MILITARY ON SPOT OVER DRUG TESTS

AN INVESTIGATION has been demanded into why only three officers have ever
been caught by drug tests in the military compared with thousands of junior
ranks.

Amid persistent rumours that officers are being tipped off about 'random'
drug tests, Paul Keetch, the Liberal Democrat's defence spokesman, has
written to the Ministry of Defence asking for an explanation.

Some 3,400 junior ranks have been caught abusing drugs since the
introduction of compulsory testing. The failure rate runs at about one in
130 every year. But for officers the ratio of positive drugs tests is just
one in 4,700.

Figures released to Scotland on Sunday show only three officers have been
caught and dismissed from the armed forces.

Keetch has written to Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence,
asking for checks to ensure officers are not being tipped off about drug tests.

Keetch said: "Drug-testing procedures should apply equally to all service
members."

His action was prompted by complaints received from serving soldiers
alleging that officers receive favourable treatment on drug testing.

Under the rules, the commanding officer of each unit to be visited by drug
testers is given a warning before the testers arrive. But ex-military
sources have claimed this information is sometimes used to send `problem'
officers away on errands. This can create enough time for drugs to leave
the officer's system.

A MoD spokeswoman insisted COs would face disciplinary action if collusion
to avoid testing for any soldier, officer or not, could be proven.