Beyond Zero Tolerance
Abstract
Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq's borders have been opened to heroin and hash smugglers from Afghanistan and Iran, providing a cheap market for troops. With brothers and sisters in arms being killed or wounded on a daily basis, service men and women have compromised their integrity and character by embracing drugs to deal with stress instead of embracing their core military values. Those service members found in possession of or using illegal substances are jailed, demoted, or discharged from the service. Although the Department of Defense has made significant progress with its "zero tolerance" policy on drugs, the current policy is still too weak for the U.S. Armed Forces. The policy allows commanders to keep convicted drug offenders in the military to complete the time remaining on their contract. The service member can even be discharged under honorable conditions, which degrades military core values and undermines the good order and discipline of the U.S. Armed Services. In conclusion, the Department of Defense must implement a new policy stating that all service members convicted of drug abuse must be discharged immediately from the military with a bad conduct discharge. This action will foster good order and discipline and core military values.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA517503
Entities
People
- C. C. Mcdonald Ii
Organizations
- Marine Corps University