Impacts of Control and Stress on U.S. Army Veterans: The role of alcohol and tobacco as coping mechanisms

"There are multiple stressors associated with military service to which service membersmay be exposed throughout their contract. Although many people associate military substanceuse with life-altering events (i.e., separation from family members during deployments orwitnessing the death of a fellow soldier), I hypothesize there are structural factors of the Armythat incentivize maladaptive coping mechanisms and allow a persistent culture of acceptancearound substance use. This study aims to identify specific characteristics of the U.S. Army, ifany, that may influence tobacco and alcohol use; it also may determine whether or not tobacco oralcohol use decreases after participants retire from military service. Participants for this researchstudy are U.S. Army veterans who completed all necessary training to receive orders to apermanent duty station and whose contracts ended within the past six years. Using the snowballmethod of recruitment, 10 former soldiers were interviewed with open-ended questions abouttheir experiences while serving and their transition to civilian life. The most commonly reportedfactors contributing to alcohol use included an environment that perpetuated party culture,abuses of power by leadership, and a sense of loss over an individual’s autonomy. Due to theunique structure of the Army’s workplace, tobacco was used as a form of escape; the communalnature of the activity influenced its continued use. There was a substantial decrease in tobaccouse post-retirement, but alcohol use remained around the same level whether the participant wasserving or not. Many participants noted that while they still felt the impulse to drink, it was forsocial and stress-relief purposes rather than a maladaptive coping mechanism. The results of thisstudy highlight critical areas of research in the fields of military and substance use sociology.Alcohol and tobacco use have been a part of the Army since its inception; even mealsgiven in the field used to include a cigarette and matches. Founded alongside the United States,the U.S. Army is steeped in tradition and its unique qualities often sequester it from public view.Though the military has sprouted new branches as technological advancement has occurred, eachbranch has retained individual cultures and customs that distinguish it from the others. Whilethere are differences between the branches, the emphasis on rank, superiority, and uniformity is acommon experience of each service member. Orders given by a superior officer are to befollowed unquestionably, unless the order is illegal, immoral, or unethical, referred to as a(UCMJ, n.d.). Soldiers are obligated to abide by an extensive legal code; the Uniformed Code ofMilitary Justice governs serious criminal offenses, as well as minor grooming code infractions.Although hierarchical systems are critical when under fire from an enemy combatant, theextensive rigidity suppresses personal choice, creating an urge to seek control in other areas oflife, and the emphasis on a strict power hierarchy creates a breeding ground for power misuseand loss of personal autonomy. The research presented in this paper examines how soldiersutilized substances in their time-in service as impacted by a loss of personal autonomy,workplace stress, and attitudes towards substance use.