Enough is enough: Preventing DUI

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. James M. Hodgman
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  A mother says goodbye to her 20-year-old son, not knowing that this will be the last time she'll see him alive. Three hours later, she will receive the painful news.

In January 2002, an elderly couple returning from their vacation in Arizona were killed by a nine-time repeat drunken driving offender. In April that same year, a 16-year-old girl died in a crash after her prom. In June 2007, a mother heard about the death of her daughter at 3:45 a.m. on her 40th birthday.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a major problem in American society and has been for many years. According to the Mothers against Drunk Driving website, in 2007 in the state of Nebraska, more than 13,000 people were arrested for DUI and 79 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes.

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found as many as 17 million people have driven drunk at least once during the past year. Research also reveals that about one in five Americans have driven within two hours of drinking alcohol.

Sadly, Offutt has added to these statistics. In 2010, Offutt has experienced 36 DUIs, with 20 occurring in the past six months.

For Brig. Gen. John N.T. Shanahan, 55th Wing commander, enough is enough.

"One DUI is too many and we're way past one - 20 DUIs across Team Offutt since July 1st 2010," General Shanahan said. "We need to fix this and fix it now."

"The Air Force and the 55th Wing have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to DUIs and there's no excuse for an Airman, one of our Air Force family members or civilian employees to drive knowing that they are impaired," the general added.

In November 1997, one Airman here decided to take the risk and drive while intoxicated the day after Thanksgiving. Today, she regrets doing so.

She started drinking around 10 a.m. while she attended a party at a friend's house, said Tech. Sgt. Mara L. Gott, 55th Comptroller Squadron NCO-in-charge of customer support, who at the time was a senior airman.

After a few games of horseshoes, some turkey dinner and nearly a dozen beers, Sergeant Gott said she wanted to leave. She doesn't recall asking for a ride home, nor does she remember someone offering one. Instead, she decided to get her keys and drive to her home in Papillion.

"Someone took my keys when I first got there," Sergeant Gott said. "I was told after the fact and there's a lot I don't recall, but (someone told me I had said) if they didn't hand me back my keys that I was going to hit them."

Sergeant Gott then climbed behind the wheel of her Buick Skylark and proceeded to drive home, but she wouldn't get far. She was stopped by Bellevue Police around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of 36th Street and Cornhusker Road for failing to stop at a red light.
"When I was stopped, I thought 'I'm in trouble,'" Sergeant Gott said.

She was right. At the time of her arrest, Sergeant Gott's blood alcohol content was .173, more than twice the legal limit.

She was prosecuted for DUI and received 18 months probation, she had to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and MADD meetings for about nine months, submit to random urinalyses testing and pay more than $2,000 in fines and court costs.

She also lost her driver's license for 90 days and on base driving privileges for a year.

"I screwed myself," Sergeant Gott said. "I did this to myself. I should've never got my keys back. I should've never picked up the keys to my car."

At the time of her DUI incident, Sergeant Gott said she was going through a difficult time. She lost her aunt to cancer earlier that year and she was struggling with numerous personal and work related issues. She said alcohol was her escape.

"I was going through a terrible time in my life," she said. "(In those situations), you don't think that you're stoppable and you don't try to remember the bad things; you live for the moment and that's what I was doing."

However, if she could go back, Sergeant Gott said she would do things differently.

"I would have never said the things I said," she said. "I would've never grabbed my keys. I would change the whole nine yards."

Today, Sergeant Gott rarely drinks and only goes out if she has a plan. Her plan is usually several layers deep and consists of a designated driver, money to pay for a cab, every phone number of every Airman from her unit is programmed into her cell phone and, if her phone fails, she always has the most current copy of her unit's recall roster on hand.

She's also become a DUI prevention advocate within her unit. She regularly counsels Airmen about the impact driving under the influence can have and often offers Airmen a safe ride home.

"If they need to call me I'm more than happy to come get them; I don't care if it's two o'clock in the morning," Sergeant Gott said. "It's my responsibility as a human being and
I don't want to see them go through what I've been through."

In an effort to put an end to dangerous driving trends here, General Shanahan organized a DUI Task Force in December of 2009. The task force consisted of Airmen of varied ranks and backgrounds, as well as representatives from the Sarpy County Sherriff's Office and the Nebraska Chapter of MADD.

In May, General Shanahan shared the task force's recommendations with the members of the Fightn' Fifty-Fifth.

Among the recommendations included reiterating the Air Force's zero-tolerance policy on drinking and driving, introducing a base wide survey to capture Offutt's drinking habits and offering ignition interlock installation for Airmen who violate Offutt's zero-tolerance policy.

Many of these practices are currently underway, but General Shanahan wants all servicemembers across Offutt to step in and do what's right to prevent future DUI incidents.

"I'm calling on every member of Team Offutt to do the right thing," said General Shanahan. "Don't drink and drive. Don't get behind the wheel when you know you're unfit to drive. When you see someone about to make the wrong decision, step in and stop them. Make a difference in someone's life. Be a good wingman."