Differences in self-reported episodic drinking and feeling drunk in the u.s. military

Purpose: Alcohol use in the Armed Forces is a major topic of interest to health professionals and military leadership. The aims of this study are 1) to examine differences between the number of drinks military personnel reported they needed to feel drunk in the past year and the largest number of drinks they reported consuming on one occasion in the past 30 days; and 2) to explore factors associated with different patterns of self-reported alcohol use. Differences are examined in regard to current age, age at first use, alcohol use facilitators (e.g., to celebrate, to forget problems) and deterrents (e.g., upset family or friends, negatively affect career). Methods: This study utilizes data from the 2011 Health Related Behaviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel. The sample (n=39,877) was stratified to ensure representativeness by service, gender, and paygrade, and the survey was conducted online. Results: Over 30% of all active duty service members drank more than the number of drinks they reported needing to feel drunk, and 43% drank the same number of drinks they reported needing to feel drunk. Of the underage personnel who reported drinking, almost 72% reported drinking enough to feel drunk on one occasion in the past month; they also reported several facilitators (e.g., like to drink) as “very important” almost twice as often as those who drank the same number or fewer drinks to feel drunk. Conclusion: Results inform prevention and treatment strategies by identifying motivators of drinking behavior for individuals who regularly consume alcohol.