Think before you drink, remember 0-0-1-3 Published Oct. 23, 2006 By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Williams 60th AMW command chief TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Once again it's Friday; we can breathe a sigh of relief; take time to relax and exhale. Team Travis, we have been extremely busy and I for one don't foresee our ops tempo diminishing. A possibility does exist, however, for it to increase. Seriously, pause and reflect on current world events, particularly North Korea and you'll see what I mean. We could actually get busier. So, take some time to relax you deserve it, but remember it's all about safety and responsible choices. Monday is only two days away. Don't you be the one to wake up tomorrow morning and say to yourself, "What have I done or why did I make that stupid mistake?" A couple of weekends ago we had three individuals caught for driving under the influence of alcohol. I'll be honest with you, I enjoy a cold beverage every once in a while but you have to be responsible...you have to have a plan when you decide to go out and party with friends. The moment you pick up your car keys to meet a friend out at a bar, without a designated driver or a plan to get home, you've already decided to drink and drive. That's right; think about it...there are no excuses and no sympathy for that individual. Why? Because they've put themselves at risk and potentially, the lives of innocent people they may accidentally crash into. Not to mention the impact they may have on the mission. Our mission is critical to the war on terrorism and we need every Airmen to accomplish the mission. When you're incarcerated, your driving privileges suspended and your morale is low because of one bad choice, your directly impact your organization, the wing and family/friends. Speaking of friends...they don't allow friends to drink and drive. We have to do a better job of taking care of each other. You know, Airmen taking care of Airmen. I'd rather have a friend mad at me for taking the keys away because the next day I guarantee that same friend will thank me. Wingmen work hard together, play hard together and in the end take care of each other. That's what it means to be a good wingman...who's your wingman? In my opinion, that's the silver bullet to preventing DUIs; a wingman, frontline supervisor, and commanders, all providing face to face leadership and taking care of Airmen. We don't need anything else if we consistently stay engaged. The slogan 0 - 0 - 1 - 3 is great but half of you have absolutely no idea what it means and the other half of you will forget it once you consume your first drink. Well, let me help you, it means: zero underage drinking, zero DUIs, only one drink an hour and no more than three drinks a night. Oh by the way; guess what, 0013 is the last four digits of the phone number for Airmen Against Drunk Driving. If you do and subsequently get caught driving under the influence, remember you've just possibly blew your career and will incur a financial hardship. Friday, Friday, Friday; how I just love those weekends...you are an Airman, even on weekends; you are an Airman. Therefore, you are held to a higher standard and will be held accountable for your actions. Enjoy life but just do it responsibly and be safe...see you on Monday.