AADD sets milestones in 2010, reaches out for 2011

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Hurlburt Field's Airmen Against Drunk Driving volunteers responded to 571 calls and saved 924 lives in 2010. The program's network also expanded to 287 Air Commandos who either served as dispatchers or drivers while coordinating pickups throughout northwest Florida.

AADD is a coalition of Airmen, civilians and families united to save lives by providing Air Commandos a safe, anonymous ride home without fear of repercussion, eliminating the number of DUIs and alcohol-related injuries and deaths and educating base personnel about the ill effects of drinking and driving any time, any place, according to the program's presentations.

"This program is a safety net for everyone at Team Hurlburt to use," said Staff Sgt. John Mutuc, 1st Special Operations Medical Support Squadron NCO in charge of medical information systems, and AADD council president. "It allows us to concentrate on the main things in our mission and prevents one less stress for supervisors, shirts, commanders, Airmen and their families."

AADD wrapped up 2010 with December Outreach Month, a challenge designed to get squadrons to fully man one of December's 84-hour shifts. Forty-two volunteers from six different squadrons not only saved nearly 70 lives, but there were no Hurlburt DUIs in December, traditionally the most reported month for drunk-driving incidents.

"I was very happy to see individuals step up and take responsibility for a shift," said Airman 1st Class Megan Smith, 2nd Combat Weather Squadron current operations, and AADD scheduler. "We had people say they not only wanted to volunteer, but they wanted to be the coordinator in their squadrons. I like to see people pull together for one cause."

With 2010 now in their rearview mirror, the 2011 AADD council aims to boost recruitment of new members, recognition for those who reach milestones and retention of those who continue helping the program.

The base's AADD takes inspiration from the 1st Special Operations Wing's motto, "Any Time, Any Place" in being one of the few 24/7 anti-drunk driving programs in the Air Force. Hurlburt Field's AADD receives no funding from the base or the Air Force, leaving volunteers to provide for their own gas and time invested into each call.

But even with an uncertain economy and the price at the gas pump more than $3 a gallon, Senior Master Sgt. Sharon O'Connor, 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant and AADD senior advisor, emphasized how the entire base absorbs the human price for a single DUI.

"A DUI is going to impact an Airman's career, their health and our Air Force mission," Sergeant O'Connor said. "Some DUIs can affect people where they can't do their duties. If they have to do menial work versus what they used to do, it hurts their esteem. Plus they're going to lose their base driving privileges and may very well lose their downtown driving privileges, too. I always encourage people to think about the long-term ramifications of a DUI."

In addition to preventing DUIs, AADD can be an outlet for service for Airmen who want to make a difference in the lives of others. In fact, if an individual volunteers just one shift a month, that person will have more than 1,000 hours completed by the year's end.

Sergeant Mutuc also highlighted the ratio of calls to volunteers as a top priority this year.

"With a higher amount of calls, we have an increased risk of our strained volunteers potentially quitting," he said. "While we're always going to be here to provide that support, we can't do it without everyone's support."

Airman Smith added that she hopes for more constructive feedback from volunteers.

"We'd love feedback from those who have volunteered on what would make it a better experience for them," she said. "If we get more volunteers, it will be much easier on everyone, especially those who keep coming back to drive two or three calls a night."

The council is also aware of the challenges they face in reaching out to new members and educating potential passengers about how the program works. Twenty percent of all calls made to AADD were either cancelled before the driver arrived or the caller didn't bother to show up at all.

But despite all that, Sergeant Mutuc explained how the Hurlburt Field community and mission can only be enriched by the combined contributions from every Air Commando.

"We don't just 'pick up drunks,'" Sergeant Mutuc said. "This is about our Airmen who are in need and asking for help. Who we pick up may be the one who's a critical part of completing a mission. If we lose that person to a DUI, they'll have to be replaced and look at all that time wasted from one incident that could have been prevented."

If you or anyone you know needs a ride home, please contact AADD at 884-8844. For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact your first sergeant or send an email to hurlburtaadd@hurlburt.af.mil. 

Volunteers with 1,000+ hours in 2010
Airman 1st Class Joshua Alameda
Capt. Brian Beekman
Capt. Andrea Henshall
Senior Airman Brittany Lopez
Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey McBride
Senior Airman Joe McFadden
Staff Sgt. John Mutuc
Staff Sgt. Daniel Robinson
Vickie Scott
Senior Airman Daniel Smith
Airman 1st Class Megan Smith

Volunteers with 500-999 hours in 2010
Staff Sgt. Dominic Chavez
Maj. Marilyn Garcia
Maj. Lyle Goudeau
Senior Airman Chantel Green
Airman 1st Class Ryan Hoalt
Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Horton
Senior Airman Jason Jenkins
Staff Sgt. Veleka McSween
Airman 1st Class Crystal Miller
Senior Master Sgt. Sharon O'Connor
Staff Sgt. Jason Parvin
Capt. Marilou Quirk
1st Lt. Jonathan Sass
Airman 1st Class Howard Schilling
Airman 1st Class Jeremy Scott
Robert Scott
Tech. Sgt. Steven Shin
1st Lt. Lucas VanTassel
Airman 1st Class Bryttanie Williams

