OCR Text |
Show Nov. 30, 1995 Page 3A Fighter Country Know your limits before you drive By Senior Airman J.C.Woodring Editor, fighter Country Now that the holiday season is upon us, cocktail hour may be part of many unit festivities. Some people fed a few drinks help them relax and get into the holiday spirit However, too many drinks could also put them in jail or worse yet, the morgue. To help with alcohol education, the Utah Highway Patrol's Blood Alcohol Testing Mobile and Hill's security police met with base members at the family support center Nov. 15, to explain base and state laws and demonstrate the effects of alcohol on individuals. For the BAT Mobile demonstration, four base volunteers consumed at least eight drinks within one hour before they were given a breathalyzer and sobriety test "There is no way I could drive, and I'm even at the limit, yet," said volunteer not Jodie Bostrom, wife of Capt Larry Bostrom, 388th Operations Support Squadron, after she blew a .07 in the breathalyzer. like Bostrom, most of the volunteers knew that the legal blood alcohol content limit in Utah is .08 percent What most didn't understand that a person can get arrested for Driving Under the Influence for as little as one drink. "It all depends on how it effects you," said UHP Sgt Judy Hamaker. "When reflexes are delayed, people can die. If I have a chance to stop that from happening. I can't ignore it" According to Utah law, "it is unlawful to drive or be in physical control of a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, or be incapable of driving safely due to alcohol or drugs." For anyone under the legal limit, according to Hamaker, the officer has to show that the driver was unable to drive safely. To do that suspected drunk drivers are given a few sobriety tests which were demonstrated by Hamaker and the volunteers. "The tests are given to see how the body is reacting to alcohol," said Hamaker. "When the body slows down, drivers are unable to react quickly to emergency situations. That's when we have to get them off the street" To help get people home alive, the wing has a Aignati driver program. "Volunteers will bring you home with no questions asked," said Chief Master Sgt Mike Pattarozzi, 388th Fighter Wing senior enlisted advisor. "This is a totally no threat program. The 25 cent cost of a phone call for a ride is inrignifirant compared to the cost of an arrest," he said. According to a Utah Highway Safety Office pamphlet, a first time DUI conviction in Utah results in an automatic suspension of driver's license, up to a $ 1,000 fine, lawyer fees ofat least $500, an impound fee of $50, an alcohol awareness class charge of $ 150, new driver's license cost of $75 and an increase of insurance rates for three years of at least $3,000 totaling almost $5,000. It also carries a mandatory 48 to 240 hours of jail time or 24 to 50 hours of community service. If the DUI results in an injury, the fine is up to $2,500 and one year in jail. "Save yourself a lot of trouble and call for a ride," said Pattarozzi Regardless of where the arrest is made, driving privileges will be suspended for one year for a first offense, said Staff Sgt Donn Clarkson, 75th Security Police Squadron. Many people think that police officers are out to get them and want people to get into trouble, according to Hamaker. "We're only trying to keep them safe," she said. Keeping people safe is a job for everyone. "Last year, the wing didn't have any lost man hours due to alcohol related traffic accidents," said Col. Bentley Rayburn, 388th FW commander. "This year we need to work just as hard and take care of each other for this trend to continue. "If you choose to drink 1 this holiday season, drink a Call ride. drive. for in don't When doubt, responsibly. People are our most valuable resource, and we can't afford to lose anyone," he said. People who are stuck without a ride, can call the 388th Fighter Wing Designated Driver Program Designated Driver Program 24-ho-ur, seven-day-a-we- 90-d- 1V 4 - ay - - - : - J v v -- v4. - v on-ba- se 777-379- 5 I at 777-379- 5. by Sonar During a recent visit by the Utah Highway Patrol's BAT Mobile, Capt. Giles Smith, 388th Operations Support Squadron, gets sobriety tested. Smith was one of four base volunteers to participate in the alcohol awareness training. ACC releases survey results LANGLEY AFB VA. (ACCNS) - Leadership get the highest marks according to more than 64,000 people who participated in the 1995 Air Combat Command Culture and Leadership Survey. makAccording to the survey results, supervison are understandable. They are ing unit missions clear and first-ratheir people and also doing a job of trusting and authority to get the giving them the responsibility of ACC, Commander job done. General Joe Ralston, said. The high marks earned by our supervisors tell me that they should keep focusing on our airpower mission and believing in the men and women of this command to perform that mission." Another important function of the ACLS survey is the identification of areas needing improvement According to this year's survey, the prime targets are duplication of effort, rework and waste. Ralston commented, "These three areas have been at the bottom before, and it'i time for us to act on these important concerns. Toeffort to ward that end, I am launching a command-wid- e our directed have and focus on correcting these problems leadership to make this a top priority." The survey was one of the topics of discussion at the ACC Commanders' Conference held at Langley in September. "I want to ensure that we are getting the maxi te v mum benefit from the survey," said Ralston. "We spend a lot of time surveying our people. Now, the responsibility lies with the leadership to take action on these inputs. Providing feedback on the survey and taking visible actions are absolutely critical." According to Col Dick Frishkorn, Director of Quality at Headquarters ACC, the purpose of the annual survey is to give everyone in the command an opportunity to voice their opinions on leadership, quality, job satisfaction, mission accomplishment, communication and the working environment in their units. Next the survey provides leadership with a mechanism to take action on the anonymous, unfiltered feedback provided by their people. "The primary reason we do this is simple: to imtarget areas identified by our people that need to be proved," said Frishkorn. The survey is administered almost exclusively on computers, and commanders receive both numerical scores and narrative comments. Commanders use the results of the survey, along with other key indicators, to help them decide where to focus their quality and productivity improvement efforts. "With aggressive feedback and action, we can forge a better, more effective, and more efficient ACC," Ralston said. finds General court-martiairman guilty of drug sales al By Capt. Don M. Christ ensen ChieCMlitary justice A 3SSth Fighter Wing airman was convicted by genal Nov. 1, of wrongful distribution of $20 of eral al The panel consisted of six officmarijuana. ers and four enlisted members. Senior Airman Daniel C Griffith, 3S8ta Maintenance Squadron, sold 3.8 grams of marijuana Feb. 20, to an airman working tmdercover for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The transaction occurred in Layton. Griffiths was found guilty of wrongful distribution, despite his claim that he had been entrapped by the government. sentenced Griffith Nov. 2, to The general airman reduced the to be basic, to serve two months grade of labor confinement without and to be restricted to at hard for two months. Hard Force Base the confura of lull Air labor requires airmen to work days, seven days a week, and not receive time off for holidays or weekends. Griffith's record did not contain any letters of reprimand or punishment under Article 15 prior to the Despite his clean service record, the one time distribution cost him all of his stripes and a federal conviction. Airmen not discharged from the service by may still be involuntarily administratively discharged. court-marti- court-marti- court-marti- al 12-ho- ur court-marti- court-marti- al, al. |