thedrifter
11-03-07, 07:15 AM
From The Times
November 3, 2007
Combat drives Armed Forces to drink
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
Men and women of the Armed Forces are the biggest drinkers in the country, with many consuming a “hazardous” amount of alcohol, according to a survey of nearly 9,000 Service personnel.
Women in the Forces aged between 16 and 24 were discovered to be drinking more than men of the same age group from the general population.
Among men in the military, “heavy drinking” was more prevalent in the Army and the Royal Navy/Royal Marines than the RAF, and the consumption of high levels of alcohol was partly associated with being deployed to Iraq, having a combat role and being a smoker.
The “culture of drinking” in the Armed Forces is revealed in a study by the Centre for Defence Mental Health at King’s College London, whose findings are published in the Addiction journal. “Competitive drinking”, which is frowned on by the Ministry of Defence, was also discovered, although not on a large scale.
Nicola Fear, the principal author of the research document, concluded: “Excessive alcohol consumption is more common in the Armed Forces than in the general population.
“This study demonstrates that a proportion of military personnel is drinking in a way that is detrimental to their individual personal and family health, the safety of themselves and their colleagues and wider group operational effectiveness.” One explanation for the high number of young servicewomen drinking excessively was due to peer pressure – wanting to be seen as one of the boys in a male-dominated environment.
But the drinking culture was also driven by “boredom”, the isolation of barracks – and the cheap price of booze behind the wire. The survey said more expensive alcohol would reduce the drinking.
The survey of 7,937 men and 749 women in the regular Forces was carried out in March 2003 at the start of Operation Telic 1, the British military campaign in Iraq.
The King’s College survey, the largest of its kind ever conducted in the Armed Forces, found an “association between deployment on Operation Telic 1 and heavy drinking in men”.
Overall, 67 per cent of the service-men and 49 per cent of servicewomen questioned fell into the category of “hazardous drinkers”, compared with 38 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women in the general population.
Binge drinking, defined as having six or more units of alcohol on one occasion on at least a weekly basis, was discovered to be more prevalent in the Army. According to the survey, 48 per cent of men and 31 per cent of women admitted binge-drinking on one occasion “on a weekly or daily basis”. Daily binge-drinking was admitted by five per cent of men and two per cent of women.
Looking at the drinking habits of other “high-risk professions”, such as the fire and police services, the researchers found there was some evidence to suggest that the military drank more than either of them.
Drinking helped units to bond, “particularly after a deployment or an intensive period of training”, the report added.
On overseas operations, commanding officers on the ground set the “appropriate alcohol state”. In Afghanistan and Iraq, this is currently “dry”.
Derek Twigg, the UnderSecretary of State for Defence, said: “The Armed Forces take the issue of alcohol misuse extremely seriously, and have taken many positive steps to address excessive alcohol consumption.
“Individuals who have alcohol problems are offered appropriate support, including medical treatment if necessary.”
Ellie
November 3, 2007
Combat drives Armed Forces to drink
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
Men and women of the Armed Forces are the biggest drinkers in the country, with many consuming a “hazardous” amount of alcohol, according to a survey of nearly 9,000 Service personnel.
Women in the Forces aged between 16 and 24 were discovered to be drinking more than men of the same age group from the general population.
Among men in the military, “heavy drinking” was more prevalent in the Army and the Royal Navy/Royal Marines than the RAF, and the consumption of high levels of alcohol was partly associated with being deployed to Iraq, having a combat role and being a smoker.
The “culture of drinking” in the Armed Forces is revealed in a study by the Centre for Defence Mental Health at King’s College London, whose findings are published in the Addiction journal. “Competitive drinking”, which is frowned on by the Ministry of Defence, was also discovered, although not on a large scale.
Nicola Fear, the principal author of the research document, concluded: “Excessive alcohol consumption is more common in the Armed Forces than in the general population.
“This study demonstrates that a proportion of military personnel is drinking in a way that is detrimental to their individual personal and family health, the safety of themselves and their colleagues and wider group operational effectiveness.” One explanation for the high number of young servicewomen drinking excessively was due to peer pressure – wanting to be seen as one of the boys in a male-dominated environment.
But the drinking culture was also driven by “boredom”, the isolation of barracks – and the cheap price of booze behind the wire. The survey said more expensive alcohol would reduce the drinking.
The survey of 7,937 men and 749 women in the regular Forces was carried out in March 2003 at the start of Operation Telic 1, the British military campaign in Iraq.
The King’s College survey, the largest of its kind ever conducted in the Armed Forces, found an “association between deployment on Operation Telic 1 and heavy drinking in men”.
Overall, 67 per cent of the service-men and 49 per cent of servicewomen questioned fell into the category of “hazardous drinkers”, compared with 38 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women in the general population.
Binge drinking, defined as having six or more units of alcohol on one occasion on at least a weekly basis, was discovered to be more prevalent in the Army. According to the survey, 48 per cent of men and 31 per cent of women admitted binge-drinking on one occasion “on a weekly or daily basis”. Daily binge-drinking was admitted by five per cent of men and two per cent of women.
Looking at the drinking habits of other “high-risk professions”, such as the fire and police services, the researchers found there was some evidence to suggest that the military drank more than either of them.
Drinking helped units to bond, “particularly after a deployment or an intensive period of training”, the report added.
On overseas operations, commanding officers on the ground set the “appropriate alcohol state”. In Afghanistan and Iraq, this is currently “dry”.
Derek Twigg, the UnderSecretary of State for Defence, said: “The Armed Forces take the issue of alcohol misuse extremely seriously, and have taken many positive steps to address excessive alcohol consumption.
“Individuals who have alcohol problems are offered appropriate support, including medical treatment if necessary.”
Ellie