Airman awarded for volunteerism with trip

By Airman Emerald Ralston, 341st Space Wing Public Affairs / Published September 11, 2006

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Airman 1st Class Juliana Nualta responds to a call on the AADD phone, volunteering her time even after a full workday. Airman Nualta has logged more than 400 hours on call for AADD. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Emerald Ralston)

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Police Officer Noah Scott, who attended the conference on behalf of the Great Fall Police Department, goes over some last minute details with Airman 1st Class Nualta before going to the 7th Annual National Leadership Conference in Baltimore. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Emerald Ralston)

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- No stranger to volunteering, Airman 1st Class Juliana Nualta, a financial management customer support technician from the 341st Comptroller Squadron, was chosen to attend a drunk-driving conference in Baltimore, Md., because of her unsurpassed Airmen Against Drunk Driving volunteer hours.

Since she began volunteering in December, Airman Nualta has logged more than 400 hours on call for AADD.

"Airman Nualta volunteered more of her hours for AADD than any other volunteer under the age of 21," said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Ryan, president of AADD.

Airman Nualta has volunteered her time for many causes while she has been stationed here, and she said AADD was a program she was excited about from the beginning.

"I volunteered for five weeks, every day of the week," said Airman Nualta. "The amount of pick-ups varied weekly, but I probably picked up at least 10 people per week. It's a great feeling to know that you're helping save lives."

As a result of her dedication, she was selected to go to the 7th Annual National Leadership Conference in Baltimore Aug. 23 to 25, along with members from the Great Falls Police Department.

The conference was presented by the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center and included workshops such as underage drinking prevention, politics of alcohol policy, sustaining public awareness and numerous others. Attendees got to choose which classes they went to.

"The conference basically dealt with prevention of drunk driving and underage drinking," said Airman Nualta. "One of the main ideas I took from the conference was successful implementation begins with all of us.

Approximately 90 percent of minors get their alcohol from friends or family members that are old enough to purchase it. That is a huge percentage and something we can definitely put an end to. Our job is to not support it at all."

Airman Nualta said she also learned a lot about the health effects of alcohol.

"Not only is excessive alcohol consumption socially damaging, but something people don't realize as much is how damaging it is physically, as well," she said.

Some of the effects of alcohol consumption Airman Nualta said the conference highlighted were the malnourishing effects of alcohol, how the body reacts in the long run to alcohol consumption and the liver's role in metabolizing alcohol.

Alcohol contains a lot of energy, but no nutrients and is also very filling. The more alcohol one drinks, the less likely they are to eat enough food to get the proper nutrients. Along with displacing calories from needed nutrients, alcohol abuse interferes with the body's metabolism of nutrients, which can lead to liver damage and damage almost every other bodily organ. Over time, scar tissue will form in and around the liver, leading to liver failure.

Arthritis, cancer, heart disease, hyperglycemia, kidney disease, liver disease and malnutrition are all among the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

The knowledge of these potential effects should be enough of a deterrent, said Airman Nualta.

While it's a major concern for many people, the subject of drunk driving hits close to home with Airman Nualta as a result of being in a car crash when she was 16 that involved a drunk driver.

"One of the girls I was with in that accident was pregnant, and she lost her baby," she said. "It just makes you realize how damaging the effects of drunk driving really are when you see it first-hand like that. It was a horrible experience and something I'd never want anyone else to have to go through."

While attending the conference opened her eyes to a broader picture of the problems, effects and health risks of alcohol use, Airman Nualta knows she can't solve the problem alone.

She is, however, determined to continue volunteering for AADD and encourages everyone else to as well.

"I'd recommend volunteering for AADD to all Airmen; it's a great cause and a great program to help the community," she said. "I got to see how this program affects the community on a broader scale, which is something people don't get to see often."

For more information on being a volunteer, contact Sergeant Ryan at 731-7256.

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