ASAP - Army National Guard Substance Abuse Program

 

The Army National Guard Substance Abuse Program is key to ensuring unit readiness for the ARNG. Substance abuse is a manpower and personnel readiness issue that erodes Soldier fitness. The purpose of the Substance Abuse Program is to deter substance abuse by providing prevention education and referral resources to ARNG Soldiers and by providing Commanders with the tools to assess the security and military fitness of their Unit.

 

 

The ARNG Substance Abuse Program is designed to provide a continuum of substance abuse services to Soldiers that will achieve and maintain ARNG Soldier Readiness.

These services include:

 

•  Prevention

•  Assessment

•  Identification of high risk units

 

 

The ARNG Substance Abuse Program is a joint effort between G1, J9, and Counter Drug.  For more information, contact the Alcohol and Drug Control Officer (ADCO), Tommie Donohue, at (615)313-0687,

email: tommie.g.donohue.ctr@mail.mil

 

 

 

Resources:

 

Prevention/Education:

 

The ARNG-preferred training for the annual prevention requirement is Strong Choices. The Strong Choices training curriculum includes five 1-hour modules: Being Well, Relating Well, Living Well, Working Well and Leading Well.  Each module discusses low risk guidelines that can help a Soldier maintain readiness, and avoid high risk choices that negatively impact their relationships, career and personal life.  Contacts are:  Middle TN – Tommie Donohue (ADCO), at (615)313-0687; East TN – Terri Shaw, Prevention Coordinator (PC), at (865)712-9951 or terri.l.shaw@accenturefederal.com; West TN – Marvis Adams (PC), at (731)421-8625 or Marvis.d.adams.ctr@mail.mil.

 

 

Assessment:

 

Minimum testing requirements are 10% a month or 25% a quarter for each unit.  The goal is for 100% of every Soldier to provide at least one sample per year.  There is a mandatory 100% annual testing for required pools (AGR, Aviation, Correction Specialist, CD, Medical, MP and TSC).  Sources:  AR 600-85 and TN TAG Policy dtd 12 May 2008.  Contact is SFC Timothy Sutton at (615)355-3633 or timothy.j.sutton.mil@mail.mil.

 

 

 

Identification of high risk units:

 

Unit Risk Inventory Surveys is the Commanders tool to provide critical data to influence prevention efforts.  The program focuses on the efficient channeling of limited resources through a well synchronized and coordinated effort to implement effective interventions. The URI is an anonymous survey, designed to screen for life stressors, risk-taking behaviors, and attitudes that compromise unit readiness. Results are reported as a unit profile without identifying individual Soldiers. At a minimum, the URI will be used to adjust training and prevention efforts within the unit to address concerns identified by the URI.  Sources:  AR600-85 and the Assistant TAG Policy dtd15 Aug 2014.

 

 

 

Limited Use Policy

 

The Limited Use Policy’s purpose is to encourage those abusing drugs or alcohol to self-refer so that they can get help. Self-referral is the preferred method of identification. Service Members may voluntarily self-refer to:

 

– Commander

 

– Military Chaplain

 

– SAP office

 

– NCO or officer in their chain of command

 

•  Protection under the limited use policy:

 

–Protected evidence cannot be used against a service member in courts-martial, UCMJ action, and unfavorable characterization of service

 

–Should separation occur, the Soldier is limited to an honorable characterization of service

 

 

•  For more information, see AR 600-85 and talk to your ADCO/PC

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