Dirty job – Unit Prevention Leader

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Andrea Ashcraft from Hayward, Calif., a healthcare specialist for Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, asks a question during the Unit Prevention Leader class Jan. 22, on Camp Casey, South Korea. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Song Gun-woo, 210th FA BDE PAO)  

26, SOUTH KOREA

02.04.2014

Courtesy Story

2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division

CAMP CASEY, South Korea – Army Regulation 600-85 states that the role of the Unit Prevention Leader is the commander’s subject matter expert. They conduct urinalysis collections weekly, provide alcohol and other illicit drug training to the unit quarterly, and assist the commander in running and maintaining the unit’s drug testing and prevention programs.

Sgt. Andrea Ashcraft from Hayward, Calif., a healthcare specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, volunteered to become a UPL.

“It is very important, because it helps the commander determine if the unit has problems with substances,” she said. “It also deters soldiers from using illegal substances by conducting random testing.”

UPLs are a vital resource to unit commanders as part of the Army Substance Abuse Program.

“The Army Substance Abuse Program is a very important job in the United States Army, especially in our battery,” said Capt. Christopher Maes from Billings, Mont., the battery commander for HHB. “Our main focus is to ensure we have a higher level of readiness through ensuring our standards. Those standards primarily focus on making sure people aren’t doing drugs.”
UPLs deter drug use or illegal substance use by doing random testing, Ashcraft added.

Most soldiers might consider avoiding this task, but Ashcraft is focused on the importance of the job.

According to Ashcraft, the 2nd Inf. Div., regulations require four percent of a battery or company go through random illegal substance testing every week. The participants chosen for testing provide samples, and it is the UPL’s job to ensure the samples arrive safely and uncontaminated to the test center in Hawaii.

This is a significant responsibility since contaminated or altered samples may bring incorrect results and jeopardize the effectiveness of the test.

“There is a lot of paperwork that has to be shipped off with the samples,” she said. “We also have to keep our own records on file locked away.”

Illegal drug use is unhealthy and can hinder a unit or a soldier’s performance, reducing the unit’s readiness. Ashcraft is proud to strengthen the unit by keeping soldiers alert and preventing drug abuse. She said she is happy to work as a UPL, ensuring her unit is ready to “Fight Tonight.”

• Date Taken: 02.04.2014
• Date Posted: 02.23.2014 20:34
• Story ID: 121016
• Location: 26, KR
• Hometown: BILLINGS, MT, US
• Hometown: HAYWARD, CA, US