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  • If you have a story about how a DUI negatively impacted (scarred) you or someone close to you, please share your story by sending it to the 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office at 319abw.pa@us.af.mil. Your story may help prevent more DUIs and may save lives. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

    Scars of DUI: Timeline

    Home; what is home? Home is supposed to be a place of comfort, a place with family and loved ones, a place to rest your head. Most have been fortunate enough to always have a home and comfort zone or someone you could look to for answers. However, I was not so fortunate. My "home" was taken from me months before my high school graduation, simply
  • Staff Sgt. Vanessa Glenn, Community College of the Air Force, and Chief Master Sgt. Victoria Gamble, Air Mobility Command command chief, display their Community College of the Air Force T-shirt at Ryan Hall inside the CCAF Administrative Center at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The CCAF serves more than 305,000 active, Guard, and Reserve enlisted personnel, making it the world’s largest community college system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Davis)

    My Alma Mater

    I recently visited my alma mater and although it doesn't have a football team, cheerleaders, or a mascot, it does provide a terrific gateway opportunity to secondary education. The Community College of the Air Force has been around since 1972 and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. By the way,

  • Leadership Lessons: Self-Assessment Beyond "Understand the Importance Of..."

    "We need a strong commitment from each of you to sustain this purposeful momentum going forward."~ Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen Mark A. Welsh III & Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. CodyLate last month, the Air Force launched three new performance feedback forms for mandatory use starting July 1, 2014. The Airman Comprehensive
  • If you have a story about how a DUI negatively impacted (scarred) you or someone close to you, please share your story by sending it to the 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office at 319abw.pa@us.af.mil. Your story may help prevent more DUIs and may save lives. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

    Scars of DUI: It ends with me

    As a young child, you don't think much if someone doesn't show up when they're supposed to because you have better, "more important" things to worry about; like bugs and dolls. They're just another shape flashing around you in your own little world.Occasionally, a child will stop and ask a question about the sky, or their toys, or where their

  • Leadership Lessons: What really counts?

    In the Air Force, we love numbers. Numbers permeate our existence. We can hardly have a conversation without referencing at least one number. We are number crazy! Don't believe me? We denote our rank with numbers (E-5, O-3). We have instruction numbers, task numbers, building numbers, gate numbers, tail numbers, and numbered Air Forces. Our
  • If you have a story about how a DUI negatively impacted (scarred) you or someone close to you, please share your story by sending it to the 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office at 319abw.pa@us.af.mil. Your story may help prevent more DUIs and may save lives. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

    Scars of DUI: Red

    (EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article features graphic descriptions.)I remember the plush, green grass on my bare feet as I ran to the family station wagon for a trip to the local ice cream shop. My new outfit felt scratchy on my sunburned skin. It had been an exciting birthday party. The sun was beginning to set behind the trees, turning the

  • Leadership Lessons: Embrace the here and now

    To this point in my Air Force career, I have been stationed at eight bases. To be honest, sometimes I felt like as though the Air Force made a mistake sending me to some of those bases! But I always put "service before self" and made them into fun, interesting assignments. In the end, I left each base with great memories, and I believe Grand Forks
  • If you have a story about how a DUI negatively impacted (scarred) you or someone close to you, please share your story by sending it to the 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office at 319abw.pa@us.af.mil. Your story may help prevent more DUIs and may save lives. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

    ‘Scars of DUI’: An almost impossible funeral

    Hi there, I'm a spouse here at Grand Forks AFB. My husband and I have been here roughly a year.About a month ago my husband, who is in the Communications Squadron, received a text message the evening prior to his day off. He was instructed to come in the following morning in full service blues because someone in his squadron had received an

  • Leadership Lessons: Who would you follow?

    Over the last year I have enjoyed reading articles from our Wing leadership on their perspectives and experiences which have made them better leaders. I have great admiration for their words of wisdom and have benefited from their shared experiences.When I was asked to write a leadership piece I had a moment of hesitation because unlike my peers, I
  • Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez shares the story of how his first scar became his reason for never driving while under the influence of alcohol. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

    My First Scar

    One day I was in a meeting with some fellow Airmen."I'm sure you already heard about it, but the base had another Airman get arrested for driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence," our superintendent said. "So what can we do as a public affairs unit to help be part of the solution and help prevent them from reoccurring?"Like many
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