Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Physicals/Tests for Military Bands


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Posted by Wade on November 25, 2003 at 15:22:35:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Physicals/Tests for Military Bands posted by History.. on November 24, 2003 at 12:08:47:

I agree.

My father was in the 1st Marines and went over to Viet Nam in May of 1965. I believe that he was in the second large batch that we sent over (the first having been sent two months prior).

He was based out of Chu Lai, and told me that most of his interactions and experiences were with enlistees, many of whom where careerists in the Corps.

He told me that the movie Platoon was nowhere near his experience, but that many of the kids of 1968 - 1971 that were drafted and sent over were drug users. Up to that time, drug use had never been a real problem in the military, at least not as bad as alcohol abuse or chronic indebtedness. So all of those protesting, dope-smoking hippies became recalcitrant, dope-smoking soldiers.

My father also told me that the Viet Nam he knew had no wild fields of marijuana growing unattended. He said that the scuttlebutt on that was that the Viet Cong figured out the extent of the drug use of many of our forces over there and planted tons of pot near US positions so that our boys could "find" it. It was a very clever way to create further dissension within our ranks.

From that point on, drugs were common in the military until Reagan became Commander in Chief in 1981 and instituted random drug testing within the ranks, and mandatory testing of all enlistees.

Carter had done away with conscription, and due to the strong anti-military sentiment in the country at the time (the war had just ended before he came to power) the size and readiness of our forces became a concern. Add in the drug use and a botched hostage rescue attempt in Iran, and you have a door that is wide open for the reforms of Reagan.

I smoked a bit prior to enlisting, then after getting out I did it a LOT my last two years in college. I quit when I won my audition. I had no problems with the drug testing when I was in the Army, and saw it as very necessary, especially when dealing with loaded weapons, which all Marine and Army Bandsmen must do to one degree of regularity or another (save for the folks in the DC units).

If this poster thinks that he wants to play in a military band, then he should start trying to live the military lifestyle. Eating right and exercising make you feel good after a while. Admittedly, they make you feel like hell when you first start. Limiting your intake of alcohol and removing the drugs from your life are good too. But you also need to consider that patterns of behavior stem from our environment; some new friends might be in order as well. I am not saying to ditch the old ones, but to cultivate new ones that live the goals that you are trying to achieve. There is nothing better than friends that keep you out of trouble rather that those that get you into it.

Wade "home sick today with too much time to prattle on about nothing" Rackley


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