Miltary soldiers and substance abuse Research Paper

Miltary soldiers and substance abuse - Research Paper Example Substance and drug abuse in the military is a public and national threat to the security of a country because such behaviors distract the preparedness of the force. Furthermore, the habit may result to military personnel undermining the authority and strict orders that function to enhance the efficiency of the military, as well as risking their lives. The issue of drugs in the military is not something new: it began during the Vietnam between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Records indicate that more 20% of the veterans of the Vietnam War reported using narcotic drugs on a weekly basis, with another 20% showing signs of addictions. After the Vietnam War, a few military personnel continued with the regular use of the narcotics, especially heroin and opium. There was some considerable reduction in the percentage of usage, but concerns were high regarding addiction. With the prevalence of the drugs problem within the force, Cushman ordered a crackdown on military personnel abusing drugs in the mid-1970s (Ruiz and Strain, 2011). Consequently, all military troops were confined to their respective bases, with increase in guard patrols and a thorough search on all personnel entering the bases. In addition to these measures, there were numerous establishments of emergency medical clinics across the forces. The military command also engaged in sensitizing the personnel on the physical and legal consequences of substance abuse through all available media. The authorities published and distributed pamphlets to platoon leaders. Creation of drug abuse councils followed, with the initial duty to travel from unit to unit addressing the issue. These education programs seemed to fail in rooting out the issue, the command turned to punishment. However, the judicial system established could not court marshal all the soldiers, thus they turned to administrative discharges to get rid of

Why Educate? :: Essays Papers

Why Educate? As I ponder what my educational philosophy is, and what I hope it will become, I find it necessary to consider why we educate our children in the first place, and why we finance countless public school systems with local tax dollars and federal funds only to hear over and over that schools are failing, our teachers are inadequate, and our students unprepared for life. The majority of high school graduates can read. They can perform basic arithmetic. They know some literature, history, and civics. They are more computer literate than ever before, yet the U.S. Department of Education's National Commission on Excellence in Education concludes in â€Å"A Nation at Risk:† If an unfriendly power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. We have even squandered the gains in achievement made in the wake of the Sputnik challenge. Moreover, we have dismantled essential support systems which helped make those gains possible. We have, in effect, been committing an act of unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament" (NCREL 2002). This â€Å"educational disarmament† is really a failure to produce students that are truly competitive in the world marketplace, a failure to make the same technological advances as other industrialized nations. Joel Spring, in The American School (1997), asserts that beginning with the founding of the common school in the nineteenth century, education has been seen as a way of â€Å"ending poverty, providing equality of opportunity, [and] an increasing national wealth† (6). It is the â€Å"increasing national wealth† that students are tested on now, and found lacking. According to Sebastian de Assis, author of Teachers of the World, Unite! (2000), it was during the Industrial Revolution that â€Å"mathematics, sciences, technical and vocational education became pivotal to the sustenance of the new economic order† in the United States (p. 24). Students have become just another part of the great machinery that is America. Either they contribute and m ake the country, and themselves, richer, or they are failures, who have, in turn, been failed by an educational system that did not teach them how to grow rich or help the nation grow rich. Like de Assis (2000), I find the commoditization of students to be more than a little disturbing.

