December is Responsible Alcohol Use month

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Ashley Wolfe
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Everyone knows who "that guy" is. He is the guy at parties who dances like Elaine from Seinfeld, uses cheesy pick-up lines and mistakes his dip cup for his adult beverage.

The "That Guy" program, presented by Laughlin's Health and Wellness Center and created by the Department of Defense, is a multi-media campaign geared specifically to helping diminish the number of those "guys" out there. This program correlates with December being Responsible Alcohol Use month.

The program is designed to help people understand their alcohol limits and abstain from going beyond them.

"We're not saying don't drink," said Grisel Sanchez, 47th Flying Training Wing health educator. "We're saying have a plan."

Sanchez recommended using the 0-0-1-3 plan. Zero DUIs, zero drinks under the age of 21, one drink an hour and no more than three drinks a night.

Sometimes things do not always go as planned. Should a Laughlin member find themself in such a situation, there are resources available to help.

Base Airmen Against Drunk Driving, is one such resource. BAADD offers free transportation on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. every weekend and holiday.

The program is completely confidential and anonymous. Someone calls the number 298-HOME (4663) and a volunteer driver picks them up and takes them back to their residence with no questions asked.

The program is there to be used, but should be utilized as a back-up plan only and should never be abused. It is not a taxi service that will drive you from one bar to another, only home.

There are even programs for those "guys" who think they do not need a plan and find themselves in trouble.

Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment, commonly known as ADAPT, is a service people are referred to if they find themselves in trouble from an alcohol related incident.

"Many people think we're out to end their careers. That's not the case. The thing that ends careers is people not taking the program seriously and not getting the message," said Staff Sgt. Sadie Clark, 47th Medical Group ADAPT NCO in charge.

ADAPT provides a six month-long program to help those with alcohol issues. Not only do they help rehabilitate those who were referred to the program by commanders, they take self-referrals into the program as well.

"We want people to be aware of their alcohol use, especially close to the holidays as many go on leave," said Sanchez. "We just want people to be responsible."

For those interested in more information about the "That Guy" program, visit the DoD website at www.thatguy.com or call Grisel Sanchez at 298-6465.

If interested in becoming a volunteer for BAADD, contact Capt. Travis Patterson at 298-4784 or Staff Sgt. Russ Garivay at 298-5847.

More information about the ADAPT program can be found by calling Staff Sgt. Clark at 298-6422.