Effective January 1st, Marines and sailors will be subject to random blood-alcohol tests twice a year, in what is labeled as the most intense and conservative testing system in the armed forces.
Any Marine or sailor with a blood-alcohol level of 0.01 per cent or higher will now be referred to a counselor (We’d all constantly be in therapy). Anyone who tests at 0.04 per cent or higher will be evaluated further to see if they are still fit for service.
In all 50 states and the District of Columbia, a driver with a 0.08 per cent blood-alcohol is considered drunk.
Basically, a single drink is enough to give someone a level of 0.01, which would warrant therapy sessions in the Marines. The policy is aimed at educating marines about alcohol abuse, and to deter them from drinking excessively.
On the other hand, the Army leaves test decisions up to a commander and prohibits a blood alcohol content of 0.05 percent or higher. The Air Force instructs commanders to order alcohol tests when appropriate, but only if they are given a reason to.
The Navy will introduce mandatory tests sometime in January, according to Navy Spokeswoman Caroline Hutcheson. A study in September by the Institute of Medicine that was sponsored by the Department of Defense, found that binge drinking culture is becoming a lot more prevalent in the Army, Navy, and Marines.
Starting this month, weekly reports about the results of the alcohol-screening program will be kept by each Marine unit, and quarterly reports will be submitted to Marine Corps headquarters.
Will Perry | Elite.
