Do you know any Soldiers/Leaders that come to work smelling like a bottle of Jack Daniels? What are your actions if you experience this?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:04:23 -0400

I don't tolerate indiscipline and would immediately report it higher. As an NCO it is my duty to inform the next higher echelon. I have had it where Leaders within my unit have alcohol on their breath at PT formation....this is unacceptable.

Response by SFC Cornelius Walsh made Apr 27 at 2014 11:53 AM

SFC Cornelius Walsh — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:53:50 -0400

Definitely out of line. I have no problem with drinking, but if you're showing up to work still under the influence, it's certainly a problem.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Apr 27 at 2014 12:01 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:01:40 -0400

Maybe they just spilled some on their uniform? Or cleaned up a spill WITH their uniform?

Seriously though, they need a referral (self or command) to ASAP for assistance.

Response by 1SG Shane Hansen made Apr 27 at 2014 12:06 PM

1SG Shane Hansen — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:06:42 -0400

Hopefully it's not the same leaders that should be giving the command referral to ASAP. If so, then bring it up to even higher before someone gets hurt. Plus it is just a poor example to set if they are leaders.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2014 12:18 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:18:44 -0400

On the clinical side I send them back to bed, scold them, try to detox within the unit, but refer to formal detox when really needed. We may be different in that there are many reasons medical personnel may drink or use drugs to which they have far too ready access. Because alcoholism & drug abuse are common among medical personnel we try to treat it clinically in the unit unless it gets way way out of hand.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2014 12:35 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:35:48 -0400

In Korea (mid-90s) it used to be a badge of honor to see how drunk you could be at PT in the AM and still function. Now, not so much. We are transforming the military into more of a profession of arms and as such have little room for this type of behavior. So, help the Soldier out first and if they do not correct their behavior then you will need to push it up the chain.

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made Apr 27 at 2014 12:43 PM

PO2 Rocky Kleeger — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 12:43:30 -0400

Yep. He was a CPO, he got a "Chief's handshake", told not to do it again and was transferred so he wouldn't get in trouble with his current command

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2014 10:09 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:09:23 -0400

There is really nothing more irritating to me than running behind someone that smells like a brewery. If one of my Soldiers were to come to formation smelling like alcohol, the first time I would ask them when they stopped drinking. If I dont like the answer then I would have my commander refer them to the Staff duty desk where they have breathalizers there, and see what there BAC is. I am in Korea where drinking seems to be the cure for everything good and bad. The second time there would be no questions. with the authorized BAC in Korea of .05 I have no patience for that stuff. Now I am not a hippocrite.. I use to power drink, but only on the weekends and I would limit myself to two beers on the weekdays. I have since quit drinking now for almost 7 years so I know what it is like. You just have to have self control. Remember when you go out drinking you make a conscious decision to make impaired decisions.

Response by LtCol Brent Norquist made Apr 28 at 2014 2:58 PM

LtCol Brent Norquist — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:58:59 -0400

When I was a platoon leader, I noticed a couple of my Marines coming out of the Class VI store on a weekday evening carrying a bunch of beer. We did not have PT scheduled for the next morning (at that time we were only doing PT M-W-F mornings). I called my Plt Sgt and told him to muster the men the next morning at 0530 for PT. Many smelled like a brewery so I took them on a "death run". After that we did PT every weekday morning and I really never had a "weekday drinking problem" with my Marines. I inspected their shaves every morning before PT which was my excuse to get close enough to smell any alcohol on their breath. If I sensed a hung over Marine. I ran the crap out of all of them. Peer pressure and NCO leadership usually did the rest.

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Apr 28 at 2014 3:53 PM

CMDCM Gene Treants — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 15:53:20 -0400

Two different ways to approach the problem: First, if on a ship and the Sailor (or other service member) reports back not just hungover but obviously drunk, an Immediate medical evaluation. If in danger of harm to himself then either confine to Sickbay or taken to his rack and watched by Shipmates until next morning.

Second, if the Sailor (or other service member) reports to ship or shore station still hungover then evaluation to determine if fit for duty. If not fit for duty, then confined to Sickbay until fit.

In either case then referred to Drug and Alcohol Counseling to determine of further treatment is needed. In addition either counseling or referral to NJP or other punishment as appropriate as may be determined.

Of course this is all dependent on the training and trust of the Petty Officers in charge of each unit. Alcohol abuse has become a serious discussion in today's Navy or at least it was when I retired. I hope it is still taken just as seriously. The days of two beer lunches is long gone and DWIs are very serious.

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Apr 28 at 2014 5:18 PM

SSgt Gregory Guina — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 17:18:08 -0400

I am sure that most of us have had a time where we came to work and still had too much alcohol in our system. If it is not a chronic situation then I would just tell them that they reak of alcohol and that they need to check themselves. If it is chronic (once a week or more) it is time to get them to the SACO and have them evaluated.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 30 at 2014 11:52 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 11:52:25 -0400

Like SSG Ledbetter said, I would report higher. I would also escort that soldier to the MP station for a breath analyzer test if I go that route. Far as a blood draw goes, those are time sensitive so you must act fast if you go that route.

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Jun 19 at 2014 10:33 PM

MSG Floyd Williams — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 22:33:24 -0400

In the early 1970's it was kind of common in my Company at Fort Campbell, KY. It seems like the majority of the Senior NCO's had a drinking problem after returning from Viet Nam, most of them tried chewing a lot of gum or eating peppermints to kill the scent of alcohol. All what they been through I understood and never said a word about it, their were highly skill and best of the best.