AADD gears up for holiday season

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Marissa Tucker
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  With the most festive holidays of the year around the corner, the urge to over-indulge in good food and spirits can outshine one's thoughts of a safe drive home. One too many cups of spiked egg nog can be fatal in more ways than one.

Every year around the holidays, the reality is many wing commanders do not wonder if there will be an alcohol-related incident or accident involving their Airmen during the holiday season - but when they will receive a call about one and how bad it will be.

The 4th Fighter Wing implemented the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program to ensure Team Seymour members have a safe passage home when their plans fall through.

Since March, the program has potentially saved 168 Airmen's lives, families and careers, said Master Sgt. Misty Plott, 4th Logistic Readiness Squadron's non-commissioned officer in charge of compliance.

"We can never exactly be sure on the number of saves because it is impossible knowing how many people one drunken person could have harmed by driving," she said. "Maybe one, maybe 10; even if you just save one person, isn't it worth a few hours of time?"

Chief Master Sgt. Fred Heim, 4th Civil Engineer Squadron superintendent, re-established the program with the help of many volunteers including Sergeant Plott and Staff Sgt. Allison Edmonds, 4th LRS compliance and AADD president.

"(I volunteer because) we save lives and protect the community," Sergeant Edmonds said. "Every ride we give is one less person who is going to get arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or endangering themselves or someone else while driving drunk."

Both Sergeant Plott and Sergeant Edmonds agree they expect the number of rides to rise in the next couple of months with the holiday spirit already beginning to spread. Recently, they received a record-setting number of calls, 19, in one night.

During Thanksgiving weekend, AADD will operate from Wednesday through Saturday from 11 p.m to 3 a.m. AADD services are not possible without volunteers to help ensure members of Team Seymour return safely from the extended weekend.

"For volunteers, it's a chance to do something incredibly positive while having a good time," Sergeant Edmonds said. "For the people who call, it's a free, anonymous and safe ride home with no repercussions."

The call center operates out of the Airmen's Center next to the Southern Eagle Dining Facility here, where volunteers can play games, watch television and socialize with others from across the base they may not have met otherwise, Sergeant Plott said. Squadrons or groups are welcome to volunteer together.

The services of AADD are available to any active duty or reserve members, dependents, DoD civilians and retirees. The dispatch number is (919) 722- 5633. Calls are completely anonymous and contrary to popular belief, people who use the service do not have to volunteer the following week, Sergeant Edmonds said.

"The rides these individuals receive are free and confidential," Sergeant Plott said. "It cannot get any easier than that. Pushing seven digits on the phone to call AADD can save lives, money and lots of heartache, not to mention a career."