CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
False rumors are being spread around Charleston AFB recently about 0-0-1-3 being "dead."
0-0-1-3 is a program that will live on at Charleston AFB years after it was first implemented by F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
"I just came back from a temporary duty assignment with a lot of Air Force-level Alcohol and Drug Prevention Treatment leaders and they talked about 0-0-1-3, but they never mentioned anything about it going away," said Staff Sgt. Crystal Lovelace, 437th Medical Group ADAPT NCO in charge.
0-0-1-3 was originally implemented to encourage responsible drinking amongst Air Force members. The first "0" means that there should be zero people drinking underage. The second "0" stands for zero DUI offenses. The "1" means that a maximum of one drink can be consumed per hour so the liver can have time to process it. And the "3" stands for a limit of three drinks per night to prevent the blood-alcohol content from exceeding 0.05 percent.
"I think it's a great concept because it's not telling Airmen they can't drink, but it's encouraging them to be more aware of how much they're drinking so they can have fun responsibly," said Sergeant Lovelace. "You don't have to get drunk in order to have fun."
Though facts can't prove where rumors started about 0-0-1-3 going away, the start of a new program may be one possible cause for this confusion, said Sergeant Lovelace.
That Guy is a Department of Defense-funded campaign designed to encourage and make people more aware that they shouldn't be "That Guy" when they are drinking. It is a multimedia peer-to-peer campaign to discourage binge drinking and can be viewed at www.thatguy.com.
"That Guy is a good program that the Air Force is also promoting," said Sergeant Lovelace. "But it by no means replaces 0-0-1-3. It's just a coincidence that we have two outreach programs going on at the same time."
These programs are meant to encourage Airmen to drink responsibly and to make them aware that alcohol could make them more vulnerable to getting into trouble or dangerous situations.
"If you follow the guidelines of 0-0-1-3, there is less of a chance an Airman will get in trouble for alcohol-related incidences, and if they don't follow 0-0-1-3, they are most likely drinking irresponsibly and acting irresponsibly which could result in punishment," said Senior Master Sgt. Dean Harris, 437th Security Forces Squadron first sergeant.
According to statistics, the base has had 25 alcohol-related incidences so far this year. There have been six traffic-related alcohol offenses, six domestic violence cases, four self identifications, which is when an individual comes forth on their own for help with drinking issues even though they may not have gotten in trouble, and nine underage drinking incidences.
"Overall, Charleston is a very healthy base when it comes to alcohol in comparison with other bases, which shows that Airmen here are probably considering 0-0-1-3 when they drink," said Sergeant Lovelace. "Of course, we're not perfect so there's still room for improvement."
Even though That Guy is also being promoted now, Charleston AFB will continue to stress the importance of 0-0-1-3 at commander's calls, Wingman Day, mental health briefings and First Term Airmen Center briefings so Airmen are aware that 0-0-1-3 is still in effect.