MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- More than 2,000 years ago a substance was created that has since caused as many good times as bad - alcohol. While the good times fade with the evening, the bad can destroy families, dreams and take life in the blink of an eye.
Marines and Sailors often hear the alcohol sermon at safety stand-downs, but March 28 they had the chance to hear the real-life story of one man, his nightmarish battle with alcoholism and how it nearly destroyed his life.
Doctor Jack Matthews, associate dean of academics at the Command and Staff College in Quantico, Va., travels to bases and stations all over the world to tell Marines about his battle with alcoholism as a Marine lieutenant colonel, in the hope that it will be of assistance to someone.
"My goal is to just tell my story," he said. "If I can help just one person while I'm over here, the whole trip is worth it."
Matthews traveled for three weeks, spending 10 days in Okinawa, three days in Iwakuni, two days at Camp Fuji and four days in Hawaii telling his story. In the past six years, he has talked to more than 160,000 Marines.
"It gave a more real-world image of how you would turn out and what can happen to you," said Cpl. James Otto, Provost Marshal's Office training noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "You can look at what he did to change his life and ask yourself, 'What can I do to change?'"
Matthews explained how he took his first drink at the age of 17 and liked it.
"I started to self-medicate myself to overcome a spiritual deficiency," he said. "When I drank, I drank to get drunk."
Frequent blackouts and stupid behavior were just a joke to everyone when he was young and in college, he noted. However, they don't stay funny after a while.
"His story was an awakening to what can happen when you take things too far and don't stop when you can," Otto said.
According to Matthews, there are signs that someone may be heading down the road to alcoholism.
"When anybody has a drastic personality change when they drink, obviously lose control, or when a series of incidents have occurred that are alcohol related, that can show a problem with alcohol," he explained. "I hope that if anybody is hurting they reach out and get some help."
In his late 20s, he became an alcohol abuser. In 1972, he became a drunk while stationed in Okinawa. His wife talked to him about his problem with alcohol in 1973. In 1977, he lost his wife and children in a divorce greatly influenced by alcohol, which had a firm grasp on him.
"It's the important stuff in life that you disregard when you're a drunk," he said.
According to Matthews, two of his sons to this day will not speak to him or let him see his grandchildren, all because of alcohol.
"If you care about your family at all you won't do anything like what he did," Otto added. "However, in one way or another, whether from personal experience or someone in the family, alcoholism is definitely hitting a lot of people in America."
Finally, at the age of 43, as a divorced Marine lieutenant colonel, Matthews realized he had lost the ability to stop drinking and much more.
In 1984, as a field grade Marine officer, with one too many alcohol-related incidents under his belt, he was forced to seek help. He was admitted to the Bethesda Medical Center for alcoholism. After several weeks of treatment and countless meetings since then, he has managed not to drink for 18 years.
As for those who may recognize the early signs of an alcohol problem, Matthews has some advice.
"They don't need to be afraid," he said. "If they have a problem and if it is hurting them in a spiritual sense, and they haven't had any incidents yet, then call somebody and ask for some help. You don't have to do this alone."
As for the end result, Matthews hopes his story can help someone. Some of those who attended believe it will.
"I thought it was a lot better than hearing it from a substance abuse counselor, because it was real-world," Otto said about Matthews' story. "As far as the Marines who have problems, stories like this may get them help quicker."
For more information on alcoholism or help in dealing with an alcohol related problem call your unit substance abuse counselor or the Substance Abuse Counseling Center at 253-5260.