"Army won't sack recruits that use cocaine"

[Seags98]

Surely this can't be serious?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.da...amp/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html

 

[Chelonian]

Surely this can't be serious?

I saw something similar splashed across the front page of today's Mail on Sunday in my local Tesco. For the avoidance of any doubt I'd like to make it clear that I did not buy this so-called newspaper.

In answer to your question, the official line from MoD (Army) appears to be that it has not changed its policy regarding Compulsory Drug Tests for serving military personnel.

On the topic of cocaine, don't get me started. I've met quite a few users and without exception every one of them has proclaimed that they can handle it. It's a symptom of the addiction. Inevitably their lives collapse taking careers, families and loved ones with them. Zero sympathy from me.

 

[Seags98]

On the topic of cocaine, don't get me started. I've met quite a few users and without exception every one of them has proclaimed that they can handle it. It's a symptom of the addiction. Inevitably their lives collapse taking careers, families and loved ones with them. Zero sympathy from me.

My thoughts exactly. I'm just a civvy at the moment so I could be talking absolute b!llocks but by turning the other cheek to recruits that use would only cause liabilities. How can you fully have your trust in an individual that takes cocaine or anything else for that matter? It would inevitably have an impact on cohesion and make the military weaker as a whole.

 

[ThreadpigeonsAlpha]

Surely this can't be serious?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.da...amp/Army-won-t-sack-recruits-use-cocaine.html

Probably not. I haven't read the article. But it's probably out of context with what's actually happening.
It could be for contesting a failed or inconclusive drug testing not the ignoring of drug use.

 

[JWJ]

Probably not. I haven't read the article. But it's probably out of context with what's actually happening.
It could be for contesting a failed or inconclusive drug testing not the ignoring of drug use.

Essentially you get one warning with the CDT in the first 14 weeks - fail it and you get sent back to week 0. Fail it again and you're out.

 

[Seags98]

Essentially you get one warning with the CDT in the first 14 weeks - fail it and you get sent back to week 0. Fail it again and you're out.

So basically a three strikes and you're out kinda thing?

 

[JWJ]

So basically a three strikes and you're out kinda thing?

2 strikes and out. Strike 1 = restart training, Strike 2 = Discharged.

 

[Chelonian]

So basically a three strikes and you're out kinda thing?

Sounds more like one strike and you're out.

But still one strike too many in my opinion.

 

[Chelonian]

Sounds more like one strike and you're out.

But still one strike too many in my opinion.

My edit button has vanished, so I'll try again:

Sounds more like two strikes and you're out.

But still two strikes too many in my opinion.

 

[Seags98]

Aye I didn't quite click on until I read it back

 

[Xerath]

Well a lad in my company failed a CDT a while back and was gone within a month, so... take everything with a pinch of salt mate.

 

[JWJ]

a while back

being how long?

 

[Xerath]

being how long?

Within the last 6 months.

 

[JWJ]

Within the last 6 months.

Thats the funny thing with new policies isn't it? They are new.

 

[Xerath]

Thats the funny thing with new policies isn't it? They are new.

Obviously I'm not going to say the exact date am I? Also:

Last night, official MoD sources confirmed the change had come into effect in the last year.

 

[JWJ]

Obviously I'm not going to say the exact date am I? Also:

My inital point shall be we're quoting the daily fail, the most reliable and quotable news source that totally doesn't contradict itself in this story alone.

Policy was 'introduced' last year - and only under exceptional circumstances did the strike idea actually take place, and now its being pushed out in a wider scale.

Of course the fail will sensationalise this - only people with good records, good character and genuine promise will get this second chance.

 

[Chelonian]

Well a lad in my company failed a CDT a while back and was gone within a month, so... take everything with a pinch of salt mate.

Yep, in a nut shell.
The media weaves half-truths and out-of-context stuff into headlines to sell clicks and newspapers.

 

[cc1]

I'm sure there's substance to the claim (no pun intended). I'm pretty dismayed at this.

 

[622]

I'm sure there's substance to the claim (no pun intended). I'm pretty dismayed at this.

From what I understand it is just indicative of a fairly desperate recruiting crisis in that army particularly, and they just can't afford to lose people who show some promise. I think if they could sort out the mess that is capita medicals, they would be better to be a little more forgiving there, than to alter the policy on drugs.

 

[cc1]

From what I understand it is just indicative of a fairly desperate recruiting crisis in that army particularly, and they just can't afford to lose people who show some promise. I think if they could sort out the mess that is capita medicals, they would be better to be a little more forgiving there, than to alter the policy on drugs.

I saw the transition to Capita whilst in a recruitment role and without sounding like a hindsight-hero: I told you so!

I'd argue that those that feel inclinated to do Class A drugs are definitely not amongst those that "show promise". Alas, western society is losing the war on drugs. I have family members that use & talk about recreational drug use as blasé as they do booking an uber, so this is a generational problem, not just a military one.