Extra Days Off Promised for Alaska Units That Can Avoid Getting in Trouble with Booze and Drugs

Senior Military leaders in Alaska are promising extra break day for his or her troopers in the event that they cease failing drug checks and do not get caught consuming and driving.

Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commander of the eleventh Airborne Division, issued a set of insurance policies in an Aug. 11 memo outlining that any firm, troop or battery below his command will earn a time off if that entire formation stays DUI- and drug-free for 90 days.

Commanders throughout the power this yr have been eyeing new methods to spice up troopers’ high quality of life, with extra break day a key goal. Army bases in Alaska are a number of the most distant installations within the Pentagon’s portfolio and have lengthy grappled with psychological well being and suicide issues plaguing the rank and file.

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Fort Wainwright, the place a lot of the eleventh Airborne is stationed, can see temperatures fall as little as negative-55 levels fahrenheit within the winter. Troopers might be remoted from their households because of time zone variations, and the lengthy distance from a lot of the continental U.S. makes journey residence tough and costly. Final yr, commanders took steps to restrict the sale of alcohol, ceasing on-post gross sales after 10 p.m.

Commanders in Alaska have lobbied to carry extra psychological well being professionals to their bases, amid lengthy wait instances only for preliminary appointments. However recruiting well being suppliers to maneuver to Alaska has been a problem. Models have additionally applied extra applications that goal to spice up morale and fight psychological well being issues, reminiscent of free or sponsored out of doors actions together with climbing, looking and snowboarding, in addition to jiujitsu.

The companies have lengthy suffered from substance-abuse points, significantly alcohol.

“Extreme alcohol use, particularly binge and heavy consuming, represents a severe risk to power readiness throughout the Division of Protection,” in keeping with a research from Sage Journals, printed in February. “Although these behaviors are a matter of particular person service member alternative, they’re influenced by perceptions of the tradition of alcohol use within the navy.”

The brand new coverage additionally says that if a battalion stays DUI- and drug-free for 90 days, your entire formation will likely be granted a four-day weekend. If a complete brigade manages it, troops will get both a four-day weekend or two, three-day weekends. To qualify, these formations should be drug testing not less than 10% of their troops every month.

Alaska and different formations throughout the Military additionally applied insurance policies for particular person troopers to earn further depart, by having them obtain duties reminiscent of graduating Ranger Faculty or visiting a glacier. Service leaders are additionally trying into lifting alcohol restrictions in barracks, although these guidelines are not often adopted anyway. The change, which might permit troopers to maintain a bigger provide of alcohol of their rooms, is geared toward preserving them from going out for added booze whereas they’re drunk, probably resulting in DUIs.

— Steve Beynon might be reached at Steve.Beynon@navy.com. Observe him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

The Newest Military Life Perk: Extra Time Off

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