Buccaneers put safety first, reap benefits

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Since the inception of the Peace Carvin V program, members from the 428th Fighter Squadron have gone more than 1,500 days without anyone being arrested for drinking and driving.

More than four years ago, the Peace Carvin V partnership between the United States and the Republic of Singapore began with a long-term goal of building lasting relationships between the two militaries and personnel.

"I'm extremely proud of the Peace Carvin V team for demonstrating the self discipline and teamwork required to reach such a milestone," said Lt. Col. William Marshall, 428th FS commander. "The guys are very deliberate about having a plan, sticking to that plan, and taking care of each other each, and every day."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009, alcohol-impaired drivers were involved in about one out of every three fatal accidents.

"For any unit, a DUI is disruptive to the mission, but the military has a zero- tolerance policy for DUIs and the penalties are significant," said Marshall. "Moreover, we all represent our military to the local community, and the RSAF represents Singapore. We all take this responsibility seriously and do not want to tarnish the image of the USAF, RSAF, or the Republic of Singapore."

Because nearly one-half of all fatal traffic crashes are alcohol-related and approximately 21,000 people die each year in drinking-related collisions, having a plan could be a matter of life and death.

"We always have a plan to get our members home when they are drinking, and we ensure that we stick to it every time," said Marshall. "This team has accomplished a lot over the last four years; this is only one of many great accomplishments. I'm sure many units throughout the Air Force have similar records, I'm just happy I get to lead one of them."