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AADD sets milestones in 2010, reaches out for 2011

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Hurlburt Field's Airmen Against Drunk Driving volunteers responded to 571 calls and potentially saved 924 lives in 2010. The program's network also expanded to 287 Air Commandos who either served as dispatchers or drivers while coordinating pickups throughout northwest Florida.

AADD is a coalition of Airmen, civilians and families united to save lives by providing Air Commandos a safe, anonymous ride home without fear of repercussion, eliminating the number of DUIs and alcohol-related injuries and deaths and educating base personnel about the ill effects of drinking and driving any time, any place, according to the program's presentations.

"This program is a safety net for everyone at Team Hurlburt to use," said Staff Sgt. John Mutuc, 1st Special Operations Medical Support Squadron NCO in charge of medical information systems, and AADD council president. "It allows us to concentrate on the main things in our mission and prevents one less stress for supervisors, shirts, commanders, Airmen and their families."

AADD wrapped up 2010 with December Outreach Month, a challenge designed to get squadrons to fully man one of December's 84-hour shifts. Forty-two volunteers from six different squadrons not only saved nearly 70 lives, but there were no Hurlburt DUIs in December, traditionally the most reported month for drunk-driving incidents.

"I was very happy to see individuals step up and take responsibility for a shift," said Airman 1st Class Megan Smith, 2nd Combat Weather Squadron current operations, and AADD scheduler. "We had people say they not only wanted to volunteer, but they wanted to be the coordinator in their squadrons. I like to see people pull together for one cause."

With 2010 now in their rear view mirror, the 2011 AADD council aims to boost recruitment of new members, recognition for those who reach milestones and retention of those who continue helping the program.

The base's AADD takes inspiration from the 1st Special Operations Wing's motto, "Any Time, Any Place" in being one of the few 24/7 anti-drunk driving programs in the Air Force. Hurlburt Field's AADD receives no funding from the base or the Air Force, leaving volunteers to provide for their own gas and time invested into each call.

But even with an uncertain economy and the price at the gas pump more than $3 a gallon, Senior Master Sgt. Sharon O'Connor, 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant and AADD senior advisor, emphasized how the entire base absorbs the human price for a single DUI.

"A DUI is going to impact an Airman's career, their health and our Air Force mission," Sergeant O'Connor said. "Some DUIs can affect people where they can't do their duties. If they have to do menial work versus what they used to do, it hurts their esteem. Plus they're going to lose their base driving privileges and may very well lose their downtown driving privileges, too. I always encourage people to think about the long-term ramifications of a DUI."

In addition to preventing DUIs, AADD can be an outlet for service for Airmen who want to make a difference in the lives of others. In fact, if an individual volunteers just one shift a month, that person will have more than 1,000 hours completed by the year's end.

Sergeant Mutuc also highlighted the ratio of calls to volunteers as a top priority this year.

"With a higher amount of calls, we have an increased risk of our strained volunteers potentially quitting," he said. "While we're always going to be here to provide that support, we can't do it without everyone's support."

Airman Smith added that she hopes for more constructive feedback from volunteers.

"We'd love feedback from those who have volunteered on what would make it a better experience for them," she said. "If we get more volunteers, it will be much easier on everyone, especially those who keep coming back to drive two or three calls a night."

The council is also aware of the challenges they face in reaching out to new members and educating potential passengers about how the program works. Twenty percent of all calls made to AADD were either cancelled before the driver arrived or the caller didn't bother to show up at all.

But despite all that, Sergeant Mutuc highlighted how the Hurlburt Field community and mission can only be enriched by the combined contributions from every Air Commando.

"We don't just 'pick up drunks,'" Sergeant Mutuc said. "This is about our Airmen who are in need and asking for help. Who we pick up may be the one who's a critical part of completing a mission. If we lose that person to a DUI, they'll have to be replaced and look at all that time wasted from one incident that could have been prevented."

For a ride home when other plans fall through, please contact AADD at 884-8844. For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact Hurlburt's first sergeants or send an email to hurlburtaadd@hurlburt.af.mil.