More About this Wolf

I didn't want religion, I just wanted my life to get better.

My first encounter with Alcoholics Anonymous was under the directive of my Company Commander. I was at the peak of my military career in the Army when I reached the peak of my alcoholism. I had ten years in the Army and I was a Staff Sergeant (E-6) and on the promotion waiting list to be promoted to E-7. I had commendations on my chest and letters and awards in my file. Expert Infantryman's Badge, Meritorious Service Award, Good Conduct Medal- 3rd award, NCO Professional Achievement award... and I was a member of an elite group of NCO's- an Infantry Advanced Marksmanship Instructor with the 2nd Infantry Training Brigade. My heavy drinking had brought me to a point of being disrespectful and insubordinate as well as in trouble with the law, both military and civilian. I was facing a drunk driving charge, a federal charge of carrying multiple concealed weapons on a military base, domestic abuse charges, assault with intent to do grievous harm and insubordination to a senior NCO and a commanding officer all within a month and a half.

I was removed from the E-7 promotion list, placed on six months probation and directed to not drink for six months as well as attend AA meetings and counseling through the Community Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center(CDACC). (Ironically, I had been the CDACC NCO of a Brigade in West Germany a few years before). When I went to my first AA meeting, I heard talk about God and pray and I wanted nothing to do with it. I was insulted and angry that the Army should try to suggest that I needed religion to stay out of trouble. I did what I had to to get through the six month period, including going to AA and pretending to agree. I played their game and abided my time.

At the end of the six months I had stayed out of trouble and went through all the motions of conforming to their expectations and was released from probation and placed back on the promotion list. That was Wednesday. Now Friday night, I had some things to celebrate! Some time early Saturday morning I was wanted for aggravated assault and an APB was issued for my arrest. When they caught me just out side of Columbus, Georgia, I was charged with assault, drunk driving, resisting arrest, assault and battery of a police officer (3 counts) and attempted assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon. On Monday morning my commanding officer started the paper work to put me out of the Army. After ten years of commendable service, I was discharged with a General Discharge.

I was married at the time of discharge and my wife and I decided to move to Marinette, Wisconsin where her sister lived. After three months, my wife realized that the problems had not been about the Army but were about me and she took our son and daughter and left, moving back to Louisiana where I had first met her. Within four months I had lost my military career, lost my wife and kids, and was in debt for several thousand dollars of fines and had bench warrants for my arrest in Georgia for skipping bail.

More to be revealed soon. Click here to get an email when I continue my story.

Return to my Main Page