Ive been diagnosed as an alcoholic in the military and discharge is now an option. Anyone have any advise?

Question

For anyone whose familiar with this scenario I've been through ADAPT and some of the after care group but this past weekend I was arrested. The incident was alcohol related. I am 21 and it involved a friend who is underage. After speaking with my shirt he said that administrative discharge could be a possibility, but at the same time I'm considered a good troop and my command sees a lot of potential in me. I just have my vices. Anyone have any insight on what to do or expect?? Thank you.

Answer 1

maybe you should just try to find something that doesnt involve drinking that will take up some of your time. drinking is fine, but drinking cuz you have to or drinking to excess is where it turns bad. if you really want to be a soldier, then do what you can to curb your drinking. if you dont want to be a soldier, then take the discharge but then you have to live with yourself after that. but dont forget how hard civilian life is. its a big transition, ask yourself if you really want to give up  your career because it interferes with your drinking. get your priorities in order and go from there. good luck!

Answer 2

You may be a good troop, but are now labeled a potential risk/embarrassment to the military.

You can possibly stay in the military, but advancement will be minimal.

You have hit the glass ceiling, my friend.

Answer 3

gee everyone here wants to hold your hand,... SORRY, my advise is to  

GROW THE F UP. You been in trouble, you've gotten help, the military is doing thier part, yet, you want to go out and get in trouble. you must know better.

my second piece of advise is to take the discharge. as long as it's a neutral discharge, and not an re-4, you'll be good to go. Obviously, you can't control your urges, and the military won't put up with it. get out while you still can under honorable conditions.

and then join AA and get some help. As a civilian, you only have to deal with the police... but in the military, you have to deal with the police AND the UCMJ. they'll get you coming and going.

Answer 4

Hello  Greg,

     First of all, Thank you for serving our country. This can be a very hard time for you, being away from family and friends. You are not alone ,as alcohol hits home with just about any family on this planet. Doesn't matter if your a doctor, lawyer, priest, banker, nurse, or any name with a title. Mom, Dad, Grandparent ...Friend....

     Drinking can be a curse on anyone.This is a disease just like cancer. Only with cancer, we don't ask for it. We can't control who gets it and who doesn't. Only you can chose your coarse in life.

     I come from a family with many members having your problem. To be honest, if it wouldn't make me so sick the next day, I could easily be walking in your shoes. When I was your age, drinking with friends, I never had the light come on telling me , hey, you have had enough.  I prayed to God to know when to quit, and I really think he answered my prayer. Luckily, Before I hurt or killed someone when driving drunk.

     Drinking can be a crutch. It helps us escape into our own little world, where everything is funny and great, Til we wake up the next day and then think of some of the stupid things we did the night before, or worse yet, can't even remember what we did. Drinking sooner or later catches up with you.

     My brother died of colon cancer at the young age of 42. He was a Viet Nam Vet. They said his drinking very well could of caused him to get colon cancer. Another problem you can have is liver failure. When we are young we think we will live forever and getting a severe life threatning illness  due to drinking is the last thing on our minds. I think drinking makes us feel better about ourselves at the time, perhaps due to being shy and it lets the real us out. Or so we think. You know now you have a problem, and it is effecting your career and you need to say, is drinking really worth throwing my life down the toilet? Don't I want more from life?

      Admitting you have a problem is the first step. Only you can take power to control your drinking. There is help for you out there. But only you can choose to take the help. I admit i am not familiar with ADAPT, but am thinking it is a program to help you stay clean. Try and keep going to meetings as they really help you to stay clean.

     I have another brother who just went through the Vets Program for alcohol. When he finished they gave him a special coin. He is very proud of that and when he took it, told his fellow VA members who were in the program that he would cherish that metal and remember  not to take that first drink as his brother who went through cancer and died, and all during his sickness, stayed clean.

     It's not easy, and being 21, you think it's the only way to be with your friends, or they won't want to be around you. A real man can handle that pressure and say, thanks but I don't think I want to walk in a drunks shoes anymore. Life is pretty precious. I am not perfect, but I sure as heck am going to do all I can to make my family proud of me. Most of all tho, I want to be proud of Myself!

     If you have no choice and have to be let go of your military duties because of this, remember it is not the end of the world. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and vow to turn your life around via school for something your interested in. Be good to yourself and know we all make mistakes. Just remember its ok, if you learn from it. Remember the words you wrote .. "my commander sees a lot of potential in me," Now Prove it. I bet you will.....God Bless

Answer 5

All these answerers nailed it: join AA.  Show them you mean to change.

Alcoholism is a DISEASE, not a VICE.

Answer 6

Gee, not once in here did you ask for help on how to stop drinking.

I would say that it doesn't matter what you do if you think you have just a "vice" instead of a lifelong disease, you still have a ways to go before you bottom out and really ruin your life.

You are only 21; what a shame that you are already addicted to something it is barely legal for you to consume.

Answer 7

I was just about your age when I first decided to quit drinking. I stayed clean for 14 years and had some of the most productive years of my life, which included a career in the USMC. I started drinking again, and in just a few years, managed to s***w nearly every aspect of my life up. Now I have been clean again for 4 years, and they have been probably the best 4 years of my life.

I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that having a problem with alcohol is something that you should deal with now. Then you can decide whether the military is where you want to stay, or if you want to take your military experience into the civilian world.

Right now, I am a teacher and a combat veteran from Iraq. I have a good civilian career, two beautiful kids, and a girlfriend who would do anything for me.

I would have none of that if I had not gotten my life under control.

In a few years you can be a honorably discharged veteran just starting a good civilian career, or you can be someone who washed out of the military because of their drinking.

I hope that helps.

Good luck with all of it.

Answer 8

you can start going to AA every day - and maybe have a great career in the military  (or anywhere else)

or you can say you want to quit drinking, do nothing about it, and ask us essentially the same question in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and so on.

Answer 9

It all depends on what you really want. It doesn't sound like you want to stop drinking. You have to recover to have a good life, you should join AA.

Answer 10

Stay in if at all possible. An honorable discharge is what you want.It means you served faithfully and with honor, and is something you can show, with pride, to a propective employer.,Indeed, in many places, it will get you veterans preference. And it can get you veterans benefits.

  An administrative discharge of is a piece of c**p, and labels you as a dropout the military was better off without.

So, whatis it going to be? Are you going to be an alky the rest of  your life, or show us you have the guts to l**k it, for once and for all.

You have your vices.It sounds like you're proud of them. , Are you "Army Strong" or someone who is just good at making excuses.?

Answer 11

Apparently you have a problem with consuming alcohol and do not want to accept it.

Unless and until you decide to totally stop consuming alcohol, you are a liability to your command and a danger to your comrades who are depending on you to cover their backs in combat.

You are rather blase about your problem and shrug it off as, "I just have my vices".

If you are not man enough to face up to reality and admit you cannot ever take a drink of alcohol again for the rest of your life without taking a chance of falling back into "your vices", you should take the option of leaving the military service and get on with your life.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and God bless.  

Answer 12

You don't have a "vice" you are an Alcoholic. You can go to a program to dry out and then to AA or you can ruin the rest of your lifeand that of your friends and family. Your choice.

Answer 13

I would say to find an AA (or a similar program) on your base/post. Try checking with the hospital on base to see if they offer any program.

Answer 14

Stop drinking or it will ruin your life.  There are plenty of programs and support groups out there to help you.  Start with Alcoholics Anonomous.