Monterey hits no-DUI milestone

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Paul Issler
  • 311th Training Squadron commander
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. --  Airmen of the 311th and 314th Training Squadrons surpassed another milestone this week as they completed 150 days without an incidence of driving under the influence of alcohol. This is quite an accomplishment for the nearly 1,400 students currently assigned who fall within the prime age group for such events, and is even more impressive as the population has averaged over 1,600 students assigned per month for the past three years with a high of nearly 1,900 in June 2007.

Statistics tell the story. In 2006, Monterey experienced 13 DUIs, 2007 saw this number reduced to nine and 2008 has seen the number plummet to four. Over the past two years, the Airmen of Monterey have attacked the problem of alcohol related incidents.

"We developed four lines of operation to drive down our numbers," said Chief Master Sgt. Crystle Flowers, 311 TRS first sergeant. "They are education, prevention, reward and punishment."

Education consists of reiterating the impact of a DUI on the individual personally and professionally. It also covers the potential impact of a DUI on innocent victims; first-hand accounts by staff and students have had a powerful effect.

Prevention has focused on ensuring a safe, legal and supervised location on the Presidio of Monterey for Airmen to consume alcoholic beverages. In response to an Air Force-led initiative, the garrison began "TGIF Fridays" at the Hobson Center Café last summer, an on-post servicemember recreation center. Concurrently, the squadrons reduced the amount of alcohol a phase-graduate may store in their dormitory room.

An Airmen-run Designated Driver program is the second weapon in the prevention arsenal. Airman 1st Class Christopher Conover, 311 TRS, and Airmen 1st Class David Kabina and Stephen Paul, 314 TRS, currently lead the program, which picks up between 100 and 300 servicemembers per month. Operating in teams of two and utilizing cell phones, designated drivers volunteer their time, their vehicles and the cost of fuel to provide a back-stop for their fellow Airmen.

A third avenue of attack under prevention has been the weekly walkthroughs of the unit dormitories and the Hobson Center Café by squadron leadership on weekends.

Reward has given the Airmen an incentive to ensure the wingman concept is in play at all times. The DOA Flight "Tigers" and DOD Flight "Pirates" were the first to achieve 100 days without a DUI and were rewarded with a fully-funded event at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post last year. The 311th and 314th Training Squadrons are once again throwing an all-expenses-paid celebration at the VFW as a reward to all Airmen for achieving their latest milestone of 150 days without a DUI.

Finally, punishment ensures that Airmen who violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice and let down their wingmen through poor prior planning or poor decision making are handled appropriately.

"The establishment of a 'squadron blotter' to publicize infractions and the punishments handed out have helped to ensure all Airmen remember there are consequences, good and bad, for their actions," said Senior Master Sgt. Leo Chang, 311 TRS superintendent.