The impact of substance abuse in so many segments of our society is another source for terror.

Talk about chemical imbalance. Now substance abuse appears to be plaguing our military establishment the same as it does so many other parts of our society.

Whatever happened to “duty, honor, country”, “off we go into the wild blue yonder,” “from the halls of Montezuma”, “anchors aweigh” and other slogans that reminded us of the strength, courage and character of our Army, Air Force, Marine and Navy and Coast Guard personnel?

It appears we also need special attention to keep our armed forces on the straight and narrow.

From Colorado Springs, Colo., comes the news that Air Force Academy officials have begun random testing for steroids because of growing concern about the nationwide use of the strength-enhancing drugs, especially among athletes and young people, including cadets. Introduction of the testing system coincided with recent steroid-related charges against four cadets, two of them football players. Other investigations are continuing.

Testing for steroids and other controversial substances also is being initiated or increased among the active military.

How bad is all this, really? The Department of Defense requires officials at all military bases to randomly test 65 percent of the base population every year for a variety of drugs, from cocaine to ecstasy, according to Betty Ann Mauger, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Surgeon General’s Office. To date, however, steroid tests are performed only at the request of commanders. Unfortunately the issues being faced by the military are just part of the problem.

Take the Olympic Games about to unfurl in Greece. At a time when it would be refreshing to be able to concentrate on the athletes and their achievements, increasing attention must go toward drug-testing.

Some analysts have suggested that as many as 500,000 American high school-age athletes may be using some type of steroid drug to go higher, farther and faster. Parents have a right to know that their “clean” youngsters are not endangered by people enhanced from a laboratory.

The impact of “substances” on our society, and the world, seems to be growing steadily in a terribly detrimental manner. How can this be reversed? Not easily when 2 percent of the world’s population (America) has been found guilty of using 60 percent of the world’s most potent illegal substances. There’s too much money and access.

One can spot terror in many venues nowadays; the nation’s substance abuse climate provides a great deal of that without foreigners and insurgents lifting a single knife or gun.