An Unforgettable Night Essay

Mary Pittman Mr. Zemp English 101 January 20, 2010 Unforgettable Night What started out as a normal night, ended up as a night from hell. It was the day of graduation and everything was perfect. This day marked the beginning of the summer before my senior year. I had already made plans to go on trips to the beach with my family and friends. My friend, Bailes, was in town for graduation, as a surprise. She moved to Ohio her sophomore year and came to South Carolina when she could, which was not very often. That morning, when graduation was over, she texted me and said she was having a movie night at her house. She had invited the usual group of friends that we hung out with when she came into town. Her mom had recently moved into a new house, so I had never been there before. No one had ever been there. Bailes texted the directions to everyone’s phone so they would know how to get there. I had to work that day, so I was a little late getting to Bailes’ house. I was driving on dark and unfamiliar roads, so I was a little nervous. After a few wrong turns on Tower Road, I made it just in time. I walked in and was greeted by a huge hug from Bailes, whom I hadn’t seen in eight months. After talking to her for a few minutes to briefly catch up, I moved on to talk to everyone else. As time passed, more and more people started to arrive. Eventually, I found a nice, comfy spot on the couch. My friend Bart, whom I had known my entire life, came to sit beside me. It took us at least 15 minutes to decide what movie we should watch. The entire time everyone was deciding on a movie, Bart and I were joking around and acting like idiots. Bart had his own style. He wore socks that came up to his calf with shorts, which always amused me. I remember asking him jokingly, â€Å"Do you have a tan line from your socks? †. His response was, of course, â€Å"I don’t know. † Bart was a very mellow, carefree person. He just went with the flow and did what he wanted. I was still curious about the tan line, so I pulled down his socks, and there just happened to be a tan line. The whole room filled with laughter. Not even half-way through the movie Bart got a phone call from our friend Michael. Michael wanted Bart to meet him at the end of Tower Road; a road I will never forget. Bart got up to leave and I asked him if he wanted someone to ride with him. I did not want him to go by himself just in case something happened. I had never ridden with him before, so I had no idea how he drove. Tower Road is a road that has uneven pavement, potholes, very faint lines, and no helpful signs. It has many turns and hills. Bart was driving entirely too fast for that particular road, but, like an idiot, I said nothing to him about slowing down. We got to the end of the road and had to wait a few minutes because Michael was not there yet. While we waited we carried on casual conversation. Conversations, however, I will never forget. Michael finally got there and we started to head back to Bailes’. We were both unfamiliar with Tower Road. Bart was driving fast and glanced down at his cell phone for a split second; he never saw the curve coming. I looked ahead and saw the curve. A curve, on this awful road, that has changed my life forever. I screamed, â€Å"Bart! † trying to grab his attention, but it was a little too late. The next thing is the sound of shattering glass and the scraping of his Ford Explorer against trees. My body jerked forward and then backwards. Those few seconds seemed to last a lifetime. Then it was all over and everything was silent. I opened my eyes and looked around. I saw trees and broken glass. We had ended up in a ditch near a creek. I looked to my left and saw Bart. His eyes were closed and he did not look too banged up. I thought he was fine. I screamed for Michael to call 911 and tried to wake Bart up, yelling, â€Å"Bart, get up. We need to get out of here. † I kept calling his name, but never got an answer. Michael ran down the ditch to help us get out of the car. My door would not open, so he had to pull me out through the window, telling me, â€Å"Watch the glass. The glass was the least of my worries. I was bleeding from my face, but I felt nothing. Michael tried to get Bart out, but there was nothing we could do. The police, ambulance, and fire truck came. It seemed like an hour before they got there. They immediately looked at me and asked me questions about what happened, if I was ok. Stuff like that. I told them I was fine and to get my frie nd out of the car. I was taken to the hospital, where I was given x-rays and looked over. I kept asking about Bart, but no one ever said anything. My mom came in and then my sister. After a few minutes they told me Bart did not make it. I fell into tears. A little while later, I left the hospital. I went straight to my friend Blake’s house. Everyone had gone there to be together. I walked up to my friends who were crying their eyes out. The next day I went to the accident site with my friend Bailes. There was debris from the car all over the ground. In the ditch lay one of Bart’s socks and his shoes. The fast, hard impact of a tree we hit had blown them right off of him. After seeing the scene, Bailes and I went to Bart’s house to see his family. Considering the circumstances, they seemed to be ok. We left their house and went to see their car. Seeing the car was one of the most difficult things for me. I fell to my knees crying. The days that followed were filled with tears. The visitation was two days after the accident, the funeral three. After the visitation some of my friends and I put a cross on the curve where the accident happened. Since then, life has not been the same. I was not able to drive for two weeks after the accident. I was too afraid. Even today, I do not drive on certain roads or ride with many people. As for my friends, everyone seems to be okay now. We have all remained very close. We are there for each other, no matter what. Still, every day is a struggle. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Bart or the accident. I remember every noise, every word, and every feeling– memories that haunt me on a daily basis; memories I wish I didn’t have. When I think about Bart, all of that goes away. Memories of him always put a smile on my face. He was such a wonderful, loving, and funny person. He was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. My love for him will never die. He is missed greatly.

