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Navy SEALs caught up in drug sweep
By James W. Crawley, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER | SignOnsanDiego | June 19, 2004

U.S. being forced to transfer some units

More than a dozen sailors, including eight SEALs, are being investigated after testing positive for illegal drug use, the Navy confirmed yesterday.

Seven sailors assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Command, including five SEALs, failed drug tests in early May while they were on a training exercise in Thailand.

Other sailors reported seeing the commandos using drugs in Pattaya, a Thai beach resort.

That was enough for Rear Adm. Joseph Maguire, the Naval Special Warfare commander, to order a drug-testing sweep of 3,300 of the 4,600 men and women under his command.

The only people not tested were those deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries and those on leave or on temporary duty.

In the sweep, six more sailors tested positive, including three SEALs, one student and two support personnel.

Some of those who failed the drug tests are assigned to units based at Coronado's Naval Amphibious Base. Others are from units in Little Creek, Va.

The episode is forcing the early replacement of two SEAL platoons overseas by two stateside units and has embarrassed units that have been used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan in the war on terrorism.

"We identified the problem," said Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Bender yesterday. "We investigated the problem, and we'll hold those accountable for their actions."

The investigations are being conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and could result in criminal or administrative action. No charges have been filed.

The Navy has a zero-tolerance drug policy, and sailors caught using drugs usually are discharged. "This is something that's not taken lightly. One is too many," Bender said.

The sweeps come as the Navy is trying to increase its number of SEALs. The war on terrorism has increased the need for special operations forces such as the SEALs, Green Berets and Army Rangers.

Training SEALs is time-consuming and costly. Each two-year training process includes the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL class and advanced weapons and tactics training. It costs several hundred thousand dollars to train each commando.

The SEALs and special warfare crewmen were in Thailand for Cobra Gold, an annual multinational training exercise.

After other sailors reported the possible drug use, 10 sailors were asked to take drug urinalysis tests. Nine volunteered and the 10th was ordered to take the urine test, Bender said.

Seven sailors, five SEALs and two combatant crewmen tested positive. They were flown back to their units in San Diego and Little Creek. Navy law enforcement agents searched barracks and buildings used by the sailors in Guam and Singapore but found no drugs. Their stateside units were not revealed.

The two SEAL platoons, each with 16 commandos, will be replaced this month with two similar units from the United States, Bender said.

No operations or exercises were affected by the suspected drug use or testing, he added.

"This did not affect our readiness," he said, pointing out that only one-fifth of 1 percent of the drug tests were positive. "We have not missed a beat."

Drug use by such forces is worrisome, said defense analyst Ivan Eland, because the small units, often working in hostile territory, require teamwork.

"They are endangering their own lives but also the colleagues in their units," said Eland, senior fellow of The Independent Institute in Oakland.

Last year, 21 special warfare sailors were discharged after failing drug tests. In 2002, positive tests forced out 32 sailors assigned to Naval Special Warfare.

Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations, has called for a 25 percent reduction in drug use this year.

[zombienote: Not one mention of what kind if "druuuuugs" were found in this wave of pee-testing, so we can safely posit that it was the evil herb they were "using". Thai weed at that, it would appear: yum.

The Official Message: It's much safer for such heavily armed soldiers to stick to mass quantities of alcohol.....(not).

And besides, the herb is a peaceful plant - alcohol goes better with all that aggression.]

__________________
Alien Space Signal

There's no money for your issue so long as we're squandering $50 billion a year on the DrugWar. Ben Masel

Fear became the ultimate tool of this government - V.

 

iGame3D

Also the commission report ordered by nixon back in the 70's found that marijuana use had no ill effect on soldiers ability to do their jobs.

You know when you are stoned and some emergency happens, the adrenaline rush and whatever other chemical reactions occur under stress, pretty much blow the high feeling.

I've known a few navy folks who smoked pot just to get out of the Navy, after they saw some things, or were told to do things they were disgusted by.

Hey lets all sign up for Navy Seals, get stoned and blow a few million dollars of the US defense budget. A quiet revolution under their noses.
One that smells sweet too.

