GLOBAL-21
Abstract
Nothing is more soothing than the cool relief of porcelain after a good night of celebrating. I am 18, just off liberty in Naples, Italy; lying on the floor of the ships head (restroom) and it feels great. I had one of those legendary nights spent in a non-PC sort of way. Granted, I hadn't sworn off drinking yet, but it was coming before sunrise. Europe was great, I could legally drink under 21, command sanctioned usually. Historically speaking, drinking has always been part of the military, and the Coast Guard is not an exception. But with today's societal beliefs and laws, drinking alcohol has become a career buster. The "way we always did it" is no more. A solution to help fight alcohol related problems in the Coast Guard is the Global-21 initiative. Global-21 prohibits any member under the age of 21 to drink, regardless of the country. In the past, the command had discretion, so if the Cutter (ship) pulled into Mexico you could drink, but in the US, you could not. The complaint against Global-21 is obvious; the Coast Guard cannot set the drinking policy for its members in other countries. The answer for Global-21 is not as obvious, because it involves career choices, U.S. laws, personnel safety, and societal acceptance. We have a responsibility to our Sailors to ensure they don't ruin their careers before getting started.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 2005
- Accession Number
- AD1112416
Entities
People
- Richard Wiles
- Tommy Wong
Organizations
- United States Army Sergeants Major Academy