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KADD program sees user increase

  • Published
  • By Christopher Bailey
  • Nucleus Staff Writer
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM --  When the Kirtland Against Drunk Driving program started on Dec. 16, 2005, it recorded three saves.

By late December 2009, the number of saves grew to 925, before dropping to 762 last year.

But as 2011 comes to a close, KADD's services have rebounded by recording 827 saves, with three weekends left in the year.

The program provides members of Kirtland Air Force Base and any Department of Defense ID card holder a safe, anonymous, free ride home on Friday and Saturday nights. It becomes even more important as the holiday season approaches.

Staff Sgt. Michyl Tobiason, 58th Special Operations Wing Support Command Staff, is the alternate point of contact for KADD. She believes the program's increased use is largely due to its growing popularity.

"I think it is just getting the word out about what we do," said Tobiason. "We have done a lot of work with advertising the service, like putting posters up throughout the base with the KADD phone number on it. Letting Airmen know this program is available decreases the number of DUIs on the road and provides Airmen an alternative to calling their first sergeants or their commanders."

The program operates out of a base office and is staffed by Team Kirtland volunteers from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

When a Kirtland AFB member requests service, a dispatcher asks the following questions: Where are you? How many are in your party? What is your drop-off location? And, how can we identify you when we arrive?

One of Tobiason's responsibilities is to contact the first sergeants and coordinate volunteers within the 58 SOW when they are scheduled to serve. The 58 SOW alternates the responsibility with the 377th Air Base Wing.

Tobiason said that finding volunteers is easier than she thought and she gives the credit where it is due.

"The first sergeants have done a great job finding volunteers for the program," said Tobiason, who has volunteered for similar programs at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and RAF Mildenhall, U.K.

KADD is not the only option for Airmen to get home safely. There are two additional services for Kirtland AFB. There is the city taxi service, at 247-8888, and Safe Ride, at 242-7433. To use the KADD program, call 853-8888.