Are drugs worth your career?

[thedrifter]

Are drugs worth your career?
Few are approached; the proud walk away
Pfc. Matthew K. Hacker
Combat Correspondent

Many Marines and Sailors are propositioned with drugs at some point during their military career. Some are more exposed than others. Only the strong-willed and dedicated will stand their ground when cornered with peer pressure.

Department of Defense labs test approximately 60,000 urine samples each month, said Lt. Cmdr. Richard A. Gustafson, of the Naval Drug Laboratory in Jacksonville, Fla. The test is administered to all active-duty servicemembers at least once a year and is given to members of the guard and reserves once every two years.
There are many protections implemented into the system to guarantee accurate results.

First, all test takers initial the label on their own bottles. The sample bottles are boxed into batches, and then the test administrator begins a chain-of-custody document for each batch.
The chain-of-custody document is a legally binding document. Anyone involved with any individual sample signs all documents concerning it.

The involvement may entail the person observing the collection of the sample, placing the sample into the box, taking it out of the box and all the people at the lab as well.

Regardless of what the involvement, there is always a written record of those individuals.
Gustafson, who holds a doctorate in toxicology from the University of Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree in toxicology from the University of Arizona, said, "The most important thing about forensics is documentation. If there's no documentation, it didn't happen."

After the batches arrive at the lab, the samples undergo an initial screening test using the Olympus AU-800 Automated Chemistry Analyzer. This standard screening tests only for traces of drugs.

"This test gives a presumptive positive and a definite negative," said Gustafson, meaning that the standard test may detect the remnants of a drug, but the exact type of drug is unknown.

A sample which tests positive for the presence of drugs undergoes the same test again. If a sample comes up positive after the second screening test, it is then put through a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry test.

This test is 100 percent accurate and will identify specific substances within the samples and break the specimens down into percentages of individual drugs, Gustafson said.
The labs' tests can detect marijuana, cocaine, LSD, PCP, opiates, amphetamines and barbiturates; however, not all samples are tested for all of these.

"Every sample that makes it into our labs is tested except when the sample is adulterated, meaning something has been added to tamper with the detection equipment, such as kerosene or vinegar, or the quantity of urine is not sufficient," said Gustafson. "We need enough urine in each sample to be available for testing four separate times."

Every sample is tested 100 percent for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines and ecstasy.
Upon a commander's request, any servicemember may be tested for steroids as well. These samples are sent to the Olympic testing laboratory at the University of California in Los Angeles for a monetary charge, said Gustafson.
Seventy percent of all positive drug test results here are due to marijuana, and 30 percent involve the use of cocaine.

The Marine Corps, the smallest and the most frequently drug-tested service, lost about one percent of its forces to drug offenses last year - the largest percentage in the military.
Some nervous servicemembers awaiting a urinalysis may be inclined to purchase an over-the-counter 'masking substance', which is said to ensure against the detection of certain drugs in urine.

In fact, these substances can actually make drugs easier to detect. These particular substances are diuretics, and when taken before giving a urine sample, they flush chemicals out of the body. The chemicals are exported right into the collection bottle. This happens because the drugs are normally more concentrated after taking a masking substance.

Some test takers have even gone to the extent of drinking vinegar or bleach. These methods will not defeat the detection of drugs before a urinalysis either.
Other over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements may also cause a screening test to come up positive, but the secondary test would definitely identify each medication. If this happens, the report goes back to the commander as negative.

If the testing results come back positive after all the necessary tests, punishment will start to take effect.
The Marine Corps policy concerning drugs states that, "Distribution, possession, or use of illegal substances is not tolerated."

Earlier this month, the Marine Corps released the results of a two-year drug investigation here, in which 82 Marines and Sailors have been convicted. Offenses involved distribution and use of designer or club drugs such as Ecstasy, Ketamine and GHB. A total of $1.4 million worth of drugs was confiscated
A Marine charged as a trafficker will be disciplined to the fullest extent possible. If, for some reason, punitive discharge is not awarded, the command could administratively separate the offender.

Disciplinary action and processing for separation are appropriate, regardless of rank, and will take place immediately after the positive results are confirmed.

Following separation, all Marines must be provided the address of a local Veteran Affairs Hospital where they will be afforded Level III equivalent rehabilitation treatment.

After disciplinary action and processing take place, the servicemember will begin to receive administrative action. This may entail denial of base driving privileges and eviction from government quarters for married members, including their families. Unmarried servicemembers may be forced to move into barracks.

Commanders are required to site an entry on pages 11, 12 and 13 in the servicemember's Service Record Book.
Depending on the commanders' decision, the servicemember may receive an expeditious discharge.

