5,000 in Forces have drink abuse on records

More than 5,000 members of the Armed Forces had alcohol abuse noted on their medical records in the last four years, according to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

And almost 600 personnel from the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, Army and the RAF had drug abuse recorded on their files, it has been reported.

In its response, the MOD said: “As within wider society, there is no quick fix to reduce alcohol misuse in the Armed Forces. We also have rigorous processes in place to discipline personnel who make poor choices regarding alcohol, as well as treatment mechanisms in place for those with genuine alcohol problems.”