CoRC: Wingman vs. Winging it

  • Published
  • By Officer Steve Pre'tat
  • Great Falls Police Department
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  OK, here we are a few weeks before the holidays, Christmas and New Years parties are in full swing or being planned, and most of us are gearing up for the holiday season with family and friends. We have plans about where we are going, who will be there, when we need to be there and what we need to bring. Everything is planned. It will be a great time ... or will it? 

As a veteran of the Air Force and with 14 years in the Great Falls Police Department, I have spent many a night patrolling the streets and I can tell you, there is one thing most people don't plan -- how they are going to get home after a night of partying. They plan everything else, but sadly most people will use the "wing it" mentality to try and get home after a night of drinking. As a result, I thought I would share with you some insights into driving drunk in our community and on base. 

If you have been reading the papers lately, you undoubtedly know the last two homicides in Great Falls have been alcohol related. One, a house party with minors and adults having a barbecue and drinking until a gunshot rings out and a young man is dead. Additionally, four months later, four young people are at a house party and decide to leave. The driver of the vehicle does not negotiate a turn in the road, two people are ejected from the vehicle through the back window and the vehicle rolls over a 19-year-old male, killing him instantly and severely injuring the other occupants. 

I could go on and reference all the injuries that are reported at local watering holes and house parties, and the sexual assaults reported that are alcohol related. But I know that people think, "It won't happen to me." Do you think these people thought anything like this would ever happen to them? Probably not. It's amazing, but it happens all the time in Great Falls yet everyone thinks it will happen to someone else. 

Most people spend serious time planning their careers, but will take a chance at driving drunk or drinking underage because they never planned on getting caught, thought they were smarter or were doing, what we call "winging it." 

So how do you avoid getting caught up in a career-ending alcohol-related incident? Well, traveling the back roads of Great Falls to make it to your home is out. Your law enforcement official know this routine well and patrol them more often then you think. 

The police and Montana Highway Patrol have extra officers out during the holidays looking for nothing but alcohol violations. If you live on base and make it to the base, Malmstrom Security Forces have received countless hours of DUI and MIP detection and processing training. Of all the DUIs and MIPs written to Malmstrom personnel in the last year, more than two thirds have been caught and arrested by base security forces personnel. Then, there are the sober drivers with cell phones and local establishments calling in DUI drivers. As of this article, the Great Falls Police alone has received more than 630 reports of DUI drivers within the last year; most ended in traffic stops and arrests. 

So what is the answer? It is pretty easy and it's a word you already know. The word is "wingman." Col. [Michael] Fortney, [341st Missile Wing commader] and the Air Force adamantly promote the "wingman" strategy of taking care of each other -- no matter what. If you are going out this holiday season, plan your exit strategy, know what your friends, co-workers and loved ones are doing, and use a designated driver, get a cab or call a friend or supervisor. (Note: The one who drinks the least is not a designated driver.) Remember, during the holidays, cabs are scarce because a lot of people use them and wait times are sometimes not measured in minutes. Call your friends, supervisors or relatives for a ride, or stay somewhere until you sober up. 

The bottom line is this: the police, deputies, security forces, MHP and sober citizens of Great Falls will not tolerate the "winging it" theory of irresponsible alcohol use. Without the "wingman" strategy, you could find yourself in jail, standing with all your supervisors/commanders in front of the Wing Commander, or worse - you could be involved in another fatality related to alcohol. 

See you on the streets. 

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What does .08 feel like? 

By Mark Hewitt 
Substance abuse counselor 

When most people go out for a drink they typically drink less than three standard drinks. When they leave the club, bar, or party, do they know what their blood alcohol concentration is? How do they know if they are at or above .08? It might be surprising to realize that walking in a straight line and touching your nose is not a good identifier of impairment. Studies have shown that most people underestimate how impaired they are when they drink. This leads to higher DUI/DWI rates and other alcohol-related misconduct. So how do you know if you are impaired? 

A BAC calculator, knowing what a standard drink is and drink-conversion charts are useful tools to help you more accurately identify your blood alcohol concentration. 

However, there are additional measures you can take to ensure your safety and the safety of others. Have a plan when you go out and a back-up plan to make sure you get home safely. Have a designated driver, set limits on how much you drink, alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and keep track of how much you drink. 

Look out for the safety of others; be a wingman. If you order mixed drinks know how many shots they are putting in it. A Long Island ice tea for example has approximately four to five shots per drink. Many people enjoy alcohol responsibly. The key word is responsibly. Responsible alcohol use leaves you in control of your actions, does not involve driving, and protects the safety of yourself and others. If you have concerns about your drinking, talk to your supervisor, or call ADAPT at 731-4451.