Ludwig Van Beethoven And The Classical Era - 1507 Words

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and a predominant musical figure that created the bridge from the classical era to the Romantic era. At a young age, Beethoven became interested in music, which gave his father, Johann van Beethoven, the idea of making him the next child prodigy like Mozart. Beethoven was brutally pushed to achieve the goal/dream of his father. However, at the age of 13 he had to take on the responsibility of providing for the family since his father was no longer able to. With his newly given responsibility, he requested a job at the courthouse where he was assign as an assistant court organist earning an annual pay of 150 florins. Beethoven played both the piano and the organ and was very skilled at it, so in 1787, the court decided to send him to study with Mozart in Vienna. Beethoven later rose to fame with his musical pieces, but then became deaf in his early 20s, which made him aggravated. Not only was he angry that one of his most valuable possession was gone, but also of his harsh childhood. Beethoven died on March 27, 1827, in Vienna. Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany December 16, 1770. He had four siblings originally, but unfortunately, his brother before him died just six days after birth. His other brother Anton Karl was born in April 1774, his second brother Nikolaus Johann was born in October 1776, and his only sister Maria Margaretha Josepha was born in1786. However, out of all his siblings, Beethoven had the most difficultShow MoreRelatedLudwig Van Beethoven : Classical And Romantic Era1095 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Ludwig Van Beethoven was a classical and romantic era composer and pianist. Ludwig van Beethoven was the transition from the classical to western music. Beethoven was much taken by the ideals of the Enlightenment and by the growing Romanticism in Europe.His early work resemble Haydn and Mozart in great amount. However, his later works set stage for the choral symphonies of Romantic period. He is famous for composing 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatasRead MoreLudwig Van Beethoven s Influence On The Classical Era938 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluential musician of all time, Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. Beethoven’s talent was noticed at a young age and he soon became a pioneer in the world of music for breaking the traditional bounds of style and form. Over the course of his life, Beethoven produced nine symphonies, seven concertos, and a total of forty-two sonatas. Although these numbers are few when compared to other c omposers such as Joseph Haydn, his work was very substantial. Ludwig van Beethoven’s compositionsRead MoreLudwig Van Beethoven, An Era Of The 19th Century European Classical Music1332 Words   |  6 PagesLudwig Van Beethoven, (1770-1827) is a dominant figure of the 19th century European Classical music. He was born in Bonn, Germany, and spent most of his life in Vienna, Austria. Beethoven died at the age of 56, and his death was later found to have been caused by post-hepatitic cirrhosis of the liver, which provided clues to the origins of his deafness. His musical life is divided into three different periods: early, middle, and late. Opus 10 No. 3: Piano Sonata No.7 in D Major - First MovementRead MoreThe Music That Have Changed The Face Of Music1375 Words   |  6 PagesGrowing up, Beethoven was a household name. Countless studies have been released claiming classical music could increase babies’ intelligence. The importance of music is vast and affects every individual in a multitude of ways. Throughout the course of history, there have been artist that have changed the face of music as we know it. Two important composers to the course of music’s history are Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt. While both composers certainly have similarities in their music, thereRead MoreThe Classical And Romantic Eras Of Classical Music999 Words   |  4 Pages Ludwig Van Beethoven served as an important link between two important periods of time, the classic and romantic eras of music, and his compositions still stand today as a famous memorial of the past. Many people say, ‘Music never dies!’, and that statement has proven true by Beethoven’s Legacy, a creation of many famous compositions of classical music that still stand, untouched by history today as a sound, a true monument that represents the golden age of classical music, a trip into the ever-growingRead MoreLaqwandra Myers. Ludwig Van Beethoven . February 1, 2017.1066 Words   |  5 PagesMyers Ludwig van Beethoven February 1, 2017 Music Appreciation 101 L. Webb M/W 12:30PM-2:00PM â€Æ' When asking anyone to name a famous composer in history, a few names will always be mentioned. They are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, and Ludwig van Beethoven, just to name a few. Every composer mentioned have become famous in their own rights, and have inspired musicians for centuries. Arguably, the most famous composer in history would be Ludwig van Beethoven. BeethovenRead MoreClassical Music And The Era Of Music1646 Words   |  7 Pagesmentioned classical music or music for the heroic era you knew very little to nothing about the subject. The only thing you knew was that it was music from a long time ago and that Beethoven was the only artist you could name. So, let me enlighten you on what classical music is and the era it comes from. The term classical is something that has a wide and long-lasting appeal. In music, when a piece was written from between about 1750 to 1825 it was considered classical or from the Baroque era. The twoRead MoreLu dwig Van Beethoven, One of the Greatest Composers of the Roomantic Period1099 Words   |  4 PagesLife of Ludwig van Beethoven Multitudes of music books recount the life of Ludwig van Beethoven and his contributions to music. There are many different texts that provide hard evidence that he was an individual who went on to become one of the best-known composers of all times. The early life of music saw many composers try to succeed with writing and publishing music. However, Ludwig van Beethoven emerged to become a crucial figure during the transition from Classical to Romantic eras. OverRead MoreThe Classical Era And The Age Of Enlightenment1123 Words   |  5 PagesLudwig Van Beethoven was a musical masterpiece. He never let problems interfere with his work. He was born in the baroque period, lives a life of fifty-four years, and contributed so much romance in his life although never being married or having kids. Beethoven is well known for his work and will forever be known as a Romantic influencer. Beethoven dedicated his whole life to his music. He never let bad situations fully tear him apart fro m writing and playing music. The historical period that LudwigRead MoreEssay on Ludwig Van Beethoven1148 Words   |  5 Pagesthe people on it as a whole, you see that there are very few influential people whose actions or opinions strongly influence the course of events. Ludwig Van Beethoven, a German musician, is one of those very few. He was an extraordinary musician that lived through hardship and had the horrific fate of deafness, any musician’s worst nightmare. Beethoven left a wall standing in history that captured the art of sounds and worked it beyond imagination into music so fragile and pure yet onerous, unable