Critical Days of Summer week 4: thinking before drinking

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James Fountain
  • 17th Training Wing Safety Office
The Critical Days of Summer have arrived, so has the beautiful weather to go out and enjoy!

Each week the 17th Training Wing Safety Office will be sending out information to educate and inform all base personnel in specific areas.

From doing a task the first time to doing something consistently for years, adding alcohol to any situation can make the outcome turn into something different altogether.

Alcohol affects everyone in different ways, depending on mood, personality, physical condition and surrounding people.

These are some facts according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
· In 2012, 87.6 percent of people aged 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 71 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.3 percent reported that they drank in the past month.
· Each year in the United States, nearly 85,000 people die from alcohol-related causes, making it the third-leading preventable cause of death in our country.
· More than 10 percent of U.S. children live with a parent with an alcohol problem, according to a 2012 study.
· Researchers estimate that each year:
          o 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
          o 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
          o 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

People often plan their Friday nights, but fail to consider the "what ifs". Take the time to consider the activities, your ride home and possible consequences of actions in a given scenario. Fun times cannot be relayed, nor the stories be told, if the people involved are not around to share them.

Add all this up and understand that military personnel between ages 21 and 25 consume more alcohol than any other age group. Look for alternative activities to have fun and keep these things in mind when planning events. The Wing Safety office would like to see you enjoy your summer safely!