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Airman 1st Class Nala Cormier was 11 years old on the day she heard sudden, frantic noises of hysteria and dismay outside her Church Point, Louisiana, home. She followed the sounds until she found the source – her older sister holding her toddler son in her arms, wailing.
“A drunk driver swerved into our yard,” Cormier said. "They hit my nephew and kept driving. He was only three years old. He didn’t make it.”
Today, Cormier, a medical technician at the 11th Medical Group here, serves as the Andrews Against Drunk Driving president. She said the loss of her young nephew has fueled her passion for preventing similar tragedies.
“I saw how much hurt my family was put through because of a drunk driver,” she said. “And I don’t want anyone to have to go through that simply because one of our Airmen felt like they had no other way home.”
When she arrived here in March 2017, she immediately began the process of reinstituting the bases’ designated driver program that had been inactive for approximately a year prior.
“After I met with my first sergeant, I found out we didn’t have an AADD on base,” said Cormier. “I thought; ‘Ok, why not? Let’s get it started.”
Since then, she’s been able to round-up a small team of volunteers, and designate a vice president, two drivers and a dispatcher. After receiving approval from the proper channels, they were able to start responding to calls in late 2017.
One of the most notable initiatives was a display of a battered car in front of the JBA main gate to raise awareness for the program and show case the dangers of drunk driving. During the holiday season, they supported unit holiday parties in need of DD’s.
“Lately, we’ve been focusing on making the AADD dispatcher number available to service members by speaking at the Welcome to Joint Base Andrews briefings and First Term Airman Courses,” Cormier said.
She said she also warns fellow service members that crashing a vehicle is only one of the many potential negative effects of drunk driving.
“When you drink and drive, it takes a toll on your career, your life and everyone around you.” Cormier said. “If I can stop one part of it a little, then I’m proud to have helped another Airman. Whether you know it or not, every time you get behind the wheel as someone’s designated driver, you’re saving a life or a career.”
Master Sgt. Johnathan L. Dixon, 11th Medical Group first sergeant, said he supports Cormier’s efforts to ensure the safety of JBA service members.
“Our leadership teaches us to have a plan,” Dixon said. “As I talk to my Airmen, young and old alike, I ensure that they know of AADD, as well as other options to assist with them having a plan to return home, whether on base or off, safely.”
Members within the 30-mile-radius of base can utilize AADD between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays by calling 240-302-6271. To volunteer for either position, Airmen can visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b48a4a823abf58-aadd.
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.28.2018 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 305598 |
| Location: | MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Airmen revives JBA designated driver program, by A1C Jalene Brooks, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
