ANAHEIM, CA - During its annual conference held here May 30 to June 1, the National Guard's substance abuse prevention community met with some of the nation's leading prevention experts, doctors and policy makers from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Army Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (ACSAP), Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).
Through stronger partnerships and leadership, the National Guard Substance Abuse Prevention Program is implementing a new Department of Defense initiative: Prevention, Treatment, and Outreach (PT&O). While currently testing the program in 12 pilot states, the National Guard is amplifying its prevention efforts in a post 9/11 military.
Substance abuse adversely affects performance on the job and can put servicemembers at risk as well as cost millions of dollars worth of taxpayers dollars spent on equipment and resources. Simply put, it negatively impacts military readiness and discipline, said a senior National Guard leader.
"In an effort to increase military discipline, individual performance, and combat readiness, we are providing prevention training, outreach to military families, and treatment resources to our military members," said Army Guard Lt. Col. Johnny Boatman, program chief, National Guard Bureau J3 Counterdrug Substance Abuse Prevention Program.
The initiative began this fiscal year in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oregon, Virginia, and West Virginia. Fourteen additional states were chosen for fiscal year 2008, and as funding becomes available, all 54 programs implement PT&O.
The National Guard continues to operate well within the Department of Defense's goals of less than two percent positive rate. However, testing more personnel may logically yield more positive results. The most updated policy from the assistant secretary of defense drug demand reduction policy in 2003 directs testing for 100 percent of all services and components. Due to limited funding and resources, the National Guard tests less, but largely has continued to increase its numbers as they strive for annual incremental testing to reach that full 100 percent rate.
"In fiscal year 2006, the National Guard tested 55 percent of the Army National Guard and 47 percent of the Air National Guard," said Air Guard Tech. Sgt. Cindy Marlow, substance abuse program manager-West, National Guard Bureau J3 Counterdrug Substance Abuse Prevention Program. "Pre-medical review officer data shows that 1.88 percent in the Army Guard and .47 percent in the Air Guard tested positive."
With funding through the Office of the Secretary of Defense directed at the PT&O Program for the first time ever, the National Guard ought to meet Department of Defense's goal in the coming years as well as their own objectives.
"PT&O Programs will work to establish a culture of responsible choices compatible with the National Guard's core values through scientifically based adult education programs," said Boatman.
To augment the resources the National Guard doesn't have, the Substance Abuse Prevention working group is in service with external and internal partners such as SAMHSA, CADCA, the National Guard Family Readiness Program and many others. Those partnerships and others have established reintegration assistance available for servicemembers returning from deployment and their families that is unparalleled in previous conflicts.
"These resources will help prevent and minimize post traumatic stress and related issues," said Army Guard Master Sgt. Ervin Steinly, substance abuse program manager-East, National Guard Bureau J3 Counterdrug Substance Abuse Prevention Program. "Moreover, PT&O will provide ongoing capacity building for Guardsmen and their families, and enhance retention."
"There's a transition for our troops from combat duty to non-combat duty to civilian life," said Dr. Wesley Clark, director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. "The entire community plays a role in that reintegration."
That's why the National Guard is partnering with experts across the field, and why senior Department of Defense leaders in charge of funding the $11.7 million National Guard Substance Abuse Program are pleased with the results of their unified effort.
"In the field of demand reduction, I have seen the National Guard Bureau demonstrate dramatic improvement by bridging out and engaging other components," said Army Col. Ronald Shippee, Department of Defense director, Drug Testing and Program Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. The National Guard is where I am getting the best payback for our investment."
"We're simply actively engaging services that can help us make a difference," said Boatman. "We would do our nation a great injustice if we didn't take care of own."