Posted on 09/17/2005 8:29:20 AM PDT by DogBarkTree
NAPLES, Italy — The Navy’s message on drug use and alcohol abuse is clear: no second chances.
With the service drawing down its forces, and no worries over meeting retention and recruiting goals, the Navy can afford to be picky about the quality of sailors it keeps around, officials said.
They’re weeding out the “fungus” that threatens to infect the service’s “garden of beautiful flowers,” said Lt. Cmdr. Tony Kapuschansky, officer-in-charge of the Norfolk, Va.-based Center for Personal Development Detachment, Drug and Alcohol Program Management Activity.
Commanding officers not only are giving the boot to those who violate anti-drug use and alcohol abuse polices, but they’re doing so in the quickest and cheapest way possible — through the administrative separation process, Kapuschansky said.
That means commanding officers have the discretion to forego lengthier and costlier courts-martial, in order to expedite a sailor’s removal.
“Where’s the justice in that?” Kapuschansky said. “The justice is: how would you like to stand watch with someone who was high?”
Sailors seem to be aware that they stand to lose so much — a guaranteed income, housing allowance, and health care benefits — if they violate policies, Kapuschansky said.
Navy officials report a steady decrease in the number of sailors testing positive for drugs, even as the number of tests has risen. In fiscal 2001, of the 799,537 samples taken, 6,251 yielded positive results. In the first seven months of fiscal 2005, nearly 1.4 million samples yielded 3,841 positive results.
Marijuana is the most popular abused drug, accounting for 55 percent of the positive hits, followed by cocaine at 21 percent, methamphetamine at 19 percent, Ecstasy at 3 percent and other drugs at 2 percent.
Youth is no excuse for violating the rules, Kapuschansky said. If an 18- or 19-year-old sailor, for example, can be trusted to man multi-million dollar weapon systems, he or she can be trusted to follow drug and alcohol policies.
Do drugs, even once, and you’re out, he said.
Alcohol is a legal substance, but sailors are expected to drink responsibly and never drive after drinking, he said at this week’s Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention summit at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. NADAP officials are taking the Navy message to the fleet in a series of summits held globally.
The policy itself isn’t new, just officials’ repetition of the message, said Tim Suich, Navy Personnel Command’s legal representative.
The target population of possible drug users in the Navy has been defined as males who are E-3 and below, have 2½ years of service or less, are 19 to 22 years of age, with an average of 14 to 24 months onboard their first duty station, and are nonwarfare qualified, according to Navy documents.
But they aren’t the only violators, and even senior sailors should beware, Suich warned. There is no such thing as “sanctuary” for those with 18 to 20 years of service behind them, and the days of commanders turning a blind eye or cutting a break to “lifers” are over, he said.
The warning sits just fine with Petty Officer 1st Class Herb Scott, the drug-and-alcohol prevention representative for his Naples unit of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, or NCTAMS.
“When I first came in, there seemed to be a lot of dead weight,” said the sailor with 12 years in. “Now, they’re not just letting anyone in and that’s a good thing. Now we have people who take care of their responsibilities, do their jobs … and others don’t have to pick up their slack.”
Drug users in the military are a bad mix.
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Exactly - this must be a zero-tolerance situation.
They carry too much responsibility.
A friend, academy grad, got the boot for DUI.
This is the long-term legacy of the 60's. All one ever heard was that drugs were just a-okay. "Drugs, sex and rock'Nrol" was the mantra of the 60's.
Now we have a bumper crop of DRUG ADDICTS, HIV/AIDS and (C)RAP "music." What a charming legacy.
Drugs will be our ruin.
Yeah, the North would have finished the Civil War sooner without that ole drunk U.S. Grant.
Hael, Texas coulda won the War of Independence right there at the Alamo if it hadn't been for that ole drunk Sam Houston.
And Pappy Boyington, guess the Navy and Marines coulda kept the Japanese out of the skies without that sot.
Yeah, let's not spoil them dainty Navy flowers
I agree with zero tolerence as I did in 26 years of active duty in the Navy. My only problem with this LCDR is his statement "garden of beautiful flowers". We didn't have this garden when I was in, we had fantastic sailors who worked hard and played hard and got the job done.
Their commanding officers.
I'd think the Navy might be willing to keep a fighter who takes a drink now and then over such abysmal officers as Jimmy Carter or John Kerry.
And I'll throw in McCain if it helps make the point.
Lt. Cmdr. Tony Kapuschansky, officer-in-charge of the Norfolk, Va.-based Center for Personal Development Detachment, Drug and Alcohol Program Management Activity what a "title" for a POS "officer"! Typical Admin Officer puke. I would like to see when this POS was EVER at sea doing real Navy work!
While I completely agree that drugs and the military don't mix, I don't believe in zero tolerance application of the law (at least as applies to junior enlisted).
One of my best Soldiers came up hot in a drug test for cocaine. He had gotten a little too friendly with a girl whom he should have stayed away from and she convinced him to use the stuff, something he normally would never do. He was caught, nearly kicked out of the Army, and punished by a nearly maxed-out Field Grade Article 15. He paid the price, he learned from his mistake, and he's still one of the best Soldiers in my PLT, and I've never had another problem with him since.
Another case, one my Squad Leaders, as a young Soldier, came up hot for marijuana in a drug test. He was also nearly thrown out. Now, he is one the best NCOs I have ever seen, and a tremendous asset to my PLT and the Company.
For NCOs and Officers, "zero tolerance" is necessary, but the younger Soldiers/Airmen/Sailors/Marines should really be looked at on a case-by-case basis, with the Commander delivering discretionary punishments in each.
garden of beautiful flowers ?
That doesn't sound like something a straight guy would say.
The Navy let that POS Carter out early. Bravo Zulu to whoever approved that early separation.
Good post, FSE, that's what my son has told me. The commanders know how to pick the ones who they want to retain after they have taken their punishment.
Of course, there is a supply and demand element (personnel wise) to all of this. Fifteen to 20 years ago there was a 0 tolerance policy in the Army.
"who, if anybody, is booting out the commanding officers?"
One thing about military service is that everyone has a commanding officer. There is accountability from the lowest private to the highest general. Every day in the armed forces someone is writing an efficiency report on someone junior to him.
To answer your question directly, some years back I was assigned to an army aviation brigade. The commander of one of the attack helicopter battalions in the brigade was stopped for DUI, and when he blew into the machine it was off the chart. The brigade commander called him in and relieved him as battalion commander. In case you're unfamiliar with military procedure, relief for cause from a command position means that your career is at an end. Leaders, whether they are junior or senior, are supposed to set the example, and when they don't they're history.
Fair points, Future Snake Eater and thank you for your service. You know better than I in this situation.
Absolutely correct. Right now, from my perspective as a Platoon Leader, every Soldier is critical. True, I have over 40 of 'em, but if we automatically boot them without regard to situation, then that number could be whittled away quickly. Take into account the latest recruiting difficulties and the new Brigades that are standing up all over the country, the likelihood that I would get a replacement is slim.
Back in the Cold War days, as I understand it, there was no shortage of personnel, and Soldiers were easily replaced. Not quite so anymore, sadly.
Thank you...I understand....the article basically says enlisted are targeted. Granted, the majority of sailors are enlisted.
Alcohol & drugs are no respecter of persons;
they don't give 2 spits whether you're enlisted or an officer.
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