WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- It’s been a long, tiring week at work and it’s finally Friday night. You’ve been planning an outing with your friends all week, even convincing one of them to be the designated driver. A few hours and some drinks later, it’s time to go home. Suddenly, your designated driver is nowhere to be found.

You call a few people to see if they can give you a ride home, but nobody answers your desperate calls. Your plans have backfired and a fun night has quickly turned into a sticky situation. What do you do now?

Airmen Against Drunk Driving (AADD) is a completely free backup plan for Airmen.

“We will be here for you when your designated driver is no longer viable, when your friends or coworkers can’t make it, AADD will be there,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hannah Larson, an AADD council member. “We are willing to help and we want to help.”

Driving under the influence is a decision that could change many people’s lives. After a few drinks, at that moment it may not seem like a bad or dangerous decision, but the reality is, it could cause a lot of damage to yourself and others.

“Aside from the chance of getting caught driving while under the influence, there is the possibility that someone could seriously get hurt due to drunk driving,” said Airman 1st Class Brandon Tincher, an AADD volunteer. “We hear about accidents and hit and runs all the time and AADD is a means to avoid all of the unnecessary risks that some individuals take while under the influence of alcohol.”

It is an anonymous service that’s available for anyone with a Department of Defense identification card.

“AADD is a volunteer, non-profit organization that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure Airmen arrive home safely,” said Larson. “It is a confidential service, but at least one member of the party must have a valid DOD identification card.”

Larson has been involved and dedicated with the organization for almost three years.

“I was looking to volunteer and make a difference,” said Larson. “During these past years of volunteering, my involvement has evolved past simply volunteering for the sake of bullets. I’ve recognized the difference this makes in the community and what it does for Airmen.

“When the situation is spiraling AADD changes the course and saves lives, not to mention careers,” added Larson. “I want to be a part of that, to be able to say I made a difference. Now I’m one of the council members, I have a responsibility to the program and to all the Airmen. As members of AADD we have a responsibility to the base, community and our fellow Airmen.”

The program helps make the roads safer for the community and preserves the image of the Air Force’s professionalism by reducing the number of Airmen driving under the influence. Many Air Force bases have an AADD program or a very similar program available in order to ensure their Airmen arrive home safely.

There are two volunteer roles in the program. The first volunteer role is charge of quarters (CQ), which includes answering the AADD phone, coordinating the pick-up and drop-offs of the callers, and maintaining the AADD log book. The second role in the program is the driver, which involves receiving directions from CQ to pick up callers, remaining in the local area, updating CQ of the completion of the ride or with any problems that may have occurred.

“You should never go out without a plan, but if worse comes to worst, AADD is always here to help,” said Larson.

If you ever find yourself in need of someone to guarantee your safe return home after drinking, you can save the number for AADD – and save yourself the risks. An AADD representative can be reached directly at (660) 563-1178.