AADD making a difference

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anne Gathua
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
The weekend is here. It's time to relax, unwind and recharge for the coming week. Business in clubs and bars is thriving. You're enjoying time out drinking and partying with friends.

The only question is, how will you get home?

Established in July 2006, Airmen Against Drunk Driving is an organization that provides a free, safe ride home to Goodfellow servicemembers and civilian personnel, according to Staff Sgt. Brandi Giles, 17th Contracting Squadron.

"It's basically the 'fail-safe,' back-up plan to making sure our people get home safely," Sergeant Giles said.

Airman 1st Class Chadwick McGuire, the AADD secretary and alternate scheduler, said volunteers are on call from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on weekends. They pick up callers, regardless of service or rank and drop them off at their final destinations.

"The program gives military members a way out by helping prevent DUIs or fatalities," Airman McGuire said. "Some individuals plan properly, but situations come up that they can't prevent and AADD is there to help.

"It is also a way for military members to give back to one another and show how much they care by volunteering their time and services to potentially save lives of fellow military members," he continued. "Morale is greatly increased when people know they can plan, go out, have fun and have a backup plan."

Having received help from AADD, Senior Airman Gregory Seavey, 17th Communications Squadron, said he volunteers to help others like himself and gets a great deal of satisfaction doing it.

Volunteering is Tech. Sgt. Kristi Cruz's way of being a good wingman and she encourages other servicemembers to do the same. She said she's always been a strong advocate for AADD, and something she saw last weekend only strengthened her resolve.

"A friend and I were in Dallas and came upon a wreck where the two drivers were
highly intoxicated and not wearing seatbelts," said the 17th Medical Operations Squadron sergeant. "The two individuals survived, but as my friend and I discussed, the scene looked like something out of a safety video. Half of the driver's body was slouched over the passenger door out the window and her arm was broken. The passenger's head hit the windshield and he was pretty cut up and bleeding."

The moral of the story, she added, is that it is each Airman's job to be a good wingman and not allow this kind of situation to happen to our own military members.

"AADD makes a huge difference," Sergeant Cruz said. "A few minutes of your time can actually save someone's life and potentially avert a catastrophic situation."

For Sergeant Giles, AADD is a serious and worthy cause that offers a proactive solution and defines the standard for taking care of our own.

"It also puts an emphasis on the individuals that choose not to use this program because they no longer have an excuse," she added. "One weekend you could be the driver, the next weekend a passenger. The program truly has the potential to affect everyone."

Airman McGuire urges servicemembers to always plan ahead of time and have a backup plan.

"Don't let hasty decisions and one night of fun ruin your career," the Airman added. "All it takes is having a designated driver, calling a cab, calling a supervisor, first sergeant, commander or AADD. We don't judge individuals or report names. Our concern is that you make it back to your destination safely."

For more information or to volunteer, call 325-654-4676