Background

Alcohol consumption among members of the military, particularly navies, has a long history, including tolerance of heavy drinking and the existing of a heavy drinking culture and drinking rituals. During the past 30 years, the U.S. military has adopted policies to discourage substance abuse, including deterrence, prevention and treatment. These policies have been effective in lowering rates of illicit drug use. In fact, only about 7% of active duty service members reported drug use in the past 12 months in 2002 as compared to almost 37% in 1980. During this same time period, however, reports of heavy alcohol use have remained at about 20%. These unchanged rates indicate that the military’s policies and education programs regarding alcohol have not been as successful as those regarding other drugs.

 

The Current Study

This report is based on a five-year study designed to gain understanding of the influence of the military workplace and social life on drinking beliefs, behaviors, and problems among personnel who have made the Navy a career and served at least seven years. The study uses anthropological methods including ethnographic observations and interviews that focus on policies, rules, procedures, stress factors, traditions and rituals. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 81 personnel, including officers and enlisted personnel as well as knowledgeable individuals such as alcohol counselors and chaplains. Observations were conducted in work, recreational, dining, and sleeping areas on board Navy vessels and in port.

A particular focus of the study is environmental and cultural characteristics of “liberty” during deployment. Liberty (or shore leave) occurs when Navy personnel are at sea and away from home base and families for as much as three to nine months. While aboard ship, no alcohol consumption is permitted (with very rare ceremonial exceptions after being at sea for 45 days or more). Periodically, the vessel docks at a foreign port for periods of rest and relaxation. During liberty, alcohol restrictions are lifted while ashore.

For the survey, questionnaires were mailed to a sample of personnel. Nearly 3,000 were returned, for a response rate of almost 62%. The survey included information on personal characteristics, occupational factors (such as policy, work problems, and work related stress) and beliefs about how alcohol use is perceived by their immediate supervisor, closest friend at work, other friends at work, and other co-workers.

 

Study Findings

Interviews, observations, and survey responses confirm that the nature of Navy life, especially while at sea, is particularly stressful. Personnel work long hours under sometimes dangerous circumstances. They are subject to physical discomfort, crowded quarters, and a lack of privacy. Especially on submarines, the crew members may rarely see the light of day. Personnel spend long periods away from families. Perhaps it is not surprising that traditions of heavy drinking develop around deployment liberties when crew members are at last given an opportunity to blow off steam when the ship docks in foreign ports. By their own admission, officers and sailors alike view liberty in foreign ports as a "tropical vacation " wherein responsibilities for or contact with wives, children and parents are non existence as is the risk of legal consequences for alcohol-related behavior, (for example, impaired driving arrests). All of these cultural characteristics are deeply rooted in Navy work culture.

Analysis of the data showed that role modeling and peer influence were other factors influencing heavy and binge drinking. Navy personnel’s perceptions of attitudes and beliefs of their friends, coworkers and superiors had an impact on how they deal with occupational stresses and their drinking behavior. Often, respondents received confusing messages about drinking: On the one hand, they knew they could be punished for heavy drinking based on official Navy policies. On the other hand, however, these heavy drinking traditions persist throughout the Navy. This perceived ambivalence in alcohol policy as well as work problems, job stress, and length of deployment all seemed to contribute to heavy drinking.

Among current drinkers in the survey sample, nearly twice as many men than women (28.2% vs. 15.1%) would be defined as having abused alcohol in the past 12 months. These rates are much higher than for comparable groups in the general population. Surprisingly, although women were less likely to be defined as alcohol abusers, they were just as likely to have drunk heavily during their most recent liberty (37.3% vs. 42.8%). Thus, the stresses of life in the Navy and its drinking culture seem to take a toll on both men and women and result in heavy and risky drinking.

 

Conclusions

The findings of this study provide some explanation for why efforts by the Navy to reduce heavy drinking have not had an impact on overall alcohol consumption and abuse. Personnel perceive conflicting messages about alcohol use. In addition, the stressful and isolating conditions that are part of Navy life contribute to heavy drinking.

 

The Take-Home Message

Despite efforts to deglamorize alcohol use and prevent heavy drinking and abuse, cultural and work environment factors persist in the Navy that encourage heavy drinking. Broad policy and environmental changes that take these factors into account may be needed in order to prevent heavy drinking and its hazardous consequences.

 

Reference

Military Culture and Drinking Behavior Among U.S. Navy Careerists Genevieve M. Ames, Ph.D., Carol B. Cunradi, M.P.H., Ph.D., Roland S. Moore, Ph.D., And Pamela Stern, Ph.D. Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs / May 2007, pp. 336-344 , 67(6), 934-938.

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