Date signed: 04/15/1996 ALMAR Number: 151/96

R 150301Z APR 96 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N06100//
ALMAR 151/96
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC//
SUBJ/SEMPER FIT ALCOHOL ABUSE PREVENTION AND DEGLAMORIZATION CAMPAIGN//
REF/A/RMG/SECNAV/252318ZMAR96//
REF/B/DOC/CMC MH/08MAY92//
REF/C/DOC/CMC MH/25JUN84//
NARR/REF A IS ALNAV 011/96. REF B IS MCO 6200.4, THE MARINE CORPSHEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM: SEMPER FIT. REF C IS MCO P5300.12, THEMARINE CORPS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM.//
POC/J. MCHUGH/CIV/PRIPHN:703-696-1176/-/-/SECPHN:DSN 426-1176//RMKS/
1. THIS ALMAR ANNOUNCES A NEW COMPREHENSIVE, AGGRESSIVECAMPAIGN TO DEGLAMORIZE ALCOHOL USE AND PREVENT ALCOHOL ABUSE ANDITS PROVEN NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON READINESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEMARINE CORPS.
2. THE BASIS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECRETARY OFTHE NAVY IN REF A, MANDATORY READING FOR EVERY MARINE. THE BOTTOMLINE IS THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO TAKE AGGRESSIVE MEASURES TO REDUCETHE PROBLEMS WHICH INEVITABLY RESULT FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE: THE DEATHOR INJURY OF MANY MARINES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS; INNUMERABLE
INCIDENTS OF MISCONDUCT; DECREASED EFFECTIVENESS OF INDIVIDUALMARINES AND OF THEIR UNITS; AND IMPAIRMENT OF HEALTH AND FITNESSTHROUGHOUT THE CORPS. ALCOHOL ABUSE IS NOT GOOD FOR MARINES AND NOTGOOD FOR OUR CORPS.
3. SEMPER FIT, THE MARINES CORPS HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMIMPLEMENTED BY REF B, INCLUDES THE PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL ABUSEAND DEGLAMORIZATION OF ALCOHOL USE AS ONE OF ITS ELEMENTS. THE BASISFOR SEMPER FIT IS SIMPLE: IT ENCOURAGES MARINES TO ADOPT HEALTHYLIFESTYLES AND DISCOURAGES THEM FROM DOING THINGS THAT ARE UNHEALTHY.
THIS IS THE THEME I WANT ALL MARINES TO ADOPT CONCERNING ALCOHOL.THE IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL IS UNHEALTHY.
4. EVERYONE REALIZES THAT ALCOHOL ABUSE CAUSES PROBLEMS. YETABUSE CONTINUES AT AN ALARMING RATE. REF C PROVIDES GUIDANCE TO DEALWITH ALCOHOL ABUSE. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS EXIST FOR ALLMARINES; USE THEM! TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE IN PLACE FOR THOSE WHONEED HELP; REFER MARINES TO THEM IN TIME! POLICIES ARE IN PLACE TO
DISCIPLINE MARINES WHOSE ALCOHOL ABUSE LEADS TO MISCONDUCT;ENFORCE THEM!
5. WE MUST DO MORE; AS MARINES AND AS A MARINE CORPS. I DON'THAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. I NEED YOUR HELP IN DETERMININGWHAT IS BEST FOR THE CORPS. I WANT ALL COMMANDERS TO DISCUSS THEPROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE, LOOK FOR WAYS TO OVERCOMETHEM AND DETERMINE WAYS TO DEGLAMORIZE THE USE OF ALCOHOL. I WOULDLIKE COMMANDERS RECOMMENDATIONS FORWARDED TO ME NO LATER THAN 30 JUNE1996. MY TASK FORCE HERE AT HEADQUARTERS STANDS READY TO ASSIST YOUIN THIS EFFORT.
6. ALL MARINES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT. USE MARINEMAIL!
7. THIS CAMPAIGN IS THE BEGINNING OF A CULTURAL CHANGE THAT MUSTRESULT IN DECREASED ALCOHOL USE THROUGHOUT THE CORPS. THAT DOESN'TMEAN A CHANGE IN MARINE CORPS TRADITION. AS THE SECRETARY OF THENAVY SAID IN REF A, ANY PERCEPTION THAT ALCOHOL IS CENTRAL TO OURTRADITIONS IS WRONG. THE HARM THAT ALCOHOL ABUSE CAUSES, WHICH ISREPORTED TO ME EVERY DAY, LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PERCEPTIONDOES EXIST. THIS MUST CHANGE! BY WORKING TOGETHER, THIS CAMPAIGNWILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE MARINE CORPS, BUT ALSO THOUSANDS OFINDIVIDUAL MARINES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
8. THIS ISSUE IS BASIC TO OUR ETHOS OF TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN. WE MUST KEEP THIS FACT CLEARLY IN OUR SIGHTS. SEMPER FIDELIS,
C.C. KRULAK, COMMANDANT.//