ABSTRACT
Similar to young adults in college settings, young men and women in the military develop specific cultural beliefs about drinking, using drugs, and “partying.” These social environments have been shown to influence the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. What remains to be discovered is the degree to which alcohol consumption behaviors are related to high risk sexual practices in this younger age group of first-term enlistees in the military. In order to develop prevention programs that are relevant, successful, and which “speak” to the experiences of young people in the military, it is important to understand the impact that alcohol, along with other factors in cultural environments such as the military, have on sexual behavior.
