Airmen who drink alcohol underage face stiff penalties Published Dec. 16, 2011 By A1C Heather Heiney 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- After a day of tight boots and strenuous work, a cool alcoholic drink can seem like instant relief to many people. However, if you are under the legal drinking age, giving in to that desire can have detrimental effects. According to TRICARE's website, more than 10 million underage people drink every year and underage service members and military dependants contribute to this number. Tech Sgt. Kerry Allen Holmes, 335th Training Squadron assistant military training flight chief, said, "I believe the Airmen were predisposed to drinking before they entered into the Air Force. I believe that once a person at such a young age associates alcohol with having a good time, it's hard to break that relationship." Staff Sgt. Christopher Freimann, 335th TRS military training leader, said, "I think one of the biggest reasons people drink underage is to fit in and be a part of that group that is drinking." "I've never really asked specifically, but I assume it's the same reason that most people drink -- because they are stressed, want to have a good time, and it makes it easier to socialize," Holmes said. Students who are caught drinking underage are subsequently restricted to base. They're most likely to be served with an Article 15 and then given whatever additional punishment their commander deems appropriate. "In most cases, an underage drinker will receive an Article 15," Holmes said. "The punishments that go along with the Article 15 could vary from forfeiture of pay, extra duty or reduction in rank." Freimann said that most people think the only consequence for drinking is an Article 15 and that it isn't really a big deal. However, before students take a drink, Freimann says they need to sit down and think about what effects that has on their future. They're now going to their first base with their commander, first sergeant, chief and supervisor knowing they are lacking in their core values. When the time comes for below-the-zone promotions, they may not be considered because of the Article 15. "Basically drinking underage is the proverbial snowball rolling down the hill-- it may start off as just one small thing, eventually causing an avalanche on your would-be career," Freimann said. "If the Department of Defense has to make more budget cuts and starts cutting airmen, those who have been in trouble will be the first to go." Tech. Sgt. James Hoover, another MTL in the 335th TRS, said that their attitude about the situation also has a lot to do with how they are handled. "It's sad to say, but it's almost a weekly occurrence that one of the squadrons has an underage incident," said Hoover. Despite the fact that underage drinking has been around since a legal age was set and continues to be an issue around the country, Keesler has several programs in place to help change the trend in young Airmen, including squadron-level safety briefings, Keesler's alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment program and Airmen Against Drunk Driving. First Lt. Julianna Petrone, ADAPT program manager, said the program's mission is "to promote readiness and health/wellness through the prevention and treatment of substance abuse." One of ADAPT's prevention programs is a weekly briefing for new 81st Training Group students weekly about the dangers of alcohol and the Air Force standard regarding underage drinking. Other efforts include a weekly "Drunk Busters" program that focuses on the dangers of drinking and driving and peer-to-peer education for students to play out what would happen if they were involved in an alcohol related incident. "If we receive a referral for underage drinking, Air Force Instruction 44-121 requires that they complete an assessment. If Airmen receive no diagnosis for abuse or dependence, they're required to complete three sessions of alcohol brief counseling," Petrone said. This involves additional one-on-one education on alcohol, types of drinkers, blood alcohol content, abuse vs. dependence and Air Force policy. If underaged drinkers receive a diagnosis for abuse or dependence, they are placed in treatment for approximately six to eight months. The treatment entails individual and group therapy. "We also have a fairly new underage drinking focus group consisting of various base agencies as well as the 81st Training Group (leadership and students) that meets monthly to discuss ways to address the base issue of underage drinking," Petrone said. AADD is a program that prevents drunk driving by picking up Airmen who have found themselves without another option. Senior Airman Ashley Jordan, AADD president, said the program had almost 300 "saves" between January and November. However, AADD's won't pick up anyone underage. "We ensure people are not drinking and driving and that they have a plan," Jordan said. "AADD is their alternate ride home." The legal drinking age was set for a reason. Besides the fact that it's illegal, underage drinking is dangerous because the human body is still developing and alcohol consumption can inhibit that development. "Ultimately, the biggest problem is what someone says about themselves when they break a rule like this," Freimann said. "Underage drinking not only violates the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and civilian law, but it also goes against everything we stand for as the Air Force. The core values are all broken when you drink underage." Freimann said, "There are so many traditions that we all live by on a daily basis that are thrown out the window with that empty beer bottle." For more information go to www.thatguy.com, TRICARE's campaign to reduce alcohol abuse in the military; call ADAPT, 376-5716; or call AADD, 377-SAVE.