The Bug

During my tenure in the military, which began in the Cold War era, working hard and drinking went hand in hand. Joining at the age of 19, as an alcoholic in total denial, was a disaster waiting to happen. During basic training, no drinking was allowed and I didn't really miss it, due to the high stress and constant challenges; however, technical school was different. Once I moved to Phase 3, a status earned by longevity at school, we were allowed to drink on the weekends. My pre-military actions and habits resurfaced and the partying began. Within minutes of waking each day, my thoughts, plans, and actions became focused on quitting time and happy hour. Some people wait until late in the night to drink, but my choice was immediately after work. I'm also a morning person, so my plan was to drink from 4:30pm to 8 or 9:00pm in order to get decent rest and be able to function during the day.