Don't feel sorry for the guys who lost their jobs, they can go become a "security contractor" or a well paid hitman now and smoke all the pot they want

JTP

That’s a bunch of Bull$hit. Yup, your whole entire post is wrong.

Pot, as much as I love it would have ill effects upon combat readiness - especially for these guys. But, hey, I wouldn't actually expect you to know what your talking about...

iGame3D

You reveal your true distruptive nature there JTP.

I guess you haven't read High In America, and don't know about the repor, that found no evidence of marijuana having ill effects on soldiers combat readiness or performance, among many other postive findings from across the globe. Nixon dismissed the report he himself commissioned and instead embarked on a "war on drugs". NORML has used that report for decades.

Have you been tracking my life for the past 33 years? No you haven't.
Then you don't know the guys I've met who bailed out of the service by way of consuming cannabis to get themselves out.

Third paragraph was totaly comical. But you know the old saying about "....if you can't take a joke".

Fourth paragraph referencing Blackwater, do you know anything about Blackwater? They are a mercenary/security contracting company.
Remember the four charred and mutilated "contractor" bodies in Iraq a few months ago? Blackwater contractors. They contract ex military, ex law enforcement.

Niteshift

Then you don't know the guys I've met who bailed out of the service by way of consuming cannabis to get themselves out.

I have absolutely no respect for someone that would use pot smoking to get out of a CONTRACT They signed. To me, that makes them a dishonest cheat, not something I'd admire or condone.

Fourth paragraph referencing Blackwater, do you know anything about Blackwater? They are a mercenary/security contracting company.
Remember the four charred and mutilated "contractor" bodies in Iraq a few months ago? Blackwater contractors. They contract ex military, ex law enforcement.

Yeah, I know about Blackwater.......knew about it long before the story in the news. So what? And characterizing them as "mercenaries" is insulting in the context you are using it.


Regarding the actual topic...........they know the rules and they broke them.

In a certain aspect, I'm encouraged. The tendency is to treat "special" people differently. I'm encouraged to see them applying the rules equally. The rules that they ALL VOLUNTARILY AGREED to. The rules they SWORE AN OATH to obey. The rules they SIGNED An OATH to obey.

Sorry, little sympathy for them.

__________________
A burning desire for social justice is never a substitute for knowing what you're talking about. -Thomas Sowell

Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is muzzle flash.

 

Hiz Highness

Yeah, he was just in the Kerry thread calling me ignorant and demanding that I look up other countries economies for him. JTP is a simple being, his MO is to attack the poster, offer no support for a counter argument (if you're even lucky enough to get one from him), and then try to change the subject. I'd advise any serious poster to just ignore him. He's a belligerent troll. There are plenty of thinking conservatives that can articulate their points on this board. Concentrate on making your points to them, and just ignore the troll.

As for the SEALS getting discharged . . . I find it interesting that the chose not to test the ones in Iraq or Afghanistan. If being under the influnce of druuuuuugs is so detrimental to their work, you'd think the ones in combat zones would be the first ones tested.

Am I the only one who is curious as to why those SEALS were exempt?

-HH

smoking_joe_lee

to iGame3D;
Most folks consider Nixon to be either a liar or a crook, or both. Why would you believe his so called study? This is the man tha got the ball rolling on the WOD! As for the navy and zero tollerance, this began in the late '70s following a number of drug related incidents, the most serious being the crash of an EA-6B electronics warfare aircraft attempting to land on an aircraft carrier. The pilot was under the influance of pot. All four on board died. Tragic...
So you want to be a navy seal just to get high and cost the DOD millions...ha! What you need to do FIRST is check out how tough seal training is. Many never make it past the FIRST WEEK! But you go ahead Mr. Game Boy. You will see me watching as you run up and down the beach carrying a utility pole, while soaking wet, freezing cold, deprived of sleep, and much, much, more! To be honest, I doubt if I could last more than a couple of days of seal training.
ps
AS FOR THE Navy saying you can drink all the alcohol you want, well that ain't true. Like most any job, they frown upon the employees showing up for word drunk. In fact, alcohol has been illegal aboard ship for many years. The British navy has rum but that's another story...

