Army won’t sack recruits who use cocaine because the are so short of troops...
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Army won’t sack recruits who use cocaine because the are so short of troops...
Okay, I realise that this is from the Mail on Sunday ...but is it likely to happen in the Royal Air Force ?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5004447/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html
“Army recruits caught taking drugs during their basic training are being allowed to remain in the military for the first time.
Top brass have relaxed the rules because drug abuse is so rife among would-be soldiers that throwing out those who fail drug tests was decimating numbers at a time when the Army is desperately short of troops.
But the move has been slammed as ‘a weak and dangerous surrender’ – and raises fears about drug users having access to firearms.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5004447/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html#ixzz4wDls1fqV
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5004447/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html
“Army recruits caught taking drugs during their basic training are being allowed to remain in the military for the first time.
Top brass have relaxed the rules because drug abuse is so rife among would-be soldiers that throwing out those who fail drug tests was decimating numbers at a time when the Army is desperately short of troops.
But the move has been slammed as ‘a weak and dangerous surrender’ – and raises fears about drug users having access to firearms.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5004447/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html#ixzz4wDls1fqV
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A second chance, rather than immediate dismissal based upon what may be a single mistake?
The drugs laws of the nation make little sense, made to protect the public, but in practice making things worse through exposure to crime, contaminants in the substances, financing organised crime and terrorism. The Portuguese approach, treating drugs as a health issue, rather than a criminal one has shown much more promise than the ongoing pursuit of criminalisation as the way forward.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs found that alcohol was collectively the most dangerous drug, when both harm to self and others were taken into account. We have some way to go as a society, until we can really look at drugs in an adult way, based upon evidence and risk, rather than entrenched positions.
The Army's attitude to those who fail a drugs test should be based upon evidence and balance of risk, including risks from low recruitment and retention.
The drugs laws of the nation make little sense, made to protect the public, but in practice making things worse through exposure to crime, contaminants in the substances, financing organised crime and terrorism. The Portuguese approach, treating drugs as a health issue, rather than a criminal one has shown much more promise than the ongoing pursuit of criminalisation as the way forward.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs found that alcohol was collectively the most dangerous drug, when both harm to self and others were taken into account. We have some way to go as a society, until we can really look at drugs in an adult way, based upon evidence and risk, rather than entrenched positions.
The Army's attitude to those who fail a drugs test should be based upon evidence and balance of risk, including risks from low recruitment and retention.
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We've had a "War on drugs" for most of my life - and now hundreds of thousands of people partake and money flows to criminals in a flood - and it's fueled by petty crime
Time for a change I think
Time for a change I think
War on Drugs?
I agree, we should be shooting the Dealers, but treating Users as Victims. Currently it is a war we are losing, to the huge detriment of Mankind.
KiloB. Roger Moore's character Shawn Fynn had the right idea about dealing with drug peddlers in The Wild Geese.
The cocaine dealer was made to eat the bag of the filth he'd been selling - which had been laced with strychnine.
As for the pongos, I would wager that many Lt. The Honourable Rupert Hardly-Worthitt and his hoorah-Henry chums of some so-called smart cap badge outfit would probably have been involved at some party or other in the City with drugs widely available.
When recruiting for the UAS, we had to ask the 'Big 3', which included asking whether the candidate had ever been involved with drugs. Any hint of a 'yes' meant GET OUT! I hope that is still the case?
The cocaine dealer was made to eat the bag of the filth he'd been selling - which had been laced with strychnine.
As for the pongos, I would wager that many Lt. The Honourable Rupert Hardly-Worthitt and his hoorah-Henry chums of some so-called smart cap badge outfit would probably have been involved at some party or other in the City with drugs widely available.
When recruiting for the UAS, we had to ask the 'Big 3', which included asking whether the candidate had ever been involved with drugs. Any hint of a 'yes' meant GET OUT! I hope that is still the case?
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I don't think they now pass any judgment on historical recreational use of "drugs" (the definition of drugs of course gives alcohol an exemption), but have no tolerance for previous dealing.
