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August 1944

Dear Grapevine: Your thought for servicemen is excellent. Alcoholics are put to their greatest test while under stress. The emotions take over, and we are in great danger. The strain in the Army is terrific. Voices shouting orders, the hurry up and wait, arbitrary decisions which cause great inconvenience; these, and the whole idea of regimentation, create stress enough to knock us for several loops as things were in the old days. It was well expressed by the soldier who was asked by the Colonel’s wife if he were happy in the service. “No, ma’am,” he answered, “I’m nervous in the service.” Then too, for those of us who like to be alone at times, it is extremely difficult. The only solitude I have been able to get in the Army has been in the middle of the drill field late at night.

Without the AA program I know that long before this I would have gotten into serious trouble. We must accept a situation we cannot change; and we learned in AA that the manner in which we accept things is infinitely more important than whatever we might have to accept. I don’t recommend it as a cure, but I believe that this is a constructive, beneficial experience. I have been forced to depend upon AA to the utmost to remain as well as I have. Two slips in 20 months in the Army is, to me, an indication of what happens when we don’t constantly practice our program.

John D.