FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Fort Leonard Wood chapter of the Drunk Driving Prevention Program, a nationwide non-profit organization with five chapters located near Army installations, offers to drive service members home for free and make sure their family members and vehicles make it home safely, too.
“The Drunk Driver Prevention Program is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing road safety and supporting those who serve our nation,” said Cory Plante, president of the Fort Leonard Wood chapter of the DDPP. “Our mission is to provide reliable, cost-free transportation alternatives to Soldiers, ensuring they return home safely.”
Polly Guthrie, Fort Leonard Wood’s Army Substance Abuse Program manager, said “the Drunk Driving Prevention Program can be a lifeline to assist in saving or preserving someone’s career. It is all about safety, planning for a sober ride, asking for help and making it home safely.”
“Asking for a safe ride home from the Drunk Driving Prevention Program, is a safer and smarter alternative of getting home,” Guthrie said. “As an Installation, we are working very diligently with the Directorate of Emergency Services, ASAP, Integrated Prevention Advisory Group and the Drunk Driving Prevention Program to reduce DUIs.”
According to Plante, the organization’s services are exclusively available to active duty, Reserve or National Guard service members of any military branch. Military dependents with valid Department of Defense identification can also use their services.
He said military family members can only use the service if they are traveling with their service member sponsor, because one of the passengers must have a valid CAC to use the program.
“Our volunteers will also ensure the safe transport of both the individual and their vehicle to their designated destination, provided it is within our operational area,” Plante said.
The Fort Leonard Wood chapter serves within a 30-mile radius of the installation.
“This includes St. Robert, Waynesville, Rolla and Lebanon,” he said. “We also support unit functions, such as holiday balls, upon request, subject to volunteer availability.”
Military members can access services by contacting the Fort Leonard Wood chapter through their dedicated hotline, 573.452.8595 or by email at FLWDDPP@gmail.com.
According to their Facebook page, the Fort Leonard Wood chapter operates from 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and from 1 to 5 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays.
Plante said the program’s seven volunteers are “truly committed to the well-being of their brothers and sisters in arms.”
“While the Drunk Driver Prevention Program is not associated with any government agency, it is proudly supported by military volunteers dedicated to enhancing community safety,” Plante said. “Volunteers are essential to the success of DDPP as they are the ones who remain on-call throughout the night waiting for the opportunity to provide a safe ride.”
Those interested in volunteering must attend a training and briefing session held every Friday at 4 p.m. in the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital Primary Care Classroom.
“These volunteers are committed to bettering their community by providing safe, reliable transportation to their fellow Soldiers and eligible dependents,” he said. “By fostering a sense of community, we aim to create a positive impact that extends beyond transportation, promoting a safer environment for all. Together, we can prevent drunk driving and foster a stronger, safer community at Fort Leonard Wood.”
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