I could dig up RAF or regular Army documents on medical standards for entry online, but did find the Gurkha one. I assume they will be broadly comparable in this regard:
"9. Drug and Substance Misuse
The short, medium and long-term effects of the misuse of either illegal drugs or substances or legally obtained drugs or substances can have a damaging impact on mental and physical fitness and health. Drug or Substance misuse constitutes a direct threat to the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces; the security and safety of Service personnel; and, potentially, the security and safety of the civilians whom they protect. Illegal misuse of drugs or substances by Service personnel also damages the reputation and standing of the Armed Forces. For all of these reasons, the misuse of drugs or substances is not tolerated within the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces recognise, however, that drug or substance misuse is increasingly common in civilian life, particularly among the young, and that you may have misused drugs or substances yourself in the past. This will not necessarily prevent you from enlisting, as all applications are considered individually. Acceptance into the Services will depend on the frequency of use and the class and type of drug or substance that has been misused. Criminal convictions for trafficking or supply of any class of drug or substance will bar entry.
Once you have joined the Armed Forces, you are required to stay clear of drugs or substances at all times and also to avoid association with drug or substance misusers and suppliers. Once you have been enlisted, you will be liable by law to random compulsory drug testing throughout your Service career. If these tests show that you have misused drugs or substances, it is Armed Forces policy that, with very few exceptions, you will be discharged."
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Times change BEagle. Now it's just as important to recognise something you've done in the past was wrong and that you shouldn't do it again than it is to filter everyone out. Social attitudes, and laws, change over time and so does the approach to handling these situations - as the Army is finding out. I'm sure it won't be long until cannabis becomes legal here, a lower grade drug than cocaine I know, but at least there won't have to be all of this ambiguity about what's now "only" a cautionable offence etc, etc,
Meanwhile Sean Hughes has died age 51 of a heart failure complicated by cirrhosis of the liver. No doubt Hughes was a partaker in many drugs in his time, but it seems it was the drink that got him in the end. And yet alcohol still gets a free pass from many people who get exercised about other drugs. Personally I find drunks and dopeheads equally boring, but I dont think careers need to be ruined because of one drug offence, any more than one conviction for being drunk and disorderly.
MoD has a very strange attitude towards what it dismisses people for. "Offences" which I've known MoD staff to be convicted of yet retain their jobs, include child rape, child molestation (obviously), arson, attempted arson (obviously), fraud, wheel man on a robbery, grievous bodily harm. Yet I've seen a man suspended without pay for a week for using an MoD screwdriver when trying to get his car going, which had conked out and blocked the entrance to the establishment. He was the only one of the lot who didn't later get promoted. I can't work it out.
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When recruiting for the UAS, we had to ask the 'Big 3', which included asking whether the candidate had ever been involved with drugs. Any hint of a 'yes' meant GET OUT! I hope that is still the case?
In WWI soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder were shot for cowardice.
In the Roman Army, the penalty for retreating was to have every tenth squaddie beaten to death by his mates, using only their bare fists.
Times change mate...thankfully.
When I joined in 1975, one of those questions was: " are you a homosexual?"
OC: "Did you spend last night in The Three Tuns?"
Bas: "Yes sir."
OC: "With a woman?"
For a fraction of a second I considered replying:
"No sir, with a man!"
But, realising I was already in some sort of weird RAF trouble, decided to refrain from testing my sense of humour on our OC.
Anyway, later in the day, the RAF was redeemed by the Station Commander's remark to me:
"Jolly good show! If I was your age that's exactly what I'd be doing!"
I won't bore you with the details which was an enormous storm in a teacup - and I'm still married to the lady
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They will be giving them Khat next before going into battle...
I remember one of the Boeing reps telling me about somewhere in Vietnam where he was based, they had found and set fire to a crop of drugs and loads of US troops were soon found downwind breathing it in.
I remember one of the Boeing reps telling me about somewhere in Vietnam where he was based, they had found and set fire to a crop of drugs and loads of US troops were soon found downwind breathing it in.