Get the edge legally

[thedrifter]

Get the edge legally
Submitted by: Marine Corps Air Station New River
Story Identification Number: 2004226153716
Story by Lance Cpl. Steven Sawyer



MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C.(February 26, 2004) -- What would you do to win?

Some questions don?t have easy answers. It?s simple to say that you would do anything, or that you?d never do anything that wasn?t considered right, but in the end, it is this very same test of conviction which draws so much controversy in all public competitions.

It?s called the ?edge.? That something extra, whether tangible or not, that allows you to overcome the opposition.

Because of the nature of the Marine Corps, physical fitness is important. It helps maintain readiness, boosts morale, and can also be the defining reason behind being selected or passed over for promotion. So it?s only natural that Marines, who are taught to be the best in all situations, seek that ?edge.?

Though some Marines use supplements to help increase their Physical Fitness Test scores, many do not know that these same products cannot only be dangerous, but also illegal.

?If there?s any doubt or any question that a supplement is illegal, ask,? said Staff Sgt. William H. Wallace, the substance abuse control officer for the station Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and a native of Fort Hood, Texas.

The use of steroids and other illegal enhancers can result in immediate discharge from the Marine Corps, said Wallace.

However, with so many distributors claiming to produce ?legal? enhancers, many are still tempted to take the risks.

According to Wallace, a number of producers are redesigning previously banned steroids in order to sell them as a different and ?legal? product. However, the chemicals that show up on urinalysis tests and cause failures aren?t always removed.

Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Henderson, an administrative clerk at the Installation Personnel Administrative Center here, recently looked into ?legal? enhancers.

?I was looking for something to give a quick edge in PT,? said Henderson, who has tried various supplements before but wanted more results.

?I did all the research because I was preparing to put this stuff in my body,? said Henderson.

In this process, Henderson came upon several companies advertising exactly what he was looking for, a legal way to make noticeable gains.

?Advertising isn?t always accurate,? said Wallace. ?I wouldn?t recommend (Marines) buy supplements from magazines.?

?You need to examine the label, know what?s in there, and research the products,? said Wallace.

Even then the terminology can be so confusing that many are still fooled.

?Before (Marines) buy something over the counter, they need to seek advice from their unit SACO,? said Wallace.

?You have to make sure it?s okay with your command,? said Henderson. ?Ignorance isn?t an excuse.?

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2...89?opendocument


Sempers,

Roger