Originally Posted by
HookEm
My husband got a DUI after his 33rd birthday after a night out with friends (away from duty). As a result his medical was pulled by the FAA (and before you ask it was his first DUI, that's how the FAA works now so I suggest calling a cab if you like your job)
Not exactly. If you blow higher than a .15 or refuse the test, you medical application is deferred to Oke City. Does that mean you automatically lose your medical? No. If you did blow, and you blew high, your medical is likely to be revoked. If you refuse the test, you must successfully jump through some hoops to have your medical issued. And if you blow less than .15, your AME is authorized to make a decision without a deferral.
Having said all that, yes, by all means, call a cab.
There is certainly such thing as alcohol addiction. Call it a disease, or a behavior, or whatever you like. It's semantics and it's irrelevant. Those with an addiction to alcohol are at risk of losing EVERYTHING, hurting themselves, hurting others. And it's not because they are bad people. It's a complicated, multi-faceted problem which is not well understood.