I don't think doctors and nurses fall under the USDOT drug and alcohol testing program.

Well, when YOU become a Dr., you can work on renaming Alcoholism for the rest of the world.

My father was an alcoholic and a CA for 30 years with a Legacy. He did not drink very often at all...a few times per year. When he did, he was unable to stop. He got caught at the bar of his hotel (1980's) well past the cutoff time and was taken off the flight. Company sent him to rehab for 30 days, came back to the line and never had another drink in his life. He would not even take cough syrup with alcohol in it. Many on here apparently have no knowledge (lack of experience) on this subject.

As for the TSA, if you let them invade your personal space, your fault. Every time this happens, they think they will be the one to catch the next drunk. I have backed them out of my face many, many times as they try and smell for alcohol. I even started taking original (yellow) Listerine just to screw with them sometimes. Always fun to call the supervisor over and ream all who were stupid enough to get involved.

The Police....well you are never REQUIRED to perform a field sobriety test. In a DUI situation, there is nothing you must do. They will probably take you to jail for a blood test, but you can even refuse that. However, IF you refuse the BT in jail, you WILL lose your license for a year. But, no DUI on your record if you were actually drunk. Learn your rights, pay for cab, phone a friend, and never say "I could not do that sober". You just busted yourself.

Comparing an alcoholic to a diabetic? And you say that I don't understand? So with what you're saying, alcoholism just "develops" in a person without any of their own knowledge or actions? Interesting. And don't get me started on not being a doctor; just because a "medical expert" deems it something (often under political pressure from the ama et al) does NOT make it gospel. Think about how asinine your comparison is. I think I'm gonna get off this trip to go home and get my nine year old screened for alcoholism. Although they've never seen alcohol, the "disease" may be lingering in them just as diabetes may. Give me a frickin break. The sooner we stop making
Excuses for people and start showing them the error in their ways, the better off we will ALL be.

Exactly, that is an awesome analogy!

Well if he has so much to gain in your eyes I suggest you go to work drunk tomorrow so your future can be so much brighter.

Genius I know.... we should all do it.

I have a real suggestion though. Quit your job. It sounds like you are bitter and hate it, so do everyone around you a favor and leave. Despite what you may think nobody likes to hear a whiner.

Since there is question as to whether the 'alcoholism' gene may be passed down through the generation through a problem in brain chemistry then maybe you should keep a close eye on your child for any future signs of an 'ADDICTIVE' personality. You are missing a LARGE point here HMP. Some people can withstand the pressure in the brain calling for you to overindulge in some form "feel good" substance and others eventually finally give in to the craving. Addiction is the disease. Alcoholism is just one form of it.

USMCFLYR

Let's not forget, there's a difference between a drunk, and an alcoholic; alcoholics go to meetings. Just curious as to why no other crew members stopped this? For safety and security reasons, I would have called crew shed for this particular crew member, I doubt he was alone on the crew van?

Children born to alcoholic parents are more predisposed to be alcoholics themselves. It is proven that alcoholism is hereditary as well. So whatever mutated gene that is alcholism, is passed on. Take it for what you will those are just the facts I'd like to add to this post. So to answer your question, yes, alcoholism does develop in certain people without them knowing... Look it up. So yes, the disease may actually be lingering in them, pending their family history.

Your viewpoint is uneducated and incorrect. (I'm pointing out the error in your ways) You are confusing your beliefs with the facts. I suggest you do a little research.

Or your dad should have had a job in some other industry other than transportation if his disease was so challenging. It sounds from the few sentences you wrote that he was able to control his disease and do his job where others have not.

People make mistakes, we are human. I am of the belief that if you do mess up and show up to the plane drunk you should go to jail and loose you job. It doesn't matter if you are suffering from a disease or plain stupidity, You only get one chance IMO.

My college roommate died last week in a car accident. He was driving down the wrong side of the highway in the early hours of the morning. I have felt both sorrow and anger, because he hit anther vehicle head on and killed four innocent people.