Question: Does the military put its soldiers on PEDs? If not, why not?

I would like to start by saying, the military does NOT use ped's. But they do overlook the use of steroids... in a DOD drug test, they will test for everything under the sun... with the exception of steroids. If a commander has suspicion of a soldier who is using steroids then he will test the unit for steroids. Not in anyway shape or form does the army or any other branch of the armed forces encourage the use of controlled substances.

That being said, on my deployment to Afghanistan every soldier is given a 300 day supply of doxycycline hyclate. It is to strengten the immune system against the diseases un a third world country (primarily malaria) even though we were at 8000 to 1200 ft above sea level where mosquitoes barely exist. The only side effect of this drug was vivid and extreme nightmares. But not in anyway does it improve a units physical fitness level. Most kids in my company could barely break 7 min for one mile. But they could walk with a 100lbs on their back climbing to 12000 ft above sealevel. A whole lot of heart is needed to do that. But as far as fitness goes it was non existent.

Now as far as navy seals or sf units or any other group thats a tier 1 unit, weather they are on peds or not, it was not a decision made by the government. My squad leader came from SOC (Special operations community) and he never touched drugs at all, pure natural ability.

Please do not male assumptions about the military if you have no experience.

And before you start flappin your dic* wholes, please excuse my spelling errors.

"Americans in 1950 rediscovered something that since Hiroshima they had forgotten: you may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and wipe it clean of life – but if you desire to defend it, protect it, and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman legions did, by putting your young men into the mud." — Military historian T.R.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

absolutely they do. Amphetamine use is the most common, given to pilots all the time.

Many of our current PEDs have been manufactured or investigated by the military for their possible efficacy in combat situations.

And Google is your friend.

This is *extremely* common knowledge, OP.

I would like to start by saying, the military does NOT use ped's. But they do overlook the use of steroids... in a DOD drug test, they will test for everything under the sun... with the exception of steroids. If a commander has suspicion of a soldier who is using steroids then he will test the unit for steroids. Not in anyway shape or form does the army or any other branch of the armed forces encourage the use of controlled substances.

That being said, on my deployment to Afghanistan every soldier is given a 300 day supply of doxycycline hyclate. It is to strengten the immune system against the diseases un a third world country (primarily malaria) even though we were at 8000 to 1200 ft above sea level where mosquitoes barely exist. The only side effect of this drug was vivid and extreme nightmares. But not in anyway does it improve a units physical fitness level. Most kids in my company could barely break 7 min for one mile. But they could walk with a 100lbs on their back climbing to 12000 ft above sealevel. A whole lot of heart is needed to do that. But as far as fitness goes it was non existent.

Now as far as navy seals or sf units or any other group thats a tier 1 unit, weather they are on peds or not, it was not a decision made by the government. My squad leader came from SOC (Special operations community) and he never touched drugs at all, pure natural ability.

Please do not make assumptions about the military if you have no experience.

SGT DuBois, Nicholis

I shared this post with other vets on facebook, hopefully they put their two cents in.

I can't comment on the how the Pentagon controls America's outstanding four standard military branches. But I can tell you that The United States Marine Corps, the world's greatest, toughest, most exclusive, and elite fighting force, does not use performance enhanceing drugs of any form.

Soldiers in my unit weren't exactly physical specimens. Where they strived was discipline and mental toughness. Something they dont issue in the civillian sector (cross country is the exception of course). You can take any private from my platoon and given proper task, conditions, and standards they will execute verbatim. Or die trying. Fuk soldiers dont need to be on peds, PED'S NEED TO BE ON SOLDIERS!!!

Go buy a plant carry it every where you go. If someone asks why your carrying it, say its to replace the oxygen your stealing from everyone.

SGT DuBois wrote:

Soldiers in my unit weren't exactly physical specimens. Where they strived was discipline and mental toughness. Something they dont issue in the civillian sector (cross country is the exception of course). You can take any private from my platoon and given proper task, conditions, and standards they will execute verbatim. Or die trying. Fuk soldiers dont need to be on peds, PED'S NEED TO BE ON SOLDIERS!!!

