“Fall Out”: Substance Misuse and Service Leavers: A Qualitative Investigation into the Impact of a Compulsory Drug Test (CDT) Discharge (Briefing Report)

Abstract: The primary aim of the Fall Out project is to learn more about a specific cohort of Early Service Leavers (ESLs) — those dismissed from the Armed Forces as a result of a positive Compulsory Drug Test (CDT). Although the exact numbers of CDT failures are not routinely published, data available through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests (MoD FoI Requests, Various) and research papers (Bird, 2007) suggest that between 600 and 770 serving personnel return a positive CDT result each year. The Fall Out study, through qualitative enquiry, maps participant journeys in, through and out of military service and explores their discharge and transition experiences. It provides clear recommendations for the development and delivery of policy and processes to assist CDT leavers in making a successful transition to civilian life.

The following is a briefing report of the findings from the project.