DRUG POLICY PUTS FOCUS ON REDSTONE CIVILIAN JOBS

Army Plan Increases Number Who Can Be Tested At Random

Uncle Sam is putting more civilians than ever to the test for illegal drug use.

On Jan. 15 at Redstone Arsenal, more than 1,000 additional civilians out of
8,600 employees became subject to drug testing in an Armywide program.

Pam Rogers, a Redstone spokeswoman, said the new policy has nothing to do
with the events of Sept. 11 and was in the works long before then.

Planning for the expanded civilian drug testing program has been under way
locally since 1999, Rogers said. It involves 1,122 civilians, compared to
120 civilians subject to drug testing before.

Before Jan. 15, "the only civilians who were subject to drug testing were
pilots, civilian guards and police," she said.

The new group for drug testing comprises people who have access to top
secret information or whose jobs involve public safety issues. This
includes firefighters, ammunitions or explosive handlers, anyone required
to have a commercial driver's license and/or those who transport hazardous
materials, railroad personnel, aviation crew members, air traffic
controllers, dispatchers and safety inspectors, Rogers said.

Dave Dieter/Huntsville Times An Army civilian employee talks to Paula Hagy,
installation biochemical test coordinator, before being tested for drugs as
part of a stepped-up program at Redstone Arsenal. Once a month, about 45
civilians will be selected randomly for drug testing through the use of
software called HEIDI, an acronym for "Health Evaluation Information for
Drugs in Industry."

Over a year, the software will select about half the number of civilians in
the pool for drug testing, Rogers said, and some of those tested may be
randomly chosen several times.

"You could be tested more than once or you could be tested not at all,"
Rogers said.

Those selected for testing "would receive a phone call and be told to
report immediately to have a test," said Rogers. "If a person refuses and
has no reason, that's grounds for termination from your job."

Conducted at Redstone's Employee Assistance Program office, the test is
based on a urine sample and can detect the use of marijuana, cocaine,
amphetamines, opiates, barbiturates and some prescription drugs.

Of course, "there would be absolutely no repercussions" for those taking
prescribed medications.

Civilians who test positive for non-prescribed drugs will be referred to
drug rehabilitation and transferred to a job that is not subject to drug
testing during their treatment.

After that person has six "clean" drug samples, he or she could be put back
into their original jobs, Rogers said. But testing positive for drugs a
second time might mean the employee would be fired, she said.

"You get one chance to clean up your act," said Rogers. "After that, all
your chances are over."

Troy Vest, acting chief of Fire and Emergency Services at Redstone, said he
and his staff consider drug testing "a good thing."

Ruby Turner, alcohol and drug control officer of the Employee Assistance
Program, said civilians in federal jobs other than those listed in the new
policy are not subject to drug testing, nor can managers who suspect
employees of drug use identify them as such.

If an employee's duty performance is lacking, Turner said, a manager can
refer him or her to the Employee Assistance Program, but testing for drugs
would be strictly voluntary.

For more information, call Turner at 876-2990.