Kannibal

I have absolutely no respect for someone that would use pot smoking to get out of a CONTRACT They signed. To me, that makes them a dishonest cheat, not something I'd admire or condone.

I can concur.On the other hand I don't have any respect for a policy made by others that would allow them out of the contract for smoking pot.Especially since the policy is dishonest just like the law.Not something I admire or condone.Just keep throwing away the people's tax dollars and feeding the special grunts ranger candy. So what if they get drunk from time to time, too.It's legal.

__________________
Keep the wall of reality and fantasy high enough not to fall over but low enough to see the other side.

rick

NS - You might be interested to know that I used Cannabis to get out of the U.S. Military in '87. One year before I graduated highschool the military sent in their mantra beaten, brainwashing, recruitment unit to my high school. I was 17 and their cool uniforms sucked me in, im mean, "They WANTED me!".

Fort Benning Georgia was where I was to do my Infintry training. That would have been in the summer of 88. Right at the beginngs of the Gulf War Drama that we have today.

It's amazing how much a guy can grow up in a year. It's also amazining to me that the military would try to indoctrinate children, as that is what I was at the tender age of 17.

I didnt want to go. I changed my mind. I made a bad mistake. I was not military issue.

I told my parents what I was gonna do and why. I had their support. I didnt agree with the US and I did not want to serve in that infintry capacity under any circumstances. My grandfather was a war hero and someone I respected very much, but could not follow.

I smoked SO MUCH POT before they came and picked me up for my final physical. Scared to death, didnt enjoy any of it, but I understood why I was doing it.

Didnt sleep that night. Went with the MP's to the testing facility on Omaha Nebraska, must have been wreaking with pot at this point. Passed all physical/mental elements with no problems. Failed my blood test miserably.

"I had disqualifying amounts of THC in my blood". I was dishornorably discharged prior to enlistment and ordered to stay in active duty committment for 6 years. I was never called up during the gulf crises, thank god, or i'd still be in jail.

The point of all this is that I dont apprecaite being called a dishonest cheat or anything else for a decision I made. It's was the best decision of MY life, sorry if it doesnt meet your criteria, but I am still a good man. A better man, if you ask many.

So, as far as your respect is concerned. Keep it. I get lots of respect from my family and friends. I really dont need an authority figure, or anyone else to let me know what they think of me or my decisions, ever.

None wished for. We made our decisions on our own accord. Send your own children if your so upset that I didnt go.

Kind Regards,
Rick

__________________

Niteshift

The point of all this is that I dont apprecaite being called a dishonest cheat or anything else for a decision I made. It's was the best decision of MY life, sorry if it doesnt meet your criteria, but I am still a good man. A better man, if you ask many.

So, as far as your respect is concerned. Keep it. I get lots of respect from my family and friends. I really dont need an authority figure, or anyone else to let me know what they think of me or my decisions, ever.

Rick, you hadn't actually enlisted. The Army had no real money tied up in you. They hadn't trained you, fed you, clothed and housed you.

You backed out PRIOR to enlistment. That is different. You hadn't signed the oath, nor taken the ACTUAL oath (not the "fake" one they do the first time around). You weren't really subject to the UCMJ at that point.

Actually, truth be told, you didn't have to fail the test. You could have simply refused to take the oath and had the same results.

So you wouldn't fall into the same category to me, but you can still regard my opinion with contempt if you like.

Send your own children if your so upset that I didnt go.

If my son enters into the contract, takes the oath, accepts their pay etc. I'd expect him to honor his end of the bargain.

AS FOR THE Navy saying you can drink all the alcohol you want, well that ain't true. Like most any job, they frown upon the employees showing up for word drunk. In fact, alcohol has been illegal aboard ship for many years.

The Army is no different. You have to abide by the local laws (meaning if you are in the US, you have to be 21). Our random urine tests also tested for alcohol. Our health and welfare inspections included breath testing for people under 21. I've seen soldiers punished for showing up to duty with alcohol on their breath or for having a BAC too high.