Grounded

I believe I was already an alcoholic when I joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1964, at 20 years of age. The military life had many advantages for a young man for whom alcohol was already becoming a dominant priority. I could legally drink in the mess (the drinking age elsewhere was 21); the cost of drinks was reduced; the messes had longer operating hours than most civilian bars; there were always lots of fellow drinkers available; and, since I lived in the barracks, I didn't have far to go to "pass out."