Volunteers with 250-499 hours in 2010
Tech. Sgt. Jessica Alman
Airman 1st Class Jason Baggarly
Lt. Col. Justin Bobb
Airman 1st Class Christopher Burke
Senior Airman Marion Carter
Staff Sgt. Errol Catanes
Senior Airman Joshua Clement
Tech. Sgt. Rachael Colon
Staff Sgt. David Coyle
Airman 1st Class Bradley Darnall
Senior Airman Sarah Donovan
Airman 1st Class Kathleen Eliseo
2nd Lt. Amber Gasparetto
Airman 1st Class John Havens
Staff Sgt. Daryl Henderson
Airman 1st Class Jose Ibanez
Master Sgt. April Jaehn
Capt. Lauren Johnson
Staff Sgt. Amanda Khan
Staff Sgt. Ty Lantta
Senior Airman Danelia Lawrence
Capt. Anita Logan
Staff Sgt. Kaylynn Martin
Airman 1st Class James Mautz
Senior Airman Cassiopeia McMillan
Airman 1st Class Richard Murphey
Airman 1st Class Victoria Patton
Airman 1st Class Michael Pawlak
Staff Sgt. Megan Peters
Senior Airman Lakietha Poole
2nd Lt. Victoria Porto
Master Sgt. Edward Puttbrese
Senior Airman Jennifer Rivera
Airman 1st Class Jeremiah Robinson
1st Lt. Kevin Roth
Airman 1st Class Manuel Salazar
Airman 1st Class Cesar Salgado Diaz
Master Sgt. Anthony Sanders
Staff Sgt. Shelease Sanders
Senior Airman Jason Slagle
Airman 1st Class Demarkus Smith
Airman 1st Class Angela Tasillo
Tech. Sgt. Kyle Taylor
Airman 1st Class Dandrell Thomas
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Van Nevel
Capt. Todd Walker
Staff Sgt. Justin Westbrook
Airman 1st Class Sterling Williams
Airman 1st Class Christopher Wood
Master Sgt. Alan Yoshida
Airman Michael Zamora

