AADD gets Airmen home safely

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Preston Webb
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Airmen Against Drunk Driving is an organization formed entirely of volunteers and dedicated to making sure Airmen have a guaranteed safe ride home.
Volunteers act as drivers, riders or dispatchers. Both civilians and military personnel can volunteer for AADD.

Volunteers must be at least 16, and all drivers must have a valid license and properly registered vehicle. Those who cannot drive can volunteer as a dispatcher or rider.
Each shift runs from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, as well as Sundays when the following Monday is a down day.

Shifts consist of four drivers, four riders and one dispatcher. Dispatchers answer phones, record the number of people to be picked up and the location of pick up and drop off. Drivers always have a rider with them for safety purposes.

The AADD volunteers track their effectiveness by "saves" or how many people they've gotten home safely.

"Last Halloween we had about 100 saves just in one night," said Airman 1st Class Joshua Foxworth, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management journeyman from Clarksville, Fla. "Personally, I have about 200 saves this year alone."

AADD's services are available to all military members stationed at RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath and RAF Feltwell as well as Department of Defense and Ministry of Defence civilians and their spouses.

"It's not a taxi service," Foxworth said. "But if all your plans fall through and you need to get home, you've always got AADD.

"You can't plan for everything in the world," Foxworth continued. "AADD is the Airmen's way of giving their wingmen something to fall back on in case their plan falls through."

There is a limit to this AADD service. Volunteers are unable to travel more than 30 minutes to pick somebody up. For example, they cant travel to areas such as Cambridge because it's too far, Foxworth said.

To call AADD for a ride home, dial 0800 3280178 or 07979 748538. To volunteer to help contact your unit representative.