SFS gears up for 101 Critical Days of Summer

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The temperatures are rising and days are getting longer. It can only mean one thing -- the 101 Critical Days of Summer are approaching.

To prepare for the 101 Critical Days of Summer, members of the 95th Security Forces Squadron received training from a few local police departments, including the Los Angeles Police Department.

"We had LAPD and other local departments come here and train our Airmen," said Lt. Col. Steven Heffington, 95th SFS commander. "We are putting an added emphasis on detection of drinking and driving, both with the gate guards and the patrolmen."

Tech Sgt. Haseam Brock, 95th SFS Bravo Flight chief, said that the classes bolstered their knowledge of how to identify those under the influence of alcohol by the way they drive, their reaction to seeing a security forces vehicle and their appearance once they are stopped by a gate guard or a patrolman.

"We've learned how to look for drivers who are wavering back and forth in their lane or having trouble staying in their lane, caused by loss of muscle control," said Sgt. Brock. "A driver going so slow they're hindering the flow of traffic in an attempt to compensate for their slow reaction times. A driver going too fast and recklessly changing lanes indicates a possible loss of decision making abilities."

Sergeant Brock said they were also taught what to look for once they've pulled a driver over to indicate if they're under the influence.

"I could pull a car over for something unrelated and end up giving them a DUI," he said. "If I walk up to the car and smell alcohol, that's the easiest indication, but others are slurred speech and bloodshot eyes."

Once there is suspicion of driving under the influence, patrolmen or gate guards must administer a blood alcohol content test to the driver to confirm they have actually been drinking.

"We trained with the Kern County Sheriff's Department on how to properly administer a breath sample," said Sergeant Brock. "Now, when a driver stops at the gate or is pulled over, they know there is a good chance the patrolman has the ability to properly take a breath sample and take a dangerous driver off the road."

The goal of the security forces isn't to discourage anyone from going out and having a good time. However, driving home after doing so is where the problem lies. Despite the preparations 95th SFS has made for the summer, Colonel Heffington and Sergeant Brock said they would prefer people explore other options and avoid having the patrolman use their newly attained skills.

"Drinking and having a good time is completely fine," said Sergeant Brock. "Driving after you do so, however isn't. We want to keep our Airmen and civilians safe. So all we ask is if you've been drinking, don't drive."

Colonel Heffington said those who choose to go out and drink need to do so responsibly. He added that this base offers many responsible alternatives to getting behind the wheel intoxicated.

"There are plenty of options to get home safely after drinking," said Colonel Heffington. "I've never seen an Airmen Against Drunk Driving program with so many lives saved, especially considering the small amount of military on this base."

Although it's a good option, AADD should be a backup plan. One should have a designated driver before they start drinking, Colonel Heffington said.

"When Airmen go out drinking, they're not alone," Colonel Heffington said. "Before going out, they need to make a plan. A plan of who will be the designated driver and once they do that, they need to make sure the designated driver understands their responsibility."

Colonel Heffington said the responsibility of the designated driver is getting everyone home safely. To do this they must do more than be the most sober. They need to refrain from consuming any alcohol that night.

"Having a designated driver who stops drinking early or just has a few is like not having a designated driver at all," said Colonel Heffington. "It's nice to make a plan and have a designated driver. But if you don't follow through with the plan by keeping the designated driver sober, you made a plan for nothing because you didn't follow through with it."

Drinking and driving is a decision, one that puts not just the life of the drive at stake, but the lives of everyone else on the road, Colonel Heffington said. Those who choose to drink and drive put all drivers at risk for their own benefit despite the impact it could have on communities and families.

"Drinking and driving is the most selfish decision you could possibly make," said Colonel Heffington. "That says a lot about that person and how selfish they are. Looking at the destruction that drunk driving has done to communities and families, it exemplifies the selfishness, especially considering all the options out there to get them home safely."

To use the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program, call 277-AADD.