Photo By Lance Cpl. Natalie Greenwood | III Marine Expeditionary Force urges Marines to not drink and drive with the Career...... read more read more
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“Are you ready to get it started up in here?” a disc jockey asks loudly into a microphone as music begins playing. Your friends start cheering and dancing around you. “Let’s get shots!” you hear them say as they migrate towards the bar. You didn’t plan on drinking tonight, and you didn’t arrange a ride home, but hey—one shot couldn’t hurt, right?
Drinking and driving can result in severe consequences, so severe that it should make the idea to drink and drive non-existent. Every day, though, someone makes an irresponsible decision to drive while under the influence.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, one standard drink contains 14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount can be found in a 12 ounce beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5 ounce shot of liquor.
“If you operate a vehicle in Japan with a 0.03 blood alcohol content (BAC) or higher, that’s considered driving under the influence,” said 1st Lt. Viviana Lowe, the Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction Officer with Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC). “A single beer can cause you to blow a 0.03 BAC.”
A Marine who drives under the influence may face criminal and administrative actions.
If the incident happens out in town, the Japanese prosecutor's office has primary jurisdiction, explained Lowe. Generally, the member will be released into U.S. custody within 48 hours and filtered out through summary court, and then they’ll pay their fine. The Japanese Government though, does have the authority to induce punishment by imprisonment with labor for up to 3 years and a fine of up to JPY 500,000.
Once the case is closed on the Japanese side, the Marine Corps can initiate their own administrative action.
“A DUI is chargeable under Article 113 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” said Maj. William Mossor, the Senior Defense Counsel with MCIPAC. “Marines need to be aware that it takes a lot less alcohol to qualify for a DUI here in Japan than it does in the United States.”
When the investigation starts, statements have to be made, and people have to look into the incident, explain Mossor. “There is a lot of paperwork being shuffled and the commanding officer is ultimately going to make the decision about what happens to the case. That could be a non-judicial punishment, a court martial, or administrative separation.”
Marines may be faced with automatic suspension of on-post driving privileges, removal of security clearance status, demotion and reduction in pay, and other administrative actions explained Gunnery Sgt. Vladimir Dorcelus, the substance abuse control officer with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion.
“DUI’s don’t just affect you,” explained Dorcelus. “They affect your unit too because now, all of a sudden, Marines are unable to perform transportation duties due to having a suspended license or unable to carry a firearm because of a DUI conviction.”
“It takes time to process everything after receiving a DUI,” said Mossor. “I really advise Marines that during that time, they use it to make themselves better. You're going to face some consequences for the incident. Don’t let that mistake define you - bounce back from it. Show that you can do your job, and continue to perform. That’s going to help you in the long run.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2022 00:47 |
| Story ID: | 420087 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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