When you serve in the military, you are courageously protecting American citizens. However, serving in the armed forces can be very stressful, and it is natural to want to unwind. For some, drinking an alcoholic beverage or two is a great way to relax with your friends. However, if you drink too much and then drive, it can have long-lasting, negative impacts on your service with the military.
All state governments enforce a legal blood alcohol content maximum, or BAC limit. If your BAC is above a certain amount while you are driving, you can be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI). This is a very straightforward way to determine whether or not a person is violating the law. In fact, you can buy a breathalyzer machine for yourself that you can use before driving to make sure that you cannot be charged by law enforcement for a DWI or DUI.
On the other hand, the military does not necessarily enforce an exact BAC limit. This makes drinking and driving much more arbitrary. Instead of simply measuring a person’s BAC and seeing if it is over the legal limit, a military looks at how much the alcohol consumption has affected an individual. This means that someone with low alcohol tolerance may still get charged with a military DUI even if they are below the state’s legal limit. Contrastingly, some people with high alcohol tolerance may be able to drive just fine even if they are far above the state’s legal limit.
If you are in the military, you must go to military court when you cause an auto accident after drinking and driving. The court will determine if you drank enough to impair your ability to drive. If you are in fact charged with driving while intoxicated, you could be released from the military with a dishonorable discharge. A dishonorable discharge can make it difficult for you to get hired elsewhere.
A DWI can quickly derail your military career and aspirations and destroy everything you have worked so hard to achieve. Thus, it is important that you prepare yourself to fight back against any DWI charges you may receive. To discuss your case, contact a DUI lawyer today.