MDMARI: First it was Ketamine, which I have not heard of being prescribed lately but I do know they are huge on MDMA right now in tandem with psychoanalysis.
I have never been a PTSD patient. I became addicted from a wound.
In Infantry, my branch, we have monojects of morphine and amphetamine. In the IAF they regualry inject fighter pilots with amphetmaine derivatives so it is built into the culture. The problem is what and when they consider usage to be problematic, hence the New Year's raid on Mt. Hermon where my Battalion was hit hard.
For the poster asking how easy it is to get stuff in combat zones. I can offer my subjective experience but I realise you were asking about Americans in their current deployments. In this very Forum, a few months ago, a story that was published in the NY Times talks about how military in Afghanistan are in a unique position, as they are also in Iraq. Unlike past theaters they cannot go off base at will when on R and R, so being confined to base gets old really quick.
The Americans have now provided their men and women with great recreational services but still, they can in Afghanistan, walk up to the chainlink fence where there is only one layer (as opposed to inner and outer walls as in FOBs and all Israeli facilities) and pay the equivalent of 50 US cents and get a gram or so of pure as it gets #2 heroin. The kid will run and bring it back and you then slip the currency through the fence and the kid is off. According to the article and from what I have heard subjectively it is very common.
As for Iraq, I am told they also have illicit drugs there but that the main traffic is in pharmaceuticals of every variety.
In my own case, when I was first in combat it was in Beka'a, in Lebanon the place where all Lebanese hashish is made as well as #2 heroin and morphine base. At that time we were allied with the Christain Phalangists and especially in other sectors, the SLA which under the brass was more than 50% Shia. It is Shia who do most of the farming in Beka'a and who also act as middlemen. They said it was all overseen by Revolutionary Guards (Iran) but it was as simple as asking for it and in 20 minutes you could get as much hash as you wanted and a sizable amount of pure (pure as it gets because #2 does not get that pure) heroin. I could get 3 grams of heroin for the equivalent of 5 US dollars but I really did not get into heroin until on Leave I came here to the South Bronx for a visit .
In my situation, I was what is called a "Lone Soldier" in English meaning my parents did not live in Israel, and as such was entitled to discounted airfare and extra time for leave,etc. It was America that got me into heroin, good old SE Asian #4, "Checkmate" brand.
Drugs really took off in Israel then because the tanks, Merkavas had at that time plates that come off on the rear haunches and you could perfectly fit 4 kilos of anything , replace the plate (with rivetsand screws)( and bring it back with you. Before that you never really heard about drugs in the street except for cannabis and hash. Now, we have one off the highest per capita rates of opiate/opioid addiction in the world. Funny though, the highest rate is Iran.
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