Normative Behavioral and Psychiatric Effects of Alcohol Abuse in Military Special Forces

Abstract

A Normative Behavioral and Psychiatric method makes use of focus group surveys and individual interviews rather than simplistic analyses of variance that soon becomes outdated. This paper makes use of normative behavioral and psychiatric to analyze the effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse on the operational-readiness of Special Force (SF) units in Southeast Asia. Many such abuses occur during airborne, ranger and other specialized skills’ training. These specialized skills include Military Free Fall (MFF) courses; parachute Jumpmaster courses; Pathfinder courses and demolition courses. The paper also explains why there is a virtual absence of women in Military Special Forces (SF). The paper concludes with the prospects for the deployment and development of Military Special Forces (SF) in America, Southeast Asia and around the world. The main focus of this paper is on the behavioral and psychiatric effects of alcohol consumption among military personnel with special reference to Special Force units in Southeast Asia. There are several factors involved in alcohol abuse in the military. One of the enablers of alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse in the Special Forces (SF) is ease of access. The other factors include discounted alcohol; peer-pressure; hypermasculinity and hero-worship; and, the system of rewards.