How are YOU handling the problem?
Therein lies the crux. What is the problem? If you don't pause and identify what the problem is, all you are is throwing money/time at treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
Bath salts is not the problem. Neither is Spice, Ecstasy, Marijuana, Meth, Heroin, etc... Every single solitary member of the military in this day and age knows the DoD's stance on legal/illegal drug use. Making a PSA about what it's like to use it is only addressing the symptoms, not the problem. What is the problem you ask?
I would argue that the true problem we are faced with is morale. There are many, many causes leading to the morale problems that are across the DoD - some controllable by small unit leadership, some not.
Are there morale problems when forward deployed? Yes, but no more so than the standard missing home, etc. The big difference between now and then is that they are offset by the fact that Sailors/Marines are actually doing their job, for real. Sailors and Marines that are deployed are fired up that they get to do their job, accomplish the mission, and make a difference. Then they come home. And the pace doesn't change. And when given an opportunity to let their hair down - they're lectured about others that are currently forward deployed and can't. Or that there is a need to prepare for the next deployment. Because that one Sailor is the lynchpin that keeps the entire DoN from falling completely apart. Throw in being treated with less respect/trust/confidence than when he was in high school/college (aka mandatory breathalyzers, feel good safety lectures/requirements, etc) and the morale keeps going into the shitter.
Can small unit leaders control the OPTEMPO? Nope. Not anymore than they can control the behavior of someone who KNOWS that what he's doing is wrong/against numerous regulations, and does it anyway.
Can small unit leaders do anything to help increase the morale of their Sailors/Marines? Yes. I try to everyday. But I can only do so much.
Case in point: My reserve squadron has no deployment on the horizon at all. AT ALL. Yet, the active duty guys are routinely working 28 days without a day off. Why? To make the board turn from red to green. Because other guys are forward deployed. Because we have to be ready. These are all statements that have come out of the mouth of our squadron and group CO.
Then they stand around and scratch their head and wonder why guys get caught smoking weed in the barracks. Must be a weed problem! They scratch their head and wonder why dudes are drinking underage. Must be a drinking problem! They scratch their head and wonder why we're at 50% or less on A/C availability. Must be we're not working enough!
MAYBE the morale is so in the shitter that they don't care anymore. For the guys that got caught smoking weed in the barracks - it was a shock for most of us. They weren't our typical 10%'ers. I honestly believe they were looking for an escape from what has become reality. They got shitcanned, so the cycle finally stopped for them. But the cycle is still there - so it's only a matter of time before something else like that happens.
MAYBE if the COs would take a step back and notice that when they had comp days for a drill weekend, worked reasonable hours, were given random days off to spend with their family, etc. that there were no "drug problems" there were no "drinking problems" there were no "maintenance problems". Back in those days (several COs ago), we had 98% A/C availability. We had the random drug pop - not the "someone's going to pop, I wonder who" that we have now.
MAYBE if the COs would actually listen to the officers in the squadron, rather than dismissing our recommendations/advice immediately without any discussion, there would be less of a problem.
Instead, I get my nuts crushed because I send a Marine home early (who's trying to get his personal affairs in order before a PCS).
Make no mistake about it - you will not hear me haul up the bullshit flag about a PSA/effort on higher's part to address an actual problem that I think will do some good. Case in point - the Marine Corps' Semper Ride initiative. What was the problem? Marines killing themselves on motorcycles. What does the Marine Corps do? In addition to the MSF required courses (which are good, but I don't think the mandatory training timelines are realistic - 90 days after you start riding your bike after the BRC - you are NOT ready for the ERC/SRC), they went above and beyond. They dumped a ton of money into having the X-Games producers make a short movie (it's about 20 minutes long) filled with famous riders (guys that young Marines identify with) demonstrating/talking about motorcycle safety. They organized the motorcycle clubs (where during the workday, your appointed place of duty is an enjoyable ride/lunch with the other motorcycle riders in the unit). They worked with Keith Code to help offset the cost of his superbike school for Marines that want to attend. Etc, etc, etc...
When I was the ASO, part of the BITS safety standdown was motorcycle safety. I showed the video instead of just standing up there talking, covered the motorcycle club and a couple of things when I did talk. And what happened? A couple things - senior leadership came and told me I was an idiot, that young Marines were going to watch the video and try it this weekend. What REALLY happened? Marines kept coming up to me, looking to try some of the things (superbike schools, dirt tracks/schools) they saw in the video, realizing that these professionals might actually know what they were talking about. We've had exactly one motorcycle accident since that video - and it was mine (after some guy ran a red light, and I couldn't stop in time).
However, I still think that this PSA about bath salts is stupid.
