why is substance abuse very high in the military

research paper the research topic is why is substance abuse very high in the military

Gerardo Higuera

ENG102

Rebecca Paxton

July 6, 2020

What is your main idea/ topic?

Why can someone who is seventeen join the United States military and fight wars overseas but is not allowed to buy nicotine products until they are twenty-one?

Is there a major place or time in the topic that will help narrow the scope of your question?

The major time and place would be in the United States in late 2019 when the new bill was signed raising the legal age to buy nicotine to twenty-one.

Is your research question debatable?

My research question can be debated on whether the age should be lowered back to eighteen or stay at twenty-one, or whether military should be an exception to policy.

Is your research question plausible?

I believe my research topic is reasonable, because men and women are willing to sacrifice a part of their life at the age of seventeen. If they are old enough to make that sacrifice, they should be old enough to make the decision to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Is your research question consequential?

I think that my question is important to a soldier that are actively serving more than to civilians. With the current change of legal age in 2019, I believe this topic is relevant because the age a soldier was able to join the military has not changed in a long time and neither has their habits.

Annotated Bibliography

Gerardo Higuera

ENG102

Rebecca Paxton

July 10, 2020

Sources

“Focus groups with junior enlisted personnel revealed that they believed that even though the military has placed bans on tobacco, smoking was still very convenient and was even encouraged through smoking breaks, designated smoking areas and cheap tobacco products sold at military installations. Smoking was also seen to deal with stress and boredom and avoid weight gain.”

Tobacco use in the military. (2018, June). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/targeted-communities/tobacco-use-military

1. This study shows that the restrictions on tobacco products did not have many effects on soldiers that smoked. It also mentions that stress and anxiety can be dealt with smoking and that smoking is encouraged. Truth Initiative is a public health organization that has been around for twenty years. They focus on scientific research and public education of uses of tobacco. The most important thing to focus on from this source is that soldiers use smoking to deal with stress, boredom, and weight gain. This source can help me analyze how the problem is within the military itself and how we are looking for solutions in the wrong place.

“In order to maximize the benefit of tobacco control policies in the military, it is important that they send strong and consistent messages to service members and, if possible, provide comprehensive guidance at the highest level possible. This would improve the likelihood that commanders are clear about the negative impacts of tobacco on their personnel and provide them guidance on how to best approach tobacco control efforts”

Jahnke, S., Hoffman, K., Haddock, C., Long, M., Williams, L., Lando, H., & Poston, W. (2011, December). Military tobacco policies: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3282985/

2. This article focuses on different methods and practices on how to limit and control smoking among military members. Also, it focuses on making commanders and leadership aware of how smoking affects their soldiers and ho they can provide guidance towards helping them quit or at least know the impact smoking can have on them. The author, Jon P. Nelson, is a professor of economics at Pennsylvania State University. His expertise focus on methods of how a larger entity can impact things around them, like a commander and his soldier. This resource can help a writer develop key points on how resources provided by leadership either work or do not work.

“Leaders have a duty to correct any violation of a standard. When they don’t, they have just created a new standard. Soldiers look to their leaders to set the example. Leaders do the right thing. Uphold and enforce all standards in and outside the workplace.”

Harrison, C. (2010, December 10). Smokeless tobacco not permitted in workplace. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://www.army.mil/article/49281/smokeless_tobacco_not_permitted_in_workplace

3. This article depicts how the leadership can change the habits of their junior enlisted soldiers by enforcing regulations and upholding standards. It provides guidance and advice for leadership as well. The author, Sergeant First Class Casandra Harrison, is a soldier herself. One of her duties as assistant Inspector General is to know where violations of standards begin to emerge and how she can mitigate them in the future. This article can help writers provide an analysis on where soldiers are lacking the discipline they need to quit smoking and where they are encouraged to smoke.

“Violation of Army policies subjects’ military personnel to a variety of possible administrative or disciplinary actions and it subjects civilian personnel to possible disciplinary actions. Repeat violations may result in the removal of personnel from activities or barring them from activities’ MWR facilities and youth activity centers or installations.”

63. (2015, April 14). Army Health Promotion. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/r2/policydocs/r600_63.pdf
64. This source is an Army regulation that describes some of the consequences and disciplinary actions a soldier might receive if they violate the regulation. The author of these regulations is the Department of Defense. They create guidelines for soldiers to follow and punishments they may be given if violations occur. This regulation can be used as an example to why the military should focus more on providing resources instead of producing rules and restrictions.

“Military members also noted that they had to work under a number of restrictions in theater, particularly in the recent conflict where most were operating in an environment that discourages activities such as alcohol use. Others also noted that in an operational environment, access to things that might serve as alternatives to smoking, such as gyms and movie theaters, were not available or limited in availability.”

Poston, W., Taylor, J., Hoffman, K., Peterson, A., Lando, H., Shelton, S., & Haddock, C. (2008, May 01). Smoking and Deployment: Perspectives of Junior-Enlisted U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army Personnel and Their Supervisors. Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/173/5/441/4557707

5. This article studied causes and enticements of smoking from active duty soldiers and deployed soldiers. It mentions how unavailable recreational activities leads to substances such as smoke to cope with stress or boredom. Walker Poston is an author who conducts studies and publishes articles about health issues of people in hazardous work environments like firefighters or military personnel. This source can develop points on how the military life overseas lacks the resources to deal with stress for overseas soldiers and how even though substances like tobacco are scarce, they end up being the most obtainable and available no matter the location.

“Tobacco use costs the Department of Defense an estimated $1.6 billion every year in medical costs and lost work time, and those costs are expected to climb to $19 billion during the next 10 years.”

Staff, R. (2017, December 08). Tobacco 21 and the Military-Old Enough to Fight but Not Old Enough to Smoke? Retrieved July 11, 2020, from https://www.rmff.org/tobacco-21-military/

6. This article provides information on the current yearly and future costs of tobacco use to the Department of Defense. This article helps the writer develop points to encourage both the user and the Department of Defense to prioritize spending. Smokers can be encouraged to save money for the future and live healthier lives and the DOD should focus on spending money on resources and solutions rather than continue to overlook issues that may change the way people look at the military and keep wasting money on methods already proven useless.

“Possession and consumption of beer, wine, and/or ale is permitted within the Barracks ONLY FOR PERSONNEL 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. Opened containers must be consumed within the Barracks. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in all duty rooms and indoor public areas, including lounges, gym, and corridors.” or “Possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverage other than beer, wine or ale is PROHIBITED. Storage is limited to two (2) six-packs of beer or ale, and/or 1 bottle of wine per occupant, per room.”

CITATION

7.This source is an Army regulation of the rules and restriction a soldier must follow when consuming or in the possession of alcohol. It is a clear and detailed message that is intended to be followed by all ranks living in military barracks. The author of these regulations is the Department of Defense. They create guidelines for soldiers to follow and punishments they may be given if violations occur. This Army regulation can help writers argue between how this clear message should be easily understandable and upheld amongst peers and subordinates or that in a way it tests the ability of what some consider reasonable standards.