Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska -- In the past five years, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson has seen a steady decline in driving under the influence incidents, however, due to the potential impact to lives and careers, one is already too many.
About 80 percent of people who get DUIs do not have problems with substance abuse or get highlighted through mental health, the Air Force Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment or Army Substance Abuse Program with a subsequent drug abuse diagnosis, said Air Force Capt. Ian Carpenter, 673d Medical Operations Squadron clinical psychologist.
“They are just making poor decisions,” he said.
To reduce DUIs on base, ADAPT has teamed up with the ASAP, the Army Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care and Security Forces to create a DUI Prevention Task Force.
Their plan is to review the recent data, collaborate on preventive measures, and present solutions to installation leaders with the purpose of decreasing alcohol-related incidences that highly impact service members, units and the installation.
The goal of the task force is to strengthen the bond between frontline supervisors and their troops by having them distribute information about responsible alcohol use, Carpenter said. Troops also take to heart what their supervisors and direct leadership tell them, or remind them.
Telling someone to change their behavior isn’t as effective as guiding them along the way. Teachers, mentors and supervisors can do this the best because they should know how their personnel operate.
“It’s better to have someone who knows where you’re coming from [to inform you of] how to drink responsibly,” said Tech. Sgt. Samuel Lee III, 673d MDOS noncommissioned officer in charge of the ADAPT clinic. “A lot of shops are tight and closely knit so supervisors should teach their troops these things, rather than depending on the doctor [to inform them].”
The concept resonates with the wingman approach and, in many cases, is what helps the member to identify and use other tools to manage the issues that promote drinking behaviors. Some of the information the team plans to disseminate is how to make an initial plan, a back-up plan and how to drink responsibly.
“The last thing we want to do is give someone another [career development course],” Carpenter said. “So, we’d like to take the best parts of information [from the Army’s Prime for Life and the Air Force’s Alcohol Brief Counseling] so Soldiers and Airmen don’t get in trouble.
“We want people to have a good time, but that’s not behind the wheel [which could end] in an accident,” Carpenter said.
The team will attempt to identify and develop tools and behaviors to help military members and their supervisors mitigate alcohol as an option for solace.
To help remind these individuals or anyone they are with, information cards will provide phone numbers for their battle buddies, wingmen, supervisors and Joint Base Against Drunk Driving, and safety tips like a contingency plan.
· Plan A: Have a designated driver who is not going to drink
· Plan B: Set money aside for a taxi ride home
· Plan C: Call a wingman, a battle buddy, or a supervisor
· Plan D: Get a hotel room within walking distance of where you are going to drink
· Plan E: Drink at a bar that offers a taxi ride home at no charge (30 bars in town do this)
· Plan F: Call JBADD at 384-RIDE (7433) or 552-HOME (4663); this should be a last resort, not plan A.
“The best thing you can do is educate yourself, turn around and teach your peers and subordinates,” said Lee, “because all of this is not common knowledge.”