Wife helps identify drug problem

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nicholasa Reed
  • Air Armament Center Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  “No matter what kind of person you are, drugs will ruin you,” said an obviously uneasy, 21-year-old Airman Basic Michael Dancer as he nervously turned the wedding band on his finger.

Wearing a blue correctional custody jump suit, Airman Michael spoke from experience. Though he was not caught driving under the influence, buying or distributing, he was turned in by Airman 1st Class Dacia Dancer, his wife.

“I love him, I just didn’t like what he was doing. I did what I had to, to get him help,” Airman Dacia said.

Airman Michael entered the Air Force in March 2001 and seemed to be off to a good start. He won airman of the quarter for his squadron and was a member of the base honor guard for eight months.

Having performed 45 details, Airman Michael was even eligible for an achievement medal. That is why many of his friends, family and colleagues where shocked when they found out about his addiction to cocaine.

“Airman (Michael) was highly involved in school and sports, and he had good grades. He was not a troubled youth,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michelle Lopez, 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant and a former substance abuse counselor. “He was one of the top troops, extremely proper with his customs and courtesies and impeccable uniforms.”

After serving in the Air Force for one year and nine months, Airman Michael began socializing with a civilian friend who had a history of drug use. In December 2002, Airman Michael and his friend began to use cocaine.

“The night he first tried cocaine, he had been drinking, which brought his inhibitions down,” Sergeant Lopez said. “He went straight from alcohol to intravenous drug use.”

That is not typical of a first-time user. Most first-time drug users do not go straight to the needle, but start with a gateway drug, Sergeant Lopez said.

A month later Airman Dacia began to have suspicions about her husband’s activities. One day she came home in the middle of her shift and found Airman Michael with dilated eyes and acting oddly. Then she found drugs in his pants’ pocket. Airman Dacia said she entered the military to get away from a past run-in with drugs and was infuriated with her husband’s decision to bring drugs into their lives.

“I told her I would stop,” Airman Michael said. But he said he found the addiction made it hard for him to keep that promise.

In March, Airman Dacia caught her husband using drugs again. Fed up, she called the police. Airman Michael left the house, but minutes later returned home.

“I wanted to get help,” he said. “I saw what I was putting her through and knew I needed to get help.”

When the police arrived at the Dancer home, they believed they were responding to a domestic dispute and separated the couple. Airman Dacia told the police that her husband had been using drugs and Airman Michael confessed to the crime.

Airman Michael took immediate responsibility for his actions, Sergeant Lopez said.

“My supervisor picked me up and we met my first sergeant at the hospital for a urinalysis, then went to the security forces squadron to make a statement,” Airman Michael said.

“My first sergeant was really supportive and still is,” he said. “Really, everyone has been supportive (including) my wife, her parents and my parents.”

“I give a lot of credit to Dacia,” Sergeant Lopez said. “She decided early on that if he was willing to get help they would stay together, but they would need counseling.”

Through the help of the alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment program in life skills, the Dancers have received family counseling to get through this time with Airman Michael remaining in correctional custody.

During a special court-martial by a judge alone, Airman Michael was sentenced to six months confinement, forfeiture of pay and a bad conduct discharge. Because of financial restraints on Airman Dacia’s behalf, the air base wing commander waived the forfeiture of pay.

Of all of his regrets, Airman Michael said he hated that this habit had affected his wife.

“She could have walked off whenever she wanted to, but she decided to stay and work through the pain,” Airman Michael said. “I respect her even more for that.”

The message Airman Michael’s situation highlights for Sergeant Lopez is the effect his behavior will have on his future.

“A bad conduct discharge results in a felony conviction. That means he is not allowed to carry a firearm or vote,” she said. “Those are rights, as American citizens, we take for granted.”

Almost two years after Airman Michael’s first encounter with illegal drugs, his military career is over, there is a new strain on his marriage and he has a felony conviction that will last him the rest of his life.

“My message to others is that no matter who you are, drugs will ruin you. It’s as simple as that,” Airman Michael said.