Joint Base Langley- Eustis, Va. –
Officer, enlisted, male, female, young or old, alcohol abuse does not discriminate. April is Alcohol Abuse Awareness Month and the Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, community members are encouraged to educate themselves and loved ones about the dangers of alcohol abuse and how to seek help for those who may have a drinking problem.
Stress from work, deployments, finances, marriage and family are common risk factors that can turn drinking into something more serious.
According to U.S. Air Force Capt. Seth Bridges, 633rd Medical Operations Squadron Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment program manager, the point at which alcohol use becomes a disorder depends upon its level of impairment to a person's functioning amongst a variety of domains such as family, work and social settings, as well as one's own ability to control the drinking by setting limits.
"Alcohol is one of those things that starts out black and white and slowly, insidiously, turns to grey," Bridges explained. "For many people, it's a very slow process and they don't realize that it's getting out of hand and beyond their ability to manage it."
Common signs of alcohol addiction include:
· Inability to stop oneself from drinking too much.
· Drinking at inappropriate times such as first thing in the morning.
· Family conflicts surrounding the amount of drinking.
· Friends expressing concern about one's drinking habits.
· Not being able to do one's job or coming to work with a hangover.
· Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, headaches, insomnia, anxiety and irritability. In extreme cases, withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening and medical attention should be sought.
Confronting a fellow military member with a suspected drinking problem or reporting a concern about someone to leadership can be an uncomfortable situation. Bridges acknowledges that some people feel badly about speaking up, but worrying about feeling bad should not outweigh the cost of what could happen if nothing was said.
"I've seen this disorder go down the rabbit hole so far," said Bridges. "If someone had just said something when it was a mild case, that person would not be either in a DUI situation, or where the commander referred them to [ADAPT] or where they may have hurt somebody in a car accident."
In 2015, JBLE had 105 reported alcohol-related incidences, including 45 DUIs from Fort Eustis personnel and 19 DUIs from Langley Air Force Base personnel.
For those who are going to drink on or off base, Senior Master Sergeant Trenton Chambers, First Sergeant assigned to the 1st Maintenance Squadron, recommends having a plan, and even a backup plan. As for underage Airmen, "I don't mince facts," he said. "It's not legal, you can't do it. Don't do it. If you know you're not of age and do it anyway, consequences will follow."
Chambers says he knows Airmen may be reluctant to self-identify if they have a problem, which is why he wants first sergeants to be viewed as an asset to help Airmen in a time of need and get them the resources needed to help themselves.
Bridges also stressed the importance of Airmen self-identifying, and not being afraid of the stigma attached to ADAPT.
"Many people view ADAPT as a scary entity," admitted Bridges. "We're not here to be an imposition on people's lives. We're here to make sure they have a life to live."
For more information about alcohol abuse or to seek treatment, contact the Langley Air Force Base ADAPT office at 764-6840 or the Fort Eustis Behavioral Health Clinic at 314-7558.