Problems stemming from the misuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs are by no
means a new phenomenon, although the face of the issue has changed in recent years. National trends indicate substantial increases in the abuse of prescription medications. These increases are
particularly prominent within the military, a population that also continues to experience longstanding
issues with alcohol abuse. The problem of substance abuse within the military has come under new scrutiny in the context of the two concurrent wars in which the United States has been engaged during the past decade—in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn). Increasing rates of alcohol and other drug misuse adversely affect military readiness, family readiness, and safety, thereby posing a
significant public health problem for the Department of Defense (DoD).
To better understand this problem, DoD requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM assess the adequacy of current protocols in place across DoD and the different branches of the military pertaining to the prevention, screening and diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). The IOM committee charged with conducting this study was also tasked with assessing access to SUD care for service members, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military dependents, as well as the education and credentialing of SUD care providers, and with offering specific ecommendations to DoD on where and how improvements
in these areas could be made.
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