Originally Posted by
The B Word
Within my own time in the mob (I’m still in), I can recall cycling to work because I was too under the weather to drive - within a couple of hours I would be strapping a jet to my back. It was only in the last 20-25 years that it started to get more serious with respect to breathalysers. 1997/98 seems to ring about true.
In fact it all started to change somewhat earlier than that. Does anyone recall the introduction in the 1980s of blood tests as part of the Annual Medical and the rather curious little form you had to sign consenting to it? Whatever you were told was the reason, one of the motives was to identify the alcohol abusers.
Hard rules set for punishment rather than medical he!p.
Not at all sure about that. I saw more than one officer quietly moved into a non-post as a result of their condition. I felt that people were willing to help but unfortunately the system at large didn't really have the mechanisms or processes to do so. It wasn't until I moved into civil aviation that I witnessed a textbook case of how it should be handled with help, support, access to treatment and subsequent reinstatement of medical, licence and livelihood.
YS