DUIs deadly to career, other options available

  • Published
  • By Airman Eric Schloeffel
  • 347th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A driving under the influence conviction can be as deadly to an Air Force career as to a human life.

Four Moody Airmen have been arrested in the last six weeks for DUIs, highlighting some still aren’t getting the message. These convictions will likely follow the Airmen for the remainder of their careers.

Both civilian and military DUI convictions can bring sobering effects to an Airmen’s career, said Capt. Richard O’Brien, 347th Rescue Wing Office of the Staff Judge Advocate’s chief of military justice.

“Many Airmen don’t understand what they do at the age of 20 can affect them for the rest of their life,” said Captain O’Brien.

For incidents occurring off-base, civilian prosecutors will likely handle the case. These situations often entail loss of license, fines and large increases in insurance costs. The DUI will also be marked on the offender’s record as a state criminal offense.

Civilian DUI convictions don’t involve Uniform Code of Military Justice punishments, but still can carry harsh military consequences, said the captain.

“Commanders have a wide array of Quality Force Management tools to address these situations,” he said. “They may issue a letter of counseling, admonishment or reprimand, establish an unfavorable information file or place an individual on a control roster.”

The control roster is a command tool that limits permanent change of station and assignment opportunities, cancels formal training and may affect promotions and reenlistments. .

Airmen convicted of DUIs are also often required to take an on-base or off-base driving course depending on the judge’s instructions, said Joe Bell, 347th RQW ground safety manager.

“The driving course is eight hours long, and in many cases the student has to pay for it,” he said. “The course shows the human side to the tragedies surrounding drinking and driving, and reiterate the importance of using designated drivers and other techniques to prevent driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

For Airmen receiving DUIs entering base or while on-base, they will be dealt with under the UCMJ. The maximum penalty for DUI under the UCMJ is a court martial, confinement and loss of all pay and forfeitures. Most on-base DUI offenders receive either a court-martial or an Article 15, said Captain O’Brien.

“I’ve court-martialed Airmen for DUI offenses, and they received confinement too,” he said. “A court martial is a federal conviction and follows you wherever you go. It has an incredibly lasting effect.”

The lasting effects of a DUI can stem from incidents even when the offender is under the legal limit for blood alcohol level. Georgia has two laws which can convict drivers of a DUI when they have as little as .02 BAL, said Captain O’Brien.

“Georgia and Moody have a zero tolerance law for drinking and driving under the age of 21,” he said. “If you’re under 21 and “blow” anything over .02, you will be arrested for a DUI. An Airman here blew a .03, but was 20 years old, and was charged with a DUI.”

Another Georgia law, “DUI Less Safe,” gives civilian prosecutors the ability to charge reckless drivers with a DUI if their BAL is .05 to .079, said Captain O’Brien.

“If the state can show you were driving recklessly, there is a good chance you’ll get a DUI even if your BAL is under .08,” he said. “This means people must be extremely careful if they are having even the slightest bit of alcohol before driving. (Law enforcers) don’t play around here, and there are no warnings for DUIs.”

In addition to legal issues, safety should be the foremost deterrent of drunk driving. The Air Force cannot afford risking the lives of Airmen due to futile mishaps, said Staff Sgt. Scott Richard, 347th RQW ground safety technician.

“It is very important for Air Force members to be responsible enough to not drink and drive,” said Sergeant Richard. “The amount of money and training spent on each Airman is so great and can be thrown away by drinking and driving. An impaired driver also runs the risk of killing other motorists or everyone in the car.”

Considering the consequences, an easier route is to abstain from alcohol consumption altogether prior to driving and always having a plan beforehand. In many cases, there are always options other than getting behind the wheel.

The base Sober Ride is one of the options. This program provides rides to intoxicated Airmen if they cannot find an alternative to getting back to base or home. Sober Ride was responsible for more than 1,050 saves last year.

“It is your own responsibility to have a tentative plan before going out and drinking,” said Senior Airman Huan Liang, frequent Sober Ride volunteer. “Always have a designated driver when going out. If the designated driver bails out, then call your supervisor, flight chief or first sergeant. If those fail, call Sober Ride.”

Even with possible career and life-ending consequences, some Airmen continue to choose to leave common sense in the dust while hitting the gas after a night of drinking. As military members, their contributions are too important to jeopardize with a senseless act of carelessness, said Col. Joseph Callahan, 347th Rescue Wing commander.

“With the War on Terror, we need every Airman alive to continue to defend this country and defeat the enemy,” said Colonel Callahan. “Drunk driving is completely unacceptable and is a breach of all Air Force core values. I urge every Airman to consider the alternatives and consequences before they get behind the wheel.”