h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It becomes a problem when one starts choosing the people to socialise with by the amount of booze that'll be consumed at socialising.

If you're so inclined to high levels of drinking, yes.

During my time as a Lady Soldier the amount of drinking (and the encouragement of drinking by the senior ranks) was frightening.
Firstly, (away from UK) shorts were always sold as doubles (in the NAAFI and Mess bars) because it was "too cheap" (under 30p usually at that time) for a short and a mixer! Beer was used as a method of punishment and reward: minor infringements were punished by the donation of a "10 pack" to the troop stock. On Fridays or other significant occasions, these accumulated 10 packs were consumed before going home. Several of my colleagues had a drinking problem, and it was horrible to see in young people (horrible at the best of times) especially the women.
I blame it all on peer pressure. But, where can people meet for just a chat and a get-together if they don't want to invade (because of numbers, or other reasons)? Pubs are the answer. But they are very unhealthy environments.
And please don't get me wrong. I have drunk myself under the table (under the floorboards even) with the best/worst of them.

My ex-husband was in the army and "enjoyed" the life-style that Sho has so eloquently described.

His "social drinking" gradually got out of hand to the extent that he was spending in the equivalent of my full time employment wages each month and we were slowly falling into debt. On top of this, he became abusive and violent and so following the birth of our first child, nine years into the marriage, and his refusal to admit he was an alcoholic, I left him.

Unfortunately, he still refused to admit that his "social drinking" had become a problem, even after my leaving and went on to loose his home and then his job when the Army who had for so long encouraged his drinking life-style, court-martialled him and dismissed him for that very reason.

And, and here's the funny thing, at that point I start to feel sorry for people like him (sorry Gwennie) because as you said, the lyfestyle is encouraged (so that if you don't join in you're not a "team player" and won't get very far) but as soon as it's uncomfortable etc. out on your ear. (and it makes me wince, because most Forces personnel at some point are "vetted" and one of the questions is: "how much do you drink" - to which the answer is supposed to be "in moderation"!!!)

Oh no, I do feel sorry for my "ex", Sho (in spite of his behaviour which I know was due to his alcoholism which is an illness after all). More than that, I feel sorry for his mother who is a fantastic woman and the best mother-in-law a girl could have had. I feel as though it is her I have let down in leaving her son and her the army should be apologising to...

I can remember my "ex" being asked that very question in his army medicals, one of the last the army doctor even mentioned that he seemed to have some "hardening of the liver" and did nothing to pursue the matter, taking my ex's word that he only ever "had a few pints".

I think they leave that pretty much up to the individual. Although my experience of the army Quacks was that: everyone who reported for sick parade was a malingerer (which wasn't entirely untrue). I had shin splints once (when I used to run a lot) and the menace didn't believe me until I (paid for, privately) a 2nd opinion. And once when I was on Guard at Christmas and had problems with my wisdom teeth (har har, no I didn't have them put in) my face swelled up (a problem I was expecting) and went to the medical centre to get them to call the duty dentist. By chance the Quack was there, took one look at me and shouted all the guys to leave the room (!) and then declared my to be the worst case of mumps he had ever seen! Glad I never broke my leg.... I would probably have been shot!

I think circumstances have changed for the better - now they encourage them to drink, then kick them out into a rahab centre.

I was never in the forces, I'm too much of a wimpy coward, but I was in the bar trade.

I used to work as a cellarman, where each morning I had to test the quality of all the beers in the taproom, usually about 20 of them. So, five days a week I'd have had about two or three pints of beer before ten o'clock.
Not good.
It almost turned me into an alcoholic, but thankfully I realised early enough and stopped. Spreading that task out amoung a few different people.
But social drinking can be a real problem. I've seen it from the other side of the bar, and it's surprising how many people don't realise that they are getting into a routine, coming into the bar after work with a couple fo their workmates, having a few beers, then going home. Not too bad, but then they come back in the evening and drink a lot more.
The problem is that pubs are social focal points in a lot of countries, especially England. And pubs sell beer.

Too true Pastey. It's such a shame too, as beer (especially real ale) is such a wonderful beverage!!

I know exactly what you mean from my time working behind a the bar of my local real ale pub...

Sho...Don't talk to me about army "quacks". I dislike tarring a section of the community with the same brush, but your experiences completely corroborate mine.

*Bites her tongue! * Ouch!

I, too, used to work in a pub which sold real ale (amongst other things). It frightened me the number of senior managers (for we had them amongst our clientele - we used to do the Telegraph Crossword together!) who would regularly (ie. every lunchtime) sink 3 - 4 pints and then go back to work. And I hope that they didn't drive - but you can never be sure.

Cameron Balloons (for it was in Bristol) used also to come in and sink lots of pints, and I always think their best designs probably came out in the afternoon when they had had a few.

Then there were the young lads (18, because I always used to check) who used to come in every evening after work, and then all night Friday and Saturday. Dread to think what state they're in now (this was early 80s)

Not many women did it though, but not for health reasons as such, mostly they drank diet coke or water because they didn't want to get fat!