Making responsible choices the standard

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Editor's Note: This is the first article in a series of articles that will address the wide array of CoRC topics. The next article will appear Aug. 29 and will focus on financial management.

In February 2006, Lt. Gen. Arthur Lichte, then assistant vice chief of staff, formally introduced the program known as the Culture of Responsible Choices. It evolved from the successes F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., achieved with their 0-0-1-3 program and the overall Air Force efforts to combat alcohol and drug abuse or misuse. But the program is not strictly about alcohol and it is not an abstinence program.

"The CoRC is a commander's program," General Lichte said. "It consists of a four-tier approach with emphasis on leadership, individual, base and community-level involvement - underscoring responsible behaviors."

"This program advocates responsible choices," said Col. Michael Fortney, 341st Missile Wing commander. "Alcohol is one area of the program, but drugs, domestic violence, sexual assault, financial responsibility, health and wellness and even the Wingman concept all fall under its umbrella. We also have working groups such as the Community Action Information Board and the Integrated Delivery System who meet regularly and help guide the enforcement of making the right choices."

While the program became formalized two years ago, the concept has been in effect for a lot longer.

"We have been doing things consistent with the CoRC concept for years," said Lori Muzzana, sexual assault response coordinator here and chairperson for Malmstrom's CoRC. To the naked eye, those programs and activities weren't defined as CoRC-related, but they did meet the criteria.

Some recent examples are the Wing-It Theater productions, the trips to Bull Run Ranch for Airmen, poetry nights at the Detour, 5k races for charities, marriage enrichment seminars, sporting events like the spring-thing-hoop-fling and paintball tournaments, as well as many others.

The CoRC initiative was intended to change the Air Force culture from "work hard/play hard" to "work hard/play smart." Responsible choices are an integral part of the Air Force culture, and CoRC emphasizes responsibility and accountability for decisions.

Over the course of the next several months, segments of the CoRC will be addressed in depth with informational tools and additional resources available for people to find out more on their own.

"I need for each and every one of us to be conscious of the decisions we make whenever we make them," Colonel Fortney said. "We are all a part of this culture of responsible choices."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional information:
To kick off the expansion of this program, a CoRC Committee is being established. To find out more or to volunteer, call Lori Muzzana at 731-4225.