Little Rock AFB program SAVES lives

  • Published
  • By Little Rock Air Force base Public Affairs
  • 19 AW/PA

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10,265 people were killed in the U.S. due to drunk drivers in 2015. Each crash effects not only the people involved but their families, friends, co-workers and fellow wingman.

Substance Abuse Victimizes Every Service Member, or SAVES, is a program developed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, that strives in reducing the amount of alcohol and drug related incidents involving Team Little Rock members on and off base.

“The SAVES program is very similar to the force protection conditions,” said Stephanie Wynn, 19th Airlift Wing community support coordinator. “There are three levels that are colored coded: green, yellow and red depending on the amount of incidents occurring within a 60-day rolling period.”

With each level activated, there are reactive measures that counter the circumstances at hand. The measures are implemented at the wing commander’s discretion, but unit commanders may apply measures from higher levels to tailor their unit's specific circumstances.

LEVEL ONE

A steady state where day-to-day operations are meant to be maintained indefinitely, similar to FPCON Alpha. This includes random entry point checks at base gates. 

LEVEL TWO

A level of increased awareness is initiated if the number of drug and alcohol incidents rise above the prescribed level. For example, if the ARIs rise above six, one element that may be implemented is an increase in first sergeant visits to the dormitories due to a surge in underage drinking.

LEVEL THREE

Applies when the installation has a significant upward swing in DWIs, ARIs or drug positive results or if any of those areas is a factor that causes a loss of life. A measure for this level would be documented face to face counselling each week by first line supervisors for all personnel.

“SAVES by the numbers works, over the last seven years, we have incrementally lowered our driving while intoxicated cases and alcohol related incidents every year.  However, this year we had a slight increase in our numbers,” Wynn said.

In fiscal year 2017, Team Little Rock had 13 DWIs, 22 ARIs and 14 drug positive results.  “It is the goal, with the help of all, to lower these numbers in the coming year,” Wynn stated.

The SAVES program works closely with multiple agencies to include the Air Force Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment program, or ADAPT, Drug Demand Reduction, and Security Forces to accomplish their mission.

“One thing we do for SAVES is we provide statistics,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Scotty Howard, 19th Medical Operations Squadron mental health element chief. “We don’t collect names but we do gather information like the age, rank and unit of Airmen and give it to the SAVES coordinator to brief the commanders.”

The data is then used to set SAVES levels and helps commanders address issues that are specific to their units. Preventative counseling is also done through ADAPT for any Airmen willing to get help for substance abuse.

“Prevention is what I like to stress to people the most; when things start becoming noticeable to you or your peers that’s when reaching out is most important,” Howard said.

Under direction of Col Gerald Donohue, 19th Airlift Wing and installation commander, the current alcohol related incident and driving under the influence unit sign will be removed and the SAVES level sign will be displayed next to the AADD sign as individuals leave base.

After careful consideration and consultation, the unit sign will be removed as it does not actively work towards achieving our goal of reducing the number of alcohol related incidents,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Gerald Donohue, 19th Airlift Wing and installation commander.

 

“Instead, it began to blend into the physical environment but also into the conversations regarding such instances. We needed a change and a refresh, a renewed effort to keep our Airmen and families safe,” Donohue said.

For Airmen struggling with substance abuse, contact ADAPT at (501) 987-7338 for counseling and treatment. For more information regarding the SAVES program, contact Mrs. Stephanie Wynn, at (501) 987-1772.