If one is asked how many drinks one consumes in a given week, is there a certain number above which triggers alarm/concern for investigators?
In the military, more than 3 drinks at a time is considered binge drinking. This number is defined as 5 or more at one sitting for men, and 4 for women according to https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/active-duty-military-personnel-alcoholism/. I am not sure why there is a discrepancy, but those are numbers to be aware of.
Yes but if a person had three drinks a day every day for a week, that would be 21 and I think that might raise some red flags.
@Marko posted a report from DOHA from someone who had several DUI’s and admitted to consuming an average of 28 drinks per week (which I suspect was extrapolated from four drinks a day). I suspect the thing that really caught their attention was the DUIs but the individual did not participate in alcohol abuse counseling as directed and was denied a clearance.
I have no idea if there are any red lines but if you said you had two drinks a day every day (meaning 14 drinks a week) that would probably lead to additional questions at a minimum. But that is just me talking, just some squirrel speak.
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The concern is if drinking excessively are you running your mouth? Drinking at work? Doing things you do not want revealed? Personally knew of a much older than me at the time Vietnam vet who was a GS13. Expert at his job, closing in on 67 years old. Clearly a very hard drinker. Daily getting a fifth. Questioned by several concerned directors…he was quite savvy. It did not effect his work, no DUI’S, no criminal law broken…drank alone. He would ask who’s business it was if work was not affected? We all wanted to help him…but help what? He bothered nobody, was a good guy…excellent worker. Exception to the norm I suppose. He lived a good 5 years past retirement. His way. Kept clearance to last day of work.
Investigators should never get alarmed at any response. We don’t decide on how many legal alcoholic drinks each day is an “acceptable” number. Thankfully someone else gets to decide that.
It would be pretty hard to shock me. My reports normally reflect what the Subject considers normal (i know most fib) but… and I’ve had MANY of these… they tell me they consume a 1/5 of whiskey (case of beer, etc) every night for the last 20 years in the military, haven’t been intoxicated in decades, define intoxicated as feeling light headed, and also claims they have no problem with alcohol… and the reason you are talking to them in the first place is because they got in trouble with civilian law enforcement for irrational behavior – i think the adjudicator can figure that one out. Sadly - this is what some think is normal consumption.
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