<b>YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea</b> Aca,!" April is designated as Alcohol Awareness Month. For some people, alcohol use may lead to significant health problems or affect the ability to perform optimally at work. Trying to figure out if there is a problem isn't easy, but a self-assessment may be a good place to start.
The Department of Defense offers Servicemembers and their Families the opportunity to take an anonymous <a href="http://www.MilitaryMentalHealth.org">alcohol self-assessment online</a> or by telephone at 877-877-3647. The alcohol self-assessment is a brief series of questions to gauge an individual's likelihood of alcohol use disorder.
Abuse of alcohol can also have an adverse affect on military careers and people's lives. On-duty alcohol impairment is a blood-alcohol content of .05 percent or higher. To emphasize this even more, driving while intoxicated in Korea is .05, which is about half the legal limit of most states in the United States.
When used to excess, alcohol is debilitating, dangerous and can be deadly. It impairs judgment and erodes one's sense of responsibility. The abuse of alcohol has consistently been shown to be a key factor in verbal and physical altercations between Soldiers themselves, as well as between Soldiers and Korean nationals.
Here are some Department of Defense facts about alcohol abuse:
1. Young men 18-25 years old consistently have been found to have the highest prevalence of heavy alcohol use within the military.
2. The rate for heavy alcohol use among young military males is approximately twice the rate of their civilian counterparts.
3. Women overall drink less than men but are more likely to experience adverse consequences, including damage to the heart muscle, liver, and brain, trauma resulting from auto crashes, interpersonal violence and death.
4. Alcohol can damage a fetus at any stage of pregnancy. Damage can occur in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, even before a woman knows she is pregnant. Therefore, no amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy.
5. Moderate alcohol use is defined as up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people. One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
The keys to prevention of alcohol abuse are strong leadership and education. The 8th U.S. Army Standards Handbook reminds us that leaders must be models for the responsible consumption of alcohol. Leaders must not promote intoxication, endorse heavy drinking, or give tacit approval to drunkenness.
Commanders are encouraged to implement policies that discourage alcohol-related misconduct and reduce alcohol abuse. However, these measures are not a substitute for regularly scheduled alcohol and drug abuse prevention classes.
Unit leaders are encouraged to review <a href="https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/532936">USAG-Yongsan Policy Letter #1-8, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Education for Soldiers</a>.
This policy requires commanders of companies, detachments, and equivalent units to implement Army Substance Abuse Program prevention and education initiatives to deter and reduce the abuse or misuse of alcohol and other drugs to the lowest possible level.
[<i>Steven Carpenter is the Director, Human Resources, U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan. In his position, he oversees the garrison Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program.</i>]
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