Hickam AFB, community combat underage drinking

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erin Smith
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) --  Hickam Air Force Base has been selected to receive a grant from the Department of Justice which will allow the base and the state to share $950 thousand over the next three years to reduce drinking by underage Airmen.

Lt. Gov. James R. Aiona Jr.; Dr. Chiyome L. Fukino, director of the Hawaii State Department of Health; and Col. John J. Torres, 15th Airlift Wing commander, gathered here Oct. 26 to publicly announce the program and to sign a proclamation naming the day "Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Program Day."

The Air Force has a zero tolerance approach to underage drinking and offers alternatives to drinking alcohol. This grant will support that strategy for Hickam AFB and will benefit surrounding communities to ensure underage drinking and drunk driving are addressed.

"We know the damage [alcohol] has on us, short term and long term ..." said Mr. Aiona. "I want to acknowledge the partnership that we have because it is much more than one entity or organization that needs to get involved, so to have [Mothers Against Drink Driving], to have Honolulu Police Department, to have our communities involved... we need all these partnerships."

Surveys are being conducted at the base to help officials determine how best to use the money to serve Airmen, prevent underage drinking and offer alternatives to drinking alcohol. 

Mr. Aiona and Colonel Torres both expressed excitement about embarking on this initiative.

"One of the best things I like about our Air Force is we have a great and highly educated force; this grant is another opportunity to add another tool to our toolkit for educating Airmen about the culture of responsible choices," said Colonel Torres. "That's what it's all about, empowering our young and our old to make good decisions. Good decisions in support of our community, in support of ourselves and in support of our family."

The initiative also will support the Air Force's "Wingman" concept as well as "ohana," meaning family or kin, and the spirit of ohana in Hawaii.

"Wingman is our concept in which we help each other" Colonel Torres said. "This grant offers us the ability to put some programs in place to be good wingmen to each other and that is what we have the opportunity to do with our greater Hawaii community ... be good wingmen to Honolulu, to Hawaii ... I am so excited to be a part of that.

"We owe it to our people, our friends, our ohana in Hawaii and our service members to be good members not only of the Air Force but of the community as well," he said.