First Warren Airman court-martialed for Spice

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Brooke Brzozowske
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  An airman with the 90th Security Forces Squadron was convicted of abusing the drug known as Spice and charges of wrongful use of a controlled substance here August 12.

Airman Aaron Ray became the first Air Force member to be convicted through court-martial of using Spice at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. Airman Ray was also convicted of using marijuana on several occasions.

During his court-martial, Airman Ray plead guilty to:

- Article 92 for failure to obey a lawful order

- Article 112a for wrongful use of a controlled substance

The summary court officer sentenced Airman Ray to 10 days of hard labor without confinement and 20 days of confinement. He was also reduced in rank from airman first class to airman basic.

According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Salvia Divinorum is a perennial herb in the mint family that resembles common sage. The plant contains the hallucinogen Salvinorin A and is abused for the mind-altering sensations it produces.

Spice is a brand name for a mixture of the Salvia herb and other synthetic cannabinoid ingredients. Several different flavors of Spice exist and are sold locally.

On March 9, 2010, Col. Greg Tims, 90th Missile Wing commander, issued a policy letter on the possession, distribution and use of Salvia and Spice. In the letter, Colonel Tims ordered all members "to not possess, distribute, or use by inhaling, chewing, smoking, injecting, consuming, or introducing into the body in any manner the herb commonly known as Salvia in any form or the intoxicant commonly known as Spice in any form."

On June 8, the Air Force published an Air Force guidance memorandum revising Air Force Instruction 44-121, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program. The revised language makes punitive the prohibition in the current Air Force Instruction regarding the ingestion of any substance, other than alcohol or tobacco, for the purpose of altering mood or function, to include the designer drug "Spice," Salvia Divinorum, inhalants, household chemicals, solvents and prescription drug abuse. The possession of any intoxicating substance, if done with the intent to use in a manner that would alter mood or function, is also prohibited.

This order means failure to obey constitutes a violation of Article 92, Uniform Code of Military Justice, Failure to Obey Order or Regulation and may result in punitive or administrative actions.