Super Bowl, Steelers vs Cardinals at 2 AM! I remember the big hullabaloo over the 2 beers per. In 13-14 Afghanistan, there's all the near beer you can drink, even at DFAC and for sale in PX, for a bit. It was great after a long day, if you drank it fast enough, you get a 5 second buzz. Ha ha ha! However, the potential for abuse of that system is out there. I get 2 beers, buddy doesn't drink so I get his 2 beers and then I get another buddy's 2 beers and I'm a 6 pack down after no beer for a long time. I'm not saying this can happen, but that it will, and that's what all higher HQs is worried about happening. It's the few who always ruin it for the many.
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SFC (Join to see)
I did the math one time for the near beers, it was like 200+ in an hour to reach a .08 BAC haha.
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We defeated The Axis powers during the most devastating war in modern times without an alcohol policy, I think two to four beers total over a week wouldn't be a big deal. I'm going to Kuwait next month and it's the same policy, only danger I'll face is if the pool has too much chlorine in it.
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SFC (Join to see)
Hahaha, I finally moved into a gated community here in El Paso that has a pool, be careful Sir, it can be perilous with the sunburns and dehydration. But on a serious note, the point of being back to back world war champs when we were allowed alcohol is a solid one. Maybe that's why actually winning wars decisively has become more difficult for us?
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LTC(P) (Join to see)
There's no doubt more soldiers died due to accidents WWII then were killed in action during the war on terror. I was over there when the commander authorize those two beers for the Super Bowl. I thought that took a lot of courage, many commanders want to air on the side of caution and just ban everything. I've always felt you should punish the screw ups and not everyone for one person's mistake. As a company commander during my first trip to Iraq I am very confident I could determined who and when a group of soldiers could have one or two beers and not be a threat to the rest of the company
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GO #1 is a crutch for poor leaders. In spite of leaderships supposed "sensitivity" to local culture, there is no country where the local populace doesnt enjoy alcohol no matter what the political correctness police try to tell us.
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No reason to change. I've been there - and I just know there was a LOT of NA-Bitburger consumed by this guy!
I think we've proven it's not necessary! I really don't think it has anything to do with PTSD (not having alcohol) nor could it "prevent" PTSD - that's not a good argument for bringing in alcohol in my opinion.
I think we've proven it's not necessary! I really don't think it has anything to do with PTSD (not having alcohol) nor could it "prevent" PTSD - that's not a good argument for bringing in alcohol in my opinion.
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If we can allow it in places like Al Udeid, Korea, and Al Dafrah, I don't know why we wouldn't allow it elsewhere. Our NATO allies also allow it in Afghanistan (or did, until they mostly left).
In a place where you might come under hostile fire, it's probably better to limit it...but an all-out ban seems excessive to me.
The other part of this argument, however, is how much is it worth to have that alcohol shipped in? Are we replacing other, more necessary items? Places like Al Udeid and Al Dafrah, it's easy, because the host nation is already bringing it into the country, and you just have to get it onto the base. In a place where there isn't a market for alcohol to be imported nearby, how do you get it to the various FOBs and COPs?
In a place where you might come under hostile fire, it's probably better to limit it...but an all-out ban seems excessive to me.
The other part of this argument, however, is how much is it worth to have that alcohol shipped in? Are we replacing other, more necessary items? Places like Al Udeid and Al Dafrah, it's easy, because the host nation is already bringing it into the country, and you just have to get it onto the base. In a place where there isn't a market for alcohol to be imported nearby, how do you get it to the various FOBs and COPs?
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1LT William Clardy
Lt Col (Join to see), you might want to ask the Royal Navy how much, if at all, their sailors' grog allowance perceptibly impairs their logistics.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
Well, you know...Brits. The whole reason we have IPA is because they had to find a way to get beer from England to India without skunking it.
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Haha, in 08, Btln sent in it's pogs to clean house after one of my guys was found to be drunk in Kuwait on his way for leave. Be was ordered to see attend AA for the days he was stateside, but nixed that, flew back through Ireland where he got drunk again and brought a couple bottles back with him.
A Kiowa pilot, drunk off his butt, crashed on takeoff. MRAP drivers crashing into things because they were intoxicated... No, please let alcohol go free in theater... Y'all sum beaches can go 6, 9, 13, 15, 18 months without a fixing. You pampered cry babies!
A Kiowa pilot, drunk off his butt, crashed on takeoff. MRAP drivers crashing into things because they were intoxicated... No, please let alcohol go free in theater... Y'all sum beaches can go 6, 9, 13, 15, 18 months without a fixing. You pampered cry babies!
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