ROTC Tolerance of MIPs

While we're on the subject, the period right now between high school graduation and July 4 is particularly dangerous for you new graduates who want to celebrate your liberation and party. And when I say dangerous I mean both legally and actual physical danger that comes from drinking and driving.

At least install the app for a taxi service like Uber on your phone.
 
I remember the conversation I had with both my sons as they reached that age when kids start to discover beer, the same one my dad had with me years ago. I told them that I was not naive about drinking although I did talk about restraint. My overly long lecture ended with this " If you drive to or are at a friends and you have been drinking, you either call and say your spending the night there or call me at anytime and tell me you need me to pick you up. There will be no lecture or punishment and I will gladly pick you up, now if you drive home or I find out you drove anywhere, you will lose your use of the car and major amount of Hell will rain down on you." I did receive a few phone calls that they were spending the night and picked them up a couple times, I was very grateful for those phone calls and I kept my word, both of them seem to be very responsible when it comes to drinking and driving to this day, plus Uber is a great thing which they use a lot when going out with friends.
 
A little off topic but how about drinking in Europe where it is legal at 18. Any issues?
 
I am one of the oldies that was 18 when they changed the law from could drink with military ID at 18 to having to be the age of the State and GA just jumped to 19. On base it was still basically overlooked since majority of military did not support the new law. I went to Germany at 19 was able and quite good at drinking. When I ETSed back to the states at 20 years and 350 days old I had to wait 6 days for legality... But I had quit drinking my last 6 months in Germany because it scared me just howww much I could drink. There is occasional comments about the Fraternity life being too much of a chance to MIP. My first duty station the unit theme song was Shout from Animal House and we may have actually been worse than the movie... only substitute Jim B in the tank with handcuffing people to the MP k-car lightbar driving on the golf course and that was us sober and on duty! If you watch Sleepy Hallow last season's battle royal all the 'dead' soldiers fighting the 4 horsemen sprawled across the ground and steeps of the two story brick building.. THAT was us just replace 'dead' with drunk and those were our actual barracks. Those days aren't happening anymore and it does seem hypocritical of us to be raising hell about how stupid it is to drink. You all have some amazing things we never even imagined possible at your feet. But with all the advancements being your positive for your generation more restrictive laws governing alcohol could be considered a negative. For many of you like my DS you will still not even be legal after you commission. So you can still have a fraternity life, ROTC and the tailgates and parties you just get to be everyone's hero being the designated driver. Heck sometimes it might put you at the top of the guest list. For DS it gave him an officer position in his fraternity as a freshman. The officer position in charge of risk management-sobriety and security of all guest at parties/events.
My DS is a golden child compared to the stupid things I did when young and dumb. We had parents that had even more embracing of alcohol as a rite of passage so we had parents at high school parties supplying beer and spirits. But you have a couple or at least one generation of changes to views on drugs and alcohol. I think our generation was the adults felt if we weren't doing LSD and other stuff their generation were doing that was a good thing so give that kid a beer.
Believe it or not you are going to be warning your kids off things you are doing now too. Like digital addiction...
just because you may get away with it and think you are bullet proof you only need one time to wreck it all. You are going to get to have your turn to be fully allowed the perks of adulthood, don't wreck your future for a couple years wait to imbibe.
 
sheriff3 said:
I usually made them pour it all on the ground in front a very angry and sleepy mommy and daddy! Good times for sure
Click to expand...
That is the best punishment!
Although I'm sure some of them would rather the ticket!
 
This is what happened with my sons with an MIP and a DUI in ROTC. I'm not condoning their behavior, or suggesting this is the proper way to handle these situations, it is simply our family's experience. Son #2 commissioned NG May 2016. In the spring 0f his freshman year, he received two summons for public intoxication and possession of alcohol by a minor. We lectured him on ethics and moral obligations, he paid the fine and didn't report. He did make full disclosure senior year during his security clearance investigation. He also provided the information during his backround investigation before being hired by a police department. He survived BOLOC and will graduate from the police academy in 6 weeks. Son #1 commissioned 2007 and received a DUI the DAY BEFORE commissioning lots of "off the record" advice was to don't report to ROTC and let it "play out." That's what he chose to do. He did disclose it for security clearance and survived a RIF for his year group. He's on track to make Major in 2018. As they have both grown and matured they realize that any more alcohol offenses will be career ending and life altering. On a side note, here in Connecticut a MIP results in a fine and an infraction. When the fine is paid it is considered a guilty plea and then your drivers license is suspended for 30 to 60 days depending on if the offense happened on private or public property. Both of my sons went to school in another state but some of their friends have been affected by this law.
 
The thing is each branch is different . AF is very intolerant of drinking issues, such as MIP or DUI. I can't tell you how many officers I have seen drummed out of the AF because of a DUI.
~ 1 of Bullet's CCs got a DUI on a Sat. By Tuesday he was given new orders and the moving trucks were there by Thursday. He was an O5 short of 20 yrs., so they just allowed him to retire quietly. Notice I said he was a CC. He lost his O6 chance.
~ Same base and a USAFA grad on casual status as an O1 waiting for his UPT class start date, got a DUI off base. Had to report it, and they rescinded his UPT slot. He was also passed over for O2, In the AF 95% get promoted to O2. He was in the 5% that didn't. He got an honorable discharge, but his career and dreams were officially over at the ripe old age of 23.
 
I'm a bit concerned that MIP and DUI are being lumped together. MIP is a bad choice that I doubt less than 5% will not make but maybe from other's being busted or them getting clipped will give a wake up call that that beer was not worth almost getting the boot. But a DUI I'm sorry but if you don't know by now that if you get in a car after drinking you are making a choice to put your and other's lives at risk. I have felt that a DUI 'manslaughter' charge is a slap on the wrist! If you are going somewhere you know you are going to drink with Uber, taxis and several other modes of transportation there is ZERO reason to not have a designated driver and if the DD drinks you all take an Uber, Taxi or bus. To drive somewhere knowing you will drink and drive you are premeditating the possibility of murder. I've lost friends to drunk drivers and there is NO excuse!
 
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