With the somewhat recent, very overblown talk of steroid usage in professional sports I began to think about the role steroids have in military life.

I am in the U.S. Army, and I have recently been deployed overseas. One recurrent theme of discussion was the availability of anabolic steroids in my unit. I am not a fighter. Mostly I sit in one seat, in an office, on a large, well-defended base. The men who I work for are fighters. They live in less well-defended bases in very dangerous areas. Mush worse than the Bronx after midnight; with competition more serious than in the MLB. They leave these bases two or three or more times a week, sometimes for long periods of time. They deliberately head for hostile areas, where they will be shot at. Rumor has it that about 3/4 of these men use steroids.

Steroids have many positive effects on a soldier. They increase aggresion, strength, and size. Aggresive fighters kill their opponents, assuring survival. Strong fighters can endure more, move faster, and hit harder. Large fighters, muscular fighters have a MUCH better chance of surviving a bullet wound, or an explosive impact. 

Steroid use is discouraged by Army policy, including random drug tests. These fighters I work with are placing their careers at risk by using performance enhancers. It is illegal for any U.S. citizen to use these substances, these men sworn to uphold the constitution are blatenly violating the law. But they are also e=increasing their effectiveness, and working to ensure that they will survive the next firefight or deployment, and get home safely to their wives and children. 

When Life is on the line, can we really fault these men? Should they face potentially harsh consequences for trying to "fix" their "game"? Why do we insist on punishing these men when caught?

I believe any member of the U.S. Armed forces exposed to fire should be allowed to take steroids. I think a supply of safe, tested prescription drugs should be available to them. I think military doctors should oversee their usage to minimize collateral risk. When you have seen caskets draped in flags being sent home by C-130 to grieving loved ones you have to wonder. Is steroid usage wrong? 

Tags: military, steroids
Current Location: Barracks
Current Mood: confused