Sober ride receives donation

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Moody and community members pose for a photograph during a check presentation April 11. The donation was given to help fund Sober Ride, a program designed to prevent drunk driving and serve as back-up when traditional designated driver options are not available. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Douglas Ellis)(RELEASED)

Helping to prevent DUI’s

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Senior Airman Michael Inman, Sober Ride president, talks with Tim Keller, community member, after receiving a check on behalf of Sober Ride April 11. The Sober Ride program provides anonymous free rides to any Department of Defense cardholder who is unable to drive because they are impaired by alcohol. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Douglas Ellis)(RELEASED)

Shaking hands

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Col. Gary Henderson, 23rd Wing commander, shakes hands with Tim Keller, community member, after receiving a check on behalf of Sober Ride April 11. The Sober Ride program was formed in 1997 by the Base Advisory Council to support the base's senior leadership to prevent drunk driving tragedies and misfortune among Moody members. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Douglas Ellis)(RELEASED)

Returning home safely with Sober Ride

Published April 12, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
23rd Wing Public Affairs

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Driving under the influence is a choice that no one should make. Making that choice could ruin a career or end a life.

That's why members from Moody volunteer every weekend to ensure this never has to happen and that fellow Airmen can rely on a safe ride home. This is where Sober Ride comes in.

"Sober Ride is strictly a volunteer program that is designed to help Airmen return home safely after a night out," said Senior Airman Michael Inman, Sober Ride president. "However, the program is a fail-safe measure and should never be used as an individual's main plan for getting home."

Someone should always have a main plan like a designated driver, a taxi but Sober Ride is always there as.

Sober Ride operates from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., Friday and Saturday nights.

Without volunteers from base, the program would not be able to continue on as a safe alternate to getting home.

That's why members like Darrell Fox, 23rd Force Support Squadron management analyst have been volunteering for Sober Ride.

"This program gives me an opportunity to help out all the young Airmen on base and keep them out of trouble," said Mr. Fox. "I have been volunteering for around three years now and try to do this least once a month."

Since November 2010, Sober Ride had received approximately 120 calls and picked up nearly 250 Airmen.

"In the future I hope Airmen feel comfortable calling Sober Ride when they need it instead of risking their life or someone else's life by drinking and driving," said Airman Inman. "There should be no reason that there are any DUIs on this base when this program is here to help."

The Sober Ride program recently received a check from a community group to help fund the program and help fund their goal to ensure Airmen have a safe ride home when under the influence.

To volunteer for Sober Ride, members can contact Airman Inman at 229-257-2175 or Stormi St John at 229-257-3808. To contact Sober Ride on the weekend, call 229-257-6237 (25-SOBER).