Drinking Responsibly: Alcohol-Related Injuries and How to Prevent Them

The Uniform Code of Military Justice and other applicable laws compel servicemembers to engage in safe, legal, and responsible behavior if participating in drinking alcohol. The consumption of alcohol is inherently risky, so it is essential to make a plan, encourage accountability, and eliminate risks.

Negative alcohol-related incidents can include, but are not limited to, accidents, harm to self or others, career damage, health concerns, and even death. When studying the U.S. Army, Herberman Mash et al. (2016) found that “Drinking to avoid rejection/‘fit in’ is associated with suicidality above overall alcohol consumption.” In a study published by Military Medicine, veterans returning from OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OEF/OIF) participated in a study to determine the relationships among alcohol-related consequences, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and quality of life. The study by Angkaw et al. (2015) found that alcohol-related consequences were significantly associated with increased negative factors for mental health, quality of life, and PTSD. In another study by Ashley et al. (2019), participant survivors of sexual assault reported alcohol use as being the top-tier risk factor in military sexual assault victimization. Schumm and Chard (2012) recommend integrated treatments that consider the common co-occurrence of alcohol misuse, military trauma, and post-traumatic psychiatric disorders.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that more than one-half of American adults drink, with seventeen percent binge drinking and six percent drinking heavily. CDC defines binge drinking as having four or more drinks (women) or five or more drinks (men) on an occasion, and heavy drinking as having eight or more drinks (women) or fifteen or more drinks (men) in a week. Comparatively, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less for women.

Conducting risk-mitigation tasks helps to prevent harm during an inherently risk-associated behavior. Know the risks and make a plan before drinking.

CDC encourages avoiding drinking at all if you:

• Are pregnant or might be pregnant.
• Are younger than twenty-one.
• Have certain medical conditions—like some liver diseases.
• Are taking medications that can interact with alcohol.
• Can’t control the amount you drink.
• Are recovering from alcohol use disorder.

Preparing to drink may also involve planning to eat a meal or snack to avoid drinking on an empty stomach, which can exacerbate the effects of alcohol. Plan ahead and have food options available at the location, or use a meal delivery service or other third-party transportation option to avoid the temptation to drink and drive.

Avoid mixing substances—even legal ones like caffeine. According to CDC, mixing caffeine and alcohol may “make you feel like you have more energy, or you might feel like the alcohol is affecting you less. This could lead you to drink more alcohol and become more impaired, which increases your health risks.” Other substances can be even more problematic. CDC recommends never using alcohol when using other drugs (legal, prescription, or otherwise) because the health results can be serious or even deadly.

Additionally, never drink and drive. Always have a designated driver or plan to use a rideshare service, taxi, public transportation, or other third-party transportation services.

Users of alcohol can evaluate their consumption habits using the CDC Check Your Drinking tool at https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/checkyourdrinking/index.html.