Troops on Drugs?

[BLUEHAWK]

:cl: :ek: :cd:

Early in the current war in Iraq we saw a couple of reports about what an officer in the field was calling "GO" and "NO GO" drugs that our military (infantry and artillery and their support folks I guess) were either being given or offered to help them cope with erratic battle conditions... sleep deprivation, hunger, exhaustion etc.

Presumably we're talking about stimulants and sedatives, in a daily dose cycle of some kind.

Anybody know what specific pills were being prescribed, for how long, at what dosage, or anything else about this topic?

If we're gonna have a "War on Drugs" at home and abroad, seems kinda odd that we'd be openly dosing our soldiers basically for the same reasons illegal drugs are used privately.

[Andy]

The war on drugs is a ?war? on recreational drugs. Sometime pills are needed in and out of the hospital.

During and after Tet of ?68 our company was offered (not forced) to take speed, so as to stay awake. We didn?t get them everyday but if things were hot at 8 AM and were still hot at mid-night, with no expectation that things would cool down, they seemed like an excellent option.

After getting hurt a second time I went back to the field with a jug of 100 darvon 66 and a few seconal (sp on the names of both drugs). They were pain killers and they really helped. Sometimes it can be difficult to focus while in pain.

I don?t know what troops are being given today however if there is a need I see nothing wrong with it. Just so long as these pills are not given over the long term. By the way, speed was invented by the Germans and were given to their pilots so they could fly more missions especially during the early stages of WWII. On the whole, it seemed to work.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[BLUEHAWK]

Andy -
I know what you are saying, about the difference between drug uses, of course... my comment about the Drug War was somewhat tongue in cheek, although recreational users use drugs (at least in the beginning) essentially for reasons similar with why a soldier would want to use them legally; i.e. to stay awake and alert longer (which also includes feeling more self-assured), or going to sleep and stopping pain of various kinds. So much was made of Elvis using prescribed uppers in the morning and downers all day, or something like that in combination... and I know ordinary people sometimes end up in a similar situation privately, though to a far lesser degree in older age, or when in pain. So, part of the reason for me wondering about this question has to do with our people getting on a cycle of artificial ups and downs, which eventually ruins the health and sanity. GO - no go - GO - no go - GO - no go - GO - no go... and then what might happen if one were to come under attack after taking the NO GO pill, sort of like Alice in Wonderland.

I don't see anything wrong with troops using the drugs either, frankly. I just wonder what specific drugs they were, or maybe still are, being given or offered... thats all. Just curiousity...