Overall, every one of these disciplinary actions could be prevented if more Marines and Sailors would take the initiative to avoid drug contact at all costs.

http://militarynews.com/globe/mainside.html

Sempers,

Roger

[makes no sense]

If Marines were educated on the consequences of getting involved
with drugs then maybe they would try harder to avoid it. Not everyone came from a good background where their parents or loved ones helped them understand certain things. All they tell you, in the Marine Corps, is there is a zero tolerance for drugs. I would assume that means you get kicked out of the service no questions asked. Who knows that you could do several years for something that is laughed at in most cities? Then a member goes to the brig and learns what? Nothing because they go back home and join a normal society again where what they did is laughed at. It doesn't stop other members from doing it either because they are still not educated on what happened to former Marines or what could happen if they were to get involved with drugs.

[Wyoming]

WTF is your point on a thread that is 8 years old?

Who are you to say that Marines are not educated on the consequences?

Zero tolerance is zero tolerance. What is it you are missing?

Drugs are laughed at in most cities? Really?

So they are 'kicked out' on a LTH, OTH, or BCD and join a normal society? Define normal.

Who does the laughing in this 'normal society?

Those 'other' members ARE educated. THEY make the decision to twist off. NOT the Corps.

[SlingerDun]

Hi, I'm here to tell you Marines about drug use and the character of Marines who imbibe and their feelings of fairness at only begin taught zero tolerance and getting laughed at in the liberal cities cause they don't have zero tolerance and they wont learn anything in the brig and WHERES MY SIPPY CUP

Whoaaa duuude, it's like a movement man

[makes no sense]

I'm a Marine and not once has there been any education on the consequences of getting involved with drugs or anything that they don't want happening for that matter.

I didnt pay attention to the date on the post i just saw it on google.

They don't explain what zero tolerance is. They just make you memorize that there is a zero tolerance on drugs and that is it, wow such education.

Yes laughed at in most cities. Something so petty that maybe you would get a year of probation for or even just a warning in civial life you could spend a lifetime in the brig. Cops do the laughing at this because all they want is the major drug dealers. Not that I am proud but this is something I have experience in so I can comment on the matter. What experience have you had to bash everything that I am saying. That is the problem with a lot of Marines they think they know but they really don't.

There is a different definition for normal from different places in the world. What might be normal in one place could be considered crazy in another.

All I'm saying is that the Marine Corps should educate Marines not just say do this and do that because if they don't ever fully understand what it is that they are doing how are they supposed to do the right thing. Not everyone comes from the same place and 3 months of bootcamp will never change strong minded humans.

You act as if I just insulted you personally or called your mother fat or something. Have fun dying of a heart attack.

[makes no sense]

Where in my post was I crying I'm just stating my opinion on something. How will things ever change if no one takes ideas to make the Marine Corps better and more successful? It's not just drugs, I could go on and on about some things that could be improved and if you weren't so stubborn and selfish you would see it too.

[usmchauer]

I wasn't aware that Marines are spending years on end in the brig for smoking a joint. When did they start handing out sentences like that?

[SlingerDun]

I'm a Marine and...

Ok you're on......

No profile, registered on Leatherneck as "Marine Friend".

You'll need to display some pretty basic information to prove the title you claim,

feel free to proceed....

[USMCM38A1]

When I went through boot camp in 1985 they not only told us what 0 tolerance was they told you you have one chance to come clean on drugs before you leave boot camp after that it will mean either discharge or time in the brig depending on the amount you were either caught with or had in your system and I saw it quite a few times.Guys come up for p test after every holiday and then you wouldn't see them after results came back .

[makes no sense]

It all depends on who is involved in your charge and sentencing. You could get a max punishment of 5 years just for smoking a joint.

[Quinbo]

Calma is that you incarnate?

[Miura]

i know some 1 who snook in marijuana to pendleton and was kicked off bootcamp lol

[doc h fmf]

I Have A Question , Why Would Anyone In Their Right Mind Use Drugs Anyway? I Dont Know But I Wouldnt Want To F Up My Body Anyway,

Semper Fi My Brothers And Sisters

Stephen Doc Hansen Hm3 Fmf

[Old Marine]

This complete thread is nothing but BS.

Sgt. Lep: Bring in the Black Choppers.

[Wyoming]

i know some 1 who snook in marijuana to pendleton and was kicked off bootcamp lol

Really??

Damm!!!

You gotta watch those Maureen Corpse guys that go to bootcamp at pendleton.



Have you ever been Snipe hunting?