Posted on Mar 11, 2016
LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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Over the last 10-12 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I have not been "randomly" selected to participate in urinalysis. I once had a streak of 17 consecutive months of being randomly selected. Now this doesn't bother me because I know I am clean. But it does raise the question when you look around and every month out of the 10-12 guys selected, you see the same 4-5 guys
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SSG Environmental Specialist
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If the UPL program is set up correctly, it should be random. Everyone's last 4 are input into a data bank, then the input the percentage to be tested and it spits out a list. I have seen one soldier come down on the list 4 times in a row and I have seen soldiers not make the list for several months. It all depends on the size of the unit and the percentage needed. My past unit did a 10% month with 2 months extra just in case. Another unit just does the entire unit all at once to get their 100% mark.
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Capt Retired
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Sort of like winning a coin flip 6 times out of 6?

Really, a random selection can seem to be anything but random. But, in this case, I believe efforts are made and reviewed to assure randomness.
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SSG Richard Reilly
SSG Richard Reilly
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LTC (Join to see) - out of what size company?
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LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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SSG Richard Reilly - 110 in the unit, they pick 10-12 each month and it always seems like 4-5 of the same guys are on the list every month. This was my 5th month in a row.
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LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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I've been with this unit for 4 years. there's 4-5 guys who have been tested 30-35 times. and then there are 20+ who have never been tested in 4 years.
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SSgt Carpenter
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I have wondered the same thing myself. My hunch, (a wild guess for sure) is that the system pulls randomly by alphabetical order, with a minimum number sample, or even by rank or grade. So, if there's only one major with the initial "B" in the database you're getting "randomly" picked every time. It's the only way I've been able to think of that explains how many times I've seen a guy get picked "randomly" 4 times in a row. The other explanation, is that there is a high minimum % that will get tested, which will raise the chances of an individual getting picked.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
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It's harder to be selected 17 times than to win the lottery.
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LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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my point exactly. The odds of that happening at random are astronomical. one of my fellow MAJs commented that I am the most "randomly" selected guy in the army.
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