Photo By Christine Cabalo | Volunteers with the Drunk Driving Prevention Program pose for a group photo after a...... read more read more
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — When Maj. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of the 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Hawaii, thanked volunteers at the 2017 Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on April 28, he made a point to single out Spc. Matthew Von Stetten, president of the Oahu Chapter of the Drunk Driving Prevention Program.
The DDPP is a national nonprofit run by volunteers. It offers designated driver services to Soldiers, family members and DOD civilians who are intoxicated.
“As your commander, I can’t tell you how much time and effort and heartache Spc. Von Stetten must have saved me by taking our off-duty Soldiers home,” Cavoli told those gathered at the ceremony.
Von Stetten said he was honored by Cavoli’s unexpected acknowledgement.
“I’m not sure I was making as big an impact, but I guess I did without realizing it,” he said.
He said volunteering for DDPP provided him with a mission: to be a role model to other Soldiers and keep them from making bad decisions that could ruin their careers or even their lives.
He was inspired to volunteer after serving on the funeral detail of a young Soldier who had been killed by a drunken driver in 2015. The Soldier was a newlywed who had been returning from leave with his bride when the collision occurred.
Von Statten said he remembered standing in front of the church at the funeral and absorbing the pain and suffering of the Soldier’s friends and relatives. He signed up for DDPP shortly after.
“Every ride is potentially a life saved,” he said.
How it works
Callers contact the program’s dispatch line at 888-7407 or use the program’s free app, which notifies volunteers who pick up drivers anywhere on Oahu between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Callers must provide their license plate numbers and their DOD identifications, and sign a liability waiver.
Volunteers confirm whether the caller’s vehicle is standard or automatic. If the caller has a motorcycle, there are volunteers on call who can ride the bikes back.
The service is free for Soldiers, family members and DOD civilians. It is confidential, and Soldiers who use the service will not be reported to their chain of command.
Why it matters
When a Soldier is arrested for driving under the influence off post in Hawaii, it is reported to the military police, and the Soldier’s chain of command is notified. Individuals could have their driving privileges revoked, and Soldiers could compromise their chances of promotion.
Even more important than careers are the lives at stake. One in three traffic deaths in the United States involve a drunk driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Get involved
Those who use DDPP’s services are encouraged to volunteer as a way to pay it forward. To volunteer for DDPP or the many other Army programs, visit the Volunteer Management Information System at myarmyonesource.com and click on “Volunteer Tools.”
Hours compiled in VMIS carry over when Soldiers, family members and DOD civilians move posts.
| Date Taken: | 05.04.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2017 20:52 |
| Story ID: | 232642 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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