The speed that is given to pilots and sleep aids given to air crew is most definitely PEDs. I think you are narrowing the definition to mean steroids and HGH and other PEDs common to body building and such.

I know guys that have been on that but it certainly was not with the approval of the command. I have heard, but not seen, guys get kicked out for that kind of PED abuse also.

I haven't heard of any suspensions they get for failing a drug test.

Juice 'em to the gills!

Too juiced to lose!

You may be right i cant speak for anyone but the infantry. But drugs across the board are not encouraged. Pilots, crew chiefs, etc maybe. Can you provide a source for that though.

Except for the USMC, 90% of the US military tries very hard to be as fair, democratic, and civil as possible, relecting American values. The system of "give me 25 push ups or else" is used to keep soldiers in line. When that fails, units are selected from a huge pool of several million active duty personnel to accomplish long term, land and ocean based goals.

From the field wrote:

I can't comment on the how the Pentagon controls America's outstanding four standard military branches. But I can tell you that The United States Marine Corps, the world's greatest, toughest, most exclusive, and elite fighting force, does not use performance enhanceing drugs of any form.

The military would never give out PEDs... Unless you consider an F-16 overhead or an M4 a PED..

Modafinil/profigil is not really "speed". I don't think it's even related to amphetamine; not a chemist so who knows. That's the only thing I know for sure that pilots at least are given.

rugger wrote:

Precious Roy wrote:

Some believe that the spike in suicides among combat veterans is due to a lax military policy on psychotropic drugs (anti-depressants, sleep aids, etc.). The military pretty much lets soldiers go into combat with a 6 month supply of psychotropic drugs.

The problem with using PEDs to build supersoldiers is that it is just too easy to have dosing problems. Most soldiers are kids (18-22 years old). Unless you have a doctor regulating PED use, the risk for overdose is substantial.

except the suicide rate among military is probably lower than that of the general population.

so we should probably all be on psychotropic drugs

"Among full-time soldiers, the suicide rate soared to 29.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2012, well above a 25.1-per-100,000 rate for civilians of a similar age group during 2010, the latest year available, according to a Pentagon report. Among male soldiers, the rate was 31.8-per-100,000. There were a record 164 soldier-suicides that year.

The overall national civilian suicide rate was 12.1-per-100,000 in 2010 and 19.9-per-100,000 for men in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control."

Why would the American millies need to maximize physical perfomance? 95% of millies are IT geeks, chair jockeys, truck drivers with no need for physical abilities or stamina.

Grunts:

USCG 0%

USN

Salazar has proven that you can fight at the top level by doing workouts right after combat action.

Precious Roy wrote:

Some believe that the spike in suicides among combat veterans is due to a lax military policy on psychotropic drugs (anti-depressants, sleep aids, etc.). The military pretty much lets soldiers go into combat with a 6 month supply of psychotropic drugs.

The problem with using PEDs to build supersoldiers is that it is just too easy to have dosing problems. Most soldiers are kids (18-22 years old). Unless you have a doctor regulating PED use, the risk for overdose is substantial.

A young marine relative of mine reported that the worst drug use was...ALCOHOL, several suicides off that. Alcohol poisoning, and suicide while from hanging, while on the "Dutch Courage."

joho wrote:

Field Good wrote:

Hitler provided his infantry soldiers with methamphetamines. Hence one of the slang terms for meth - "German Marching Powder".

As has been stated already, pilots receive methamphetamine as well. Aviation crews also receive sleeping pills if you want to consider those as PEDs.

I don't know if Special Ops gives uppers and downers to their guys but it wouldn't surprise me at all. The sleep / work schedule can be crazy when operating in a combat environment.

Idiot!! They give them amphetamines, not methamphetamine. Imagine a pilot trying to fly on crystal meth.