Alcohol Use Disorder

 The FAA Subjective Diagnosis 

There is NO specific test 

to diagnose alcohol use disorder!

The FAA is supposed to ensure passenger safety. But the history of the agency overlooking aircraft manufacturer standards, allowing airlines to violate federal regulations regarding duty time and SMS, and enabling FAA administrators to retire to airlines' board of directors after they leave the FAA, despite it being illegal for anyone in the FAA to accept any money from an airline, indicates they may not be doing their job. Yet, they are crushing down on pilots directly, without fact or evidence of mental health issues or alcohol use disorder. 

This agency is making subjective opinions about pilots being alcoholics when they are not. Why? Because the HIMS program is a profit center where airline management can control pilots by placing their careers on the line, and the FAA appears to work for airline management more so than the public. The FAA instills fear that without this program pilots will fly drunk. But they fail to inform the public that the agency is overlooking airlines flying pilots fatigued, knowing that fatigue has a similar impact as alcohol. You can read more in Flying Drunk from Fatigue.

I'm hoping that our new FAA administrator, Michael Whitaker, will be different. 

While there is no test for alcohol disorder, there are symptoms as identified by the Mayo Clinic to include:

• Unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Unsuccessful attempts to cut down on drinking
• Too much time spent drinking, getting alcohol, or recovering
• Strong cravings or urge to drink alcohol
• Failing to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home due to repeated alcohol use
• Continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it's causing physical, social, work or relationship problems
• Giving up or reducing social and work activities and hobbies to use alcohol.
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms — such as nausea, sweating and shaking — when you don't drink, or drinking to avoid these symptoms.

If a pilot fits those symptoms and has a problem, there are many alcohol support groups. Yet, those pilots are far and few between. The concern is the pilots who do not have any of those symptoms but are labeled alcoholics and forced into treatment. 

What I know to be true is that that the HIMS program, a company paid program, sponsored by the FAA, to control pilots, is forcing pilots who are not alcoholics into the program. ALPA even encourages pilots who have done something stupid on a layover, to claim they are an alcoholic, so they can be protected from termination in the program. Someone should question why a company would allow a program that supported dishonesty instead of truth and accountability. Alcohol is typically involved in stupid behavior, but that does not mean the person is an alcoholic. But once in the program, the airline owns the pilot. Then they go through treatment hell giving their life to the program. You can kiss your family time goodbye. I know a Captain who quit Delta because it was either the program or his family. He chose his wife and kids.

ALPA even encouraged a FedEx pilot to enter the program because the company was retaliating against his safety claims. This pilot doesn't drink. The ALPA HIMS rep told him that it didn't matter, as exercise was an addition too. They were trying to backdoor his termination, because his being an alcoholic, false or not, would give claim to FedEx. 

I know a dozen or more pilots who have been forced into this program that do not have any of the symptoms as listed, and have never been tested in any manner. When these pilot's tell the doctors in the company-paid rehab programs that they are not alcoholics, their jobs are threatened because they are "in denial." If the pilot conveys they have no issue with alcohol and can quit drinking at any time, they are called liars. Because "all alcoholics are liars," if you say you're not an alcoholic you are, simply because alcoholics are liars, and if you're in denial, that means you are lying and thus an alcoholic. See the logic here?

Captain Ratfield was forced into the program because she was raped. Captain Danford refused to return to the program after he received a false positive PEth test and was thereafter terminated. I know a Delta captain who was forced into the HIMS program by Dr. Altman for having a half glass of wine with a low level DUI. Yet, despite Dr. Altman asking if I drank and I provided him a litany of alcoholic beverages that I've consumed, he did not as much put one word about my alcohol consumption in my 366 page medical report. 

Karlene, Mike Danford, Andrea Ratfield.

Of important significance, Mike, Andrea, and I were at a party together, and I was the only one of the three of us consuming alcohol. They are both in the program, yet despite my admissions, I was never sent there. Neither of these two pilots have any of the symptoms, or cravings, or need to drink. They were never tested or even asked the above questions. While I love a nice bourbon in the evening, or a tequila on the golf course, I don't crave the stuff and wouldn't care if I never drank again. Yet, if Delta hadn't provide directive to Dr. Altman to give me a permanently disqualifying diagnosis, he would have put me in the program despite my not being an alcoholic. 

Dr. Altman was the head HIMS psychiatrist prior to forfeiting his medical license for accepting $74,000 from Delta to give me a false mental health diagnosis. Dr. Riccitello, from AMAS, said, "Dr. Altman is the big gun for the FAA." Dr. Altman even testified in trial that, "Dr. Charles Chesanow, who is the chief psychiatrist at the FAA, told me that I've done more evaluations of pilot than anyone else at this point in time." I feel heartbroken for all those pilots who lost their careers at the deception of this man and the FAA allowing him to continue for so long, when the agency had knowledge of his behavior. 

Delta terminated Danford for not reentering the program. Yet, there is life beyond Delta and Mike still flies. Congress was willing to allow Captain Danford out of the program, but the FAA got involved and said that he had a "lifelong condition". (See the email below).  I know Mike. He does not have a lifelong condition that prevents him from abstaining from alcohol. This assertion was subjective and without knowledge or merit and exemplifies the overreaching arm of the FAA on individuals, when they should be focusing on manufacturers and airline violations. 

Captain Danford was never tested, because there is no test. And Captain Danford has given up drinking without any support system. He regularly is around others who drink and has no cravings and never consumes alcohol. He has NONE of the symptoms listed above. Yet, someone at the FAA has denied him without any justification. 

On Jan 4, 2024, at 10:11, Ball, Lauren (Hagerty) <Lauren_Ball@hagerty.senate.gov> wrote:

Hello Mr. Danford,

I have received a response from the FAA and copied it below.

“He requested your assistance regarding his Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman medical certification.

Mr. Danford does not meet medical standards due to history of substance dependence, a lifelong condition requiring sustained abstinence-based recovery. The FAA requires continued monitoring under the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) program to hold a special issuance medical certificate. We are unable to release Mr. Danford from the HIMS program, but we have modified the requirements of special issuance authorization to reduce the frequency of blood alcohol testing, HIMS evaluations, and peer support group meetings.”

If you need any further assistance please let me know.

Thank you,

Lauren Ball
Constituent Services Representative for U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty
900 Georgia Ave, Suite 260
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: 423-752-533

Fax: 423-752-2504

Lauren_Ball@hagerty.senate.gov 

I invite everyone who is interested in this injustice, to please reach out to Ms. Ball and tell her so.

Or better yet, reach out to our FAA administrator, Michael Whitaker on LinkedIn or write him a letter: 

FAA Administration: 800 Independence Ave SW #300, United States.

This situation is not unlike the unjust treatment with subjective assertions about pilots' mental health. Something must be done, before further destruction of pilots' lives. 

Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene