Alcohol Abuse Costs The Department Of Defense Dearly Twenty-one percent of service members admit to drinking heavily -- a statistic the military hasn’t managed to lower in 20 years -- but service officials are determined to change that. "If you look at heavy use of alcohol, drinking a lot in a short span of time, we tend to have a higher prevalence than the civilian community," said Lt. Col. Wayne Talcott, an Air Force psychologist. Young military people between 18 and 25 also tend to do more heavy drinking than their civilian peers, he noted. Speaking only in terms of medical care and lost time at work, alcohol abuse costs Department of Defense more than $600 million each year, said Navy Capt. Robert Murphy, a medical corps officer. Department of Defense spends another $132 million a year to care for babies with fetal alcohol syndrome -- sometimes-serious health problems related to their mothers’ heavy drinking. In the spring of 1999 Jim Newsom, Executive Director of "Outward Focused," was asked to come to Fort Brag, located in North Carolina, and give his "Get Smart" Drug Presentation to the 327th Signal (Airborne) Battalion during one of their "safety days."  The presentation went over so well with the soldiers, he was asked to come back in the fall.  The battalion commander asked Jim if he could develop a presentation on Alcohol Abuse like he did for drug abuse.  Jim complied and developed the "3 D's Of Drinking" Alcohol Presentation.  Since that time Jim has been a regular presenter at serveral military posts during their safety days. A modified written version of the "3 D's Of Drinking" Alcohol Presentation can be viewed and printed if you have Adobe Reader.  Just click on the link below. "3 D's Of Drinking" Alcohol Presentation Listed below are a two etters that I have received from military officials, from Fort Eustis located in Virginia endorsing the "3 D's Of Drinking" Alcohol Presentation.  You will need Adobe Reader to view and print these letters. Letter from Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Lundgren Letter from Captain Michael Pacella