Naval Academy fights booze...

[DanMa1156]

Not to resurrect this thread, but I turned 21 in late January and had the drinking training this past Monday... to be honest, it was kind of cool. I got 4 free Yuenglings for sitting around and watching a presentation by DOD cops and a guy who works at Hospital Point... I liked being able to breathalyze myself 10 mins after each drink to see how much each effected me.

 

[HH-60H]

Not to resurrect this thread, but I turned 21 in late January and had the drinking training this past Monday... to be honest, it was kind of cool.

I see we have a company man among us.

But seriously, I can see the benefit of learning and becoming cognizant of the way your body handles alcohol. It is a similar idea idea to altitude chamber training.

 

[feddoc]

Now, if we could just combine the two.......

 

[DanMa1156]

An issue that a lot of people bring up is having this training before your 21st birthday, since a lot of people get smashed then. Can't military bases lower the drinking age on base? I think, even if the drinking age would be lowered to 20 years and 11 months it might be more beneficial since a ton of people get fried over just blowing .08. Knowing where your limits are was good to see.

Not only that, but I learned a lot I hadn't known about how much trouble you can get in when alcohol is involved -- for example, say you come back late for liberty, you are fried for missing that formation.

Now, do the same thing, but have a beer (even just one) before you return and it's an alcohol offense... anytime any alcohol enters the equation, the Administration can make it an alcohol offense, which makes the punishments a lot more serious.

All in all, I give it two thumbs up... way better than sitting through another alcohol/ADEO brief in Alumni... actually learned something useful.

 

[MasterBates]

Now, if we could just combine the two.......

I already did.

 

[ProwlerPilot]

I got in late on this thread, but here are a couple points I would like to make.

1. Responsibility for your friends / shipmates is paramount. It happens at the Academy and in the Fleet. You have to watch out for each other, or all the rules in the world will not help. People are always going to do something stupid, go too far, or drink too much, but it is the people around them and the responsibility of that person's squadron mates / classmates whatever that will keep them safe. If people are mids are getting fried for bringing someone home who is wasted, that is wrong. If mids are NOT bringing those people home because they are worried that their friend is going to get in trouble, ALSO wrong. Moral courage is what makes us leaders.

2. Mids should be able to police themselves when it comes to drinking. However don't forget that the Academy is NOT a normal college. 15 idiot midshipmen fighting and or throwing up in Ego Alley in summer whites is a BIG difference than 15 guys doing the same thing who go to Maryland. The Academy is held to a higher standard in the public eye. If you didn't want that burden, you should not have shown up in T-court on I day. Like it or not, the administration HAS to do something to show the public it is doing its job. Limiting to 3 drinks might not be the right answer, but the court of public opinion is ruthless, and it doesn't stop in the fleet either.

3. The idea that you have to "practice" getting drunk so you are "good" at it when you go to Pensacola or underway, or wherever is STUPID! If you are not responsible enough to know when you are out of control, you should not be flying a plane / driving a ship / etc. Plus, JO's should be taking care of JO's. The older ones in the wardroom need to watch for the idiots before they self destruct. And those idiots don't come ONLY from USNA. There are plenty of social retards that have gone to many other schools. I have met them.

Bottom line. Take care of yourself. Take care of your shipmate. The rules will always change for the better and for the worse, but as long as everyone is looking out for each other, you should be fine....