Why Is Army G1 In Charge of Substance Abuse Treatment?

Alcoholism is a disease that requires medical treatment.

The Army G1 shop, which is in charge of personnel, for some odd reason runs the Army Substance Abuse Program -- ASAP -- rather than the Army Medical Department.

Alcoholism is a disease which requires medical treatment, so why are the personnel folk managing treatment of a disease?

I’ve tried to get an answer to this question for the past several years, and it remains a mystery.

One possible answer is that the G1 is also in charge of discipline, and alcoholism is the only disease that large organizations attempt to treat with discipline.

I suggest the G1 focus less on discipline and more on mandating ASAP patients attend AA and NA meetings, starting with the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.