Well to be honest its about time the drinking culture of the military was put under the spotlight.
The armed forces has a strict anti-drug policy which I fully support yet on many occasions I have walked into hangers where techies who are still half-cut on alcohol are attempting to work on aircraft. Is this any safer than the apparent threat of folk who take a few pills at the weekend working on aircraft? Of course its not.
Whilst alcohol may be legal its still deeply unprofessional to work under the influence of it and in my opinion it should be as frowned upon as much as drug use. To enforce a zero tolerance policy of turning up for work under the influence perhaps its time that random breathalysing was introduced to the armed forces.
Whilst I understand all too well how the stresses of the job can cause drinking problems this is an aside to the 'bravado drinking' that many practice and something that seems almost officially sanctioned.