Challenges and Potential Solutions When Contracting Alcohol Research in Military Settings

Issue: Military personnel have high rates of excessive alcohol use. We received funding from the Department of Defense (DoD) to adapt an alcohol management training program for on-premise alcohol establishments that cater to Military personnel. We conducted an assessment around two Army Posts to characterize these establishments. We faced many challenges attempting to interview members of the Posts and surrounding communities. Description: We assembled a Military Advisory Board to help us navigate through Military protocol. The DoD also assigned a Science Officer to assist us. We still faced incredible barriers to get access to leaders on the Posts, resulting in a 3-month delay in our timeline. We had to create our own leads (e.g., we made 15 contacts to gain access to one person on one Post). We also faced challenges identifying and contacting community leaders willing to participate in an interview (e.g., we contacted 71 people to complete 7 community interviews). Many felt they did not have enough knowledge about drinking among Military personnel.  Lessons Learned: Work on gaining permission to access Posts immediately after funding. Recruit assertively with both Military and community leaders, making repeated telephone calls, establishing rapport with gatekeepers, and using all possible contacts to identify and help reach new potential participants. Be persistent—eventually you can build momentum and begin to collect the necessary data. Recommendations: Researchers focusing on Military issues need to learn the complex Military culture. Military funders need to better guide the recruitment process, helping to save money and bring about swifter results.