Credit: Chris Eades
MORE than 16,000 British troops have been treated for booze problems or disciplined for drinking offences, The Jattvibe can reveal.
Hundreds have been diagnosed with alcohol-related issues, including hallucinations and psychological conditions which can lead to domestic violence, documents say.
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Some have been treated for drinking up to 28 pints a week, with thousands of personnel admitting their boozing was at high-risk levels.
Freedom of Information requests reveal that since 2012 more than 12,000 troops have been treated for alcohol misuse.
More than 4,000 have also faced disciplinary action for offences such as drink-driving and assault where boozing was a factor.
Military partners also drink alcohol more than civilians, with a tendency to do it when spouses are deployed.
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Some troops have been treated for alcoholic jealousy, known as Othello syndrome, where sufferers develop the groundless belief their partner is cheating on them.
A separate report also reveals 61 per cent of troops surveyed admitted drinking at “higher-risk levels” of more than 14 units a week.
Troops admitted to excessive boozing to “fit in”, because of social pressure, or to cope.
Excessive drinking has led to troops being treated for a variety of medical problems, such as cirrhosis of the liver.
Former Royal Marine and Falklands veteran, Sgt Maj Jeff Williams, founder of the Veterans United Against Suicide support group, said he had self-medicated with alcohol.
He said: “There has always been a massive drinking culture in the Armed Forces.
“There was an attitude that you might not be here tomorrow, so enjoy yourself.”
The Ministry of Defence said it regularly carries out alcohol harm assessments on troops and gives “relevant support”.
