1,700 soldiers were just drug tested at Fort Rucker and the Army swears it had nothing to do with 4/20

Nothing to see here!

In the midst of the current global pandemic, where gatherings are discouraged and keeping six feet away from others is almost law, one has to wonder: What could be so important that more than 1,500 soldiers were made to stand in formation for several hours? 

Obviously, the answer is a drug test.

Around 1,700 soldiers with the 1st Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker had their urine tested on Tuesday, immediately raising eyebrows given the test’s apparent proximity to 4/20, a day that in some circles dedicated to the copious consumption of marijuana. 

According to Zero Blog Thirty, the testing went well into the night.

Fort Rucker 100% piss test for 1800+ soldiers right now. Hug your DD-214 extra hard if you have one. pic.twitter.com/PwAKHo87FO

— Bold American (@boldamericanpod) April 22, 2020

But Fort Rucker spokesman Jimmie Cummings, Jr. told Task & Purpose that while he saw some people speculating about the suspicious timing, it was “just a coincidence,” as they announced they’d be resuming flight training at the end of last week. 

“This was a health & welfare check for the commander as they are resuming flight training after suspending it for two weeks due to COVID-19,” Cummings said. “The soldiers were required to wear masks and maintain six-foot social distancing procedures during this event. … This same unit conducted another 100 percent urinalysis back in January when flight students returned from two weeks of blocked leave, so this is a common practice, especially in the training environment.” 

See? Definitely had nothing to do with the fact that maybe a few of these soldiers might have been partaking in some 4/20 festivities. 

This was totally separate from the possibility that some folks may have spent a little time with ‘ol Mary Jane. 

Not at all related. 

Seriously.

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Haley Britzky Avatar

Haley Britzky

Former Army Reporter

Haley Britzky was the Task & Purpose Army reporter from 2019 to 2022. She previously worked at Axios covering breaking news. She reports on important developments within the service, from new uniforms to new policies; the realities of military life facing soldiers and their families; and broader cultural issues that expand outside of the Army, touching each of the military services. 


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