I believe BT & LP is a healthier choice.
However, I am also concerned about our military men and women who sacrifice and risk so much for our country. So while I am a great fan of BT an LP, I think it is important for you as a commander to know that BT & LP do have caffeine in them. While I do not believe that pharmaceutical caffeine is added, I do believe that some of the extracts have caffeine and caffeine precursors in them. I also find BT & LP to be somewhat of a diuretic as well. However, diuretics do not always dehydrate if fluids are continued. In that light, nothing is better for the soldier than good clean water, and lots of it.
The soldier drinking BT or LP may not notice quite the kick they get from others that are packed with sugar and extra doses of pharmaceutical caffeine. But that is good! The sugar kick plus caffeine is temporary and the sugar drain from insulin production with the drop off in caffeine levels leads to a very dangerous mental and physical drop off, especially if that happened at the wrong time. Which might be likely. I would assume the soldier is not consuming the energy drinks in the middle of a dangerous task saturated event. That most task saturated events occur afterwards during that drop off phase or later. So while BT & LP, might not fire them up as well, it also won’t drop them out when they need heightened awareness and physical stamina the most. The only concern is with dehydration, so water water water, in addition to any use of BT or LP.
God bless those looking out for our soldiers best interest! I am a reader of the translations of Sun Tzu. Much wisdom can be found there. I don’t think anyone in government that can influence whether or not a soldier is put in harms way, so be allowed to without first having read and understood some of those translations. Col. David Hackworth, god rest his soul, followed them well. I also think anyone sending men and women in to harms way should not be allowed to participate in the decision making until they have read his book; Steel, My Soldiers Hearts!
God bless. Take care, and I second Dr Proteus’s earlier comment – Thank You for Your Service and all those who serve under you and in all branches of our fine military!
