Airmen take charge to solve base drunk driving issues

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jeffrey Dobrow
  • 56th Component Maintenace Squadron
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  On Sept. 7, Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, 56th Fighter Wing commander, and Luke's Airmen Against Drunk Driving council president, Senior Airman Jeffrey Dobrow, 56th Component Maintenance Squadron egress, cut the ribbon to signify the beginning of Luke's first program designed to eliminate DUI-related incidents.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, a person is killed from an accident involving an intoxicated driver approximately every 33 minutes and between 1 and 5 a.m., two out of five drivers have a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08. Impaired driving is not only determined by BAC; DPS defines it as "driving while abilities are impaired by alcohol or drugs" and further warns that drivers may be arrested and charged with a DUI regardless of BAC level.

The 56th FW had nearly 50 DUI cases in 2006, which is 40 percent greater than last year, endangering the Thunderbolt and surrounding communities. Luke's Empowering Airmen's Decisions council president, Airman 1st Class Karmichael Hankins, 56th CMS egress technician, and vice president Airman Dobrow teamed up earlier this year with Luke's first sergeants' group in an attempt to eliminate DUI incidences. The AADD council was subsequently formed under the direction of Chief Master Sgt. Mitch Stippel, 56th FW command chief.

"In addition, and of equal or greater importance than safe transport, the AADD program is responsible for educating Airmen and raising awareness of the dangers and consequences that occur while driving under the influence of alcohol," said Chief Stippel. "The safety and well-being of the Americans we serve, as well as our enlisted men and women, is the highest priority for Luke. This program will promote a safer environment not only for our Airmen and families, but the citizens in our host communities."

One of AADD's goals is to raise funds to pay for safe transportation. Last week, AADD surpassed their initial goal of raising $5,000 with the help of financial contributions from the 56th Maintence Group, Fighter Country Partnership, Friends of Military Families, Luke Top Three, Luke chiefs' group, first sergeants' council, and more than 50 other Airmen volunteers. The money will be used to pay for cab rides and improvements to the AADD operations work center.

Airmen Against Drunk Driving will be operating Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m, and will be manned with Airmen volunteers to provide safe rides during these hours. Twenty-four hour coverage, however, is provided by Yellow Cab Company and calls to the AADD number will be automatically forwarded to the cab dispatcher. Taxi fares will be paid in full by AADD.

This is a completely anonymous program and designed to provide Airmen of all ranks safe transportation when initial plans of having a designated driver fail. Users will be obligated to provide a first name and the last four numbers of their social security number. This information will be used only to ensure the program is utilized by military members.

Steve Becker, president and CEO of Credit Union West, addressed the crowd at the ribbon-cutting ceremony as his company donated 6,000 key tags. Airmen assigned to Luke will carry the key tags indicating the AADD phone number, (623) 856-2233, as a constant reminder of this wingman program and availability of a safe ride home.

For more information about AADD, call Airman Dobrow at (623)856-5575.

Other AADD council members are vice president, Senior Airman Cynthia Brown, 56th Operational Support Squadron; treasurer, Senior Airman Aaron Campbell, 56th Aerospace Medicine Squadron; secretary, Airman 1st Class Ntugwe Sobe, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; senior council members are Airman 1st Class Adrienne Reich, 309th Fighter Squadron and Airman 1st Class Jared Purvis, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron.