Joined in 76 and after training and into the real RAF at Lossiemouth, it was out on the town or in the Naafi 4 or 5 nights a week, and at least 4 pints a night. The bars shut at 10.30 in Scotland then and that was drag, until they introduced 11-11 hours for pubs and the Naafi open till I think 00.00 or even 01.00. I can well remember one day being on the booze from 11.00am until Midnight, trying to dance with some lass at the Naafi bop and unable to move my feet, I was so drunk. Woke up on Sunday morning, and nothing, no hangover or side effects at all. I remember having a little internal word with myself about it warning me to watch it in future. Two tours in Belize with a lot of weekends in the City knocking back the drink, and a posting in between to Kinloss, which was a social club, masquerading as an RAF Base. In all that time I never felt I was out of control or it was a problem, I was young and could handle it. The one thing I would never do, was put in for Germany. Whenever you asked anyone what Germany was like, it was always about the alcohol. I know a few folk who came back from there with not necessarily an alcohol problem, but with a large rate of consumption of the stuff, and the big difference in price was a problem for them. I bought a 4 pack some months ago to have a drink watching the European cup final, planning to have one for each half. As it turned out I forced myself to finish the first one, and the other 3 are still sitting in the fridge. I guess when you were out with your mates you looked after each other, you were young and daft, and had the money to spend, but as you got older the money was better spent on other things.