Volunteers with 1-249 hours in 2010
Staff Sgt. Nathan Alexander
Airman Zachary Altenburg
Airman 1st Class Tracy Anunciacion
Airman 1st Class Eric Avellar
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Bagley
Capt. Dana Baker
Staff Sgt. Latisha Barnette
Capt. Angela Barrons
Staff Sgt. Bobby Baum
Staff Sgt. James Bayles
Capt. Woodrow Bell
Capt. Jessica Bendrick
Senior Airman Brandon Bennett
Airman 1st Class Kip Bergeron
Staff Sgt. Ernesta Bernal
Master Sgt. Bryan Bissonnette
Senior Airman Krysta Blanchard
Airman 1st Class Deena Bloss
Senior Airman Maria Borges
Airman 1st Class Veronica Branson
Staff Sgt. William Brock
Airman 1st Class Lavonda Brown
Staff Sgt. Ronald Buchanan
Senior Airman Alicia Campbell
Airman 1st Class Devon Carroll
Senior Airman Kelsey Carson
Senior Airman Joshua Clements
Staff Sgt. Amber Cortes
1st Lt. Lucas Coston
Brent Cowen
1st Lt. Eric Cranford
Tech. Sgt. Norris Crume
Airman 1st Class David Curley
Airman 1st Class Tyler Davidson
Michael Disney
Airman 1st Class Katy Dockery
Staff Sgt. Briteson Donkor
Staff Sgt. Stephen Dugan
Staff Sgt. Adam Ehlinger
Staff Sgt. Lisa Elevi
Master Sgt. Charles Elliott
1st Lt. April Ellis
Airman Chism Elmore
Staff Sgt. Anthony Emerson
Staff Sgt. Danielle Erwin
Staff Sgt. Zahira Farthing
Airman 1st Class Matthew Fitzsimmons
Airman 1st Class Robert Foster
Staff Sgt. Diego Franqui
Maj. Erik Fredmonsky
Senior Airman Jeremy Fritz
Tech. Sgt. Shakiya Gadson
Airman 1st Class Dawn Gallaher
Airman 1st Class Kyle Gingerich
Tech. Sgt. Robert Gonzales
Master Sgt. Youlanda Grant
Tech. Sgt. Kezia Green
Airman 1st Class Stacey Guzak
Tech. Sgt. Freda Haddock
Staff Sgt. Bruce Halbert
Airman 1st Class Antonio Hallums
Staff Sgt. Chastity Hardy
Airman 1st Class Justin Harney
Tech. Sgt. Ruby Hart
Staff Sgt. Ryan Hedges
Capt. Ben Heller
Tech. Sgt. Gerald Herron
Airman 1st Class Michael Heth
Senior Airman David Hickox
Tech. Sgt. Garry Holman
Senior Airman Kody Hopper
Staff Sgt. Jason Humes
Capt. Jonathan Hurt
Senior Airman Marcieann Irizarry
Staff Sgt. William Jackson
Staff Sgt. Joshua Johnson
Airman Christopher Jones
Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Jones
Senior Airman Kimberly Jones
Tech. Sgt. Alicja Karnas
Diana Kendall
Airman 1st Class Caleb Kesselring
Master Sgt. Richard Kiczek
Airman Odarrie King
Capt. Michael Kittrell
Airman 1st Class Anthony Kruis
Senior Airman Michael Kushma
Staff Sgt. Darren Langford
Airman 1st Class Joshua Langford
Airman 1st Class Antonio LaTorre
Staff Sgt. Arkeisha Lawrence
Airman 1st Class Jacqueline Lear
Airman 1st Class Ashley Lennon
Master Sgt. Benjamin Lerman
Senior Airman Nathaniel Levesque
1st Lt. Christopher Lott
Airman 1st Class Mia-Talia Lowe
Airman 1st Class Russell Lowe
Staff Sgt. Rachel Lyons
Staff Sgt. Joseph Maddox
Staff Sgt. Guillermo Mancha
Tech. Sgt. William Mann
Airman 1st Class Robert Manon
Staff Sgt. Alfonso Martinez
Airman 1st Class Mason Martini
Airman Basic Samuel Miller
Airman 1st Class Amanda Mills-Saur
Airman 1st Class Jeremiah Murphy
Senior Airman Keenan Murray
Staff Sgt. James Myers
Tech. Sgt. Matthew Nece
Tech. Sgt. Gina Newman
Staff Sgt. Grecille Newton
Tech. Sgt. Kristina Newton
Master Sgt. Pedro Ochoa
1st Lt. Patrick O'Connor
Airman 1st Class Caitlin O'Neil-McKeown
Airman 1st Class Amanda Osborne
Senior Airman Dollie Page
Tech. Sgt. Keony Paire
Capt. James Pancoe
Capt. Michelle Parker
Senior Airman Nikita Paulino
Airman 1st Class Clarissa Pearce
Airman 1st Class Cody Peters
Airman 1st Class Tan Pham
Airman 1st Class Jonathan Pierpoint
1st Lt. Kathleen Pihana
Airman 1st Class Rachel Pittman
Tech. Sgt. Richard Pouliot
Staff Sgt. Janetta Purifoy
Airman 1st Class James Purvis
Staff Sgt. Rachel Quemado
Airman 1st Class Raquel Quintero
Senior Airman Juan Ramos
Staff Sgt. Shawn Reandeau
Capt. Kevin Rebholz
Staff Sgt. Tracy Reeves
Tech. Sgt. Nathan Rice
Master Sgt. Casey Richmond
Airman Basic Radames Rivera
Airman 1st Class Tristan Roberts
Staff Sgt. Jason Robinson
Staff Sgt. Omar Robinson
Airman 1st Class Justin Rogers
Airman 1st Class Pedro Roman
Airman 1st Class Felipe Romero
Airman 1st Class Joshua Ross
Tech. Sgt. Martin Rossow
Tech. Sgt. Jason Runge
Senior Airman Christopher Ruple
Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Sanders
Staff Sgt. Matthew Schario
Airman 1st Class Suzanne Sheppard
Airman 1st Class Jacylen Simmons
Airman 1st Class Geoffre Smart
Master Sgt. Anne Smerekanicz
Airman 1st Class Darrell Smoot
Senior Airman Katrina Spencer
Capt. Alexander Stark
Senior Airman Tasha Stephenson
Master Sgt. Matthew Stewart
Airman 1st Class Mark Stockton
Staff Sgt. Mark Stover
Senior Airman Mario Super
Airman 1st Class Tisha Tanks
Staff Sgt. Matthew Taylor
Tech. Sgt. Tori Temple
Senior Airman Stephanie Thibodeau
Staff Sgt. Sanchez Thomas
Senior Airman Sarah Thompson
Staff Sgt. Andrew Thorpe
Airman 1st Class Abraham Tilahun
Airman 1st Class Alex Tirado Acevedo
Senior Airman Mark Tonkinson
Airman 1st Class Aridia Torres
Airman 1st Class Arwyn Torres
Staff Sgt. Collin Ulrich
Airman 1st Class Ryan Unger
Staff Sgt. Colleen Urban
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Urban
Airman 1st Class Jason Vance
Staff Sgt. Taylor Vandenboogaard
Senior Airman Elizabeth Vasquez
Senior Airman Brandon Waithe
2nd Lt. Stephen Waters
Capt. Russel Webb
Tech. Sgt. James Wells
Senior Airman William Wells
Airman 1st Class Jordan White
Airman 1st Class Jesemy Whitehead
Senior Airman Samantha Whittle
Freddy Williams
Master Sgt. Nicholas Williams
Senior Airman Tanisha Williams
Airman 1st Class David Wilson
Staff Sgt. Sarah Windsor
Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Winter
Airman 1st Class Brittaney Woods
Airman 1st Class Daniel Woods
Senior Airman Travis Workman
Staff Sgt. Michael Yambao
Airman Megan Youngblood