GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Grissom Airmen are used to taking the fight to enemies overseas, but some of them also fight a battle against drugs here in their own back yard.
Gary Flook, Grissom's drug demand reduction specialist, led a team of 434th Air Refueling Wing Airman out to local area schools to teach nearly 1,000 kids how to say 'no' during Red Ribbon Week Oct. 21-25.
Red Ribbon Week is the largest and oldest drug prevention program reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year.
This year, the team engaged with students at Pipe Creek Elementary in Peru, Ind., and North Miami Elementary School, Denver, Ind.
"We do an outreach project in the local community as part of our drug awareness program," explained Flook. "Hopefully we are planting seed that they carry with them and know later in life that just because their friends say something is cool does not mean it's ok."
"It's been a great success, and it's a good way to introduce the whole idea of peer pressure to the students," said Thecla Brown, Pipe Creek's guidance counselor. "I talk to them about this during the year, but this is the kickoff for our program."
The success of the outreach, having now completed its fourth year, is twofold, said Laura Fulton, Pipe Creek's principal who has 19 years of education experience, adding that the first reason is due to the Grissom team's ability to relate the message to kids.
"It's hard for people to sometimes relate to kids this small and make a topic that is kind of complex fit their understanding and level, but they do a really great job at that," said Fulton. "Any topic is relatable to 5 and 6 year olds, you just have to put it in their terms and make it something they understand."
And, Flook said, relating the dangers of alcohol, drug and tobacco use to children is the primary focus of the outreach.
"Each year we gather more material and try stay more in touch with what the younger kids are being exposed to and tailor it to that," explained Flook.
Fulton said the second reason for the program's success is due to who is delivering the message.
"We share the same message throughout the year, but we are familiar to them, so it's almost like they sometimes tune us out," she elaborated. "When you have someone come in from the outside in the community, someone who is in a position of authority or play an important role, and they share that same message in a different format, that hit's home."
Brown agreed, stating that having role models in uniform share the message with students helps her throughout the year.
"When we talk about it all year, I can refer back to it and say, 'remember when Grissom came out and told us not to do drugs?'" she added. "And, they do remember it because it stands out."
Flook said he hopes the message is remembered long after this year, as it provides students with tools to keep them safe.
"At this point, we hope they're not exposed to (drugs and alcohol)," he continued. "But, when they get in junior high, we hope they remember this, and that's why we engage them now."
Fulton concurred, adding that it's never too early to talk to children about the dangers in life.
"You want to start having this conversation with children now, even though it might see small, because when they're 16, it's a whole different conversation as they are making life-threatening choices," explained the principal. "We can talk to kids about choices, because they have control over all that.
It really is just about making good choices," she concluded.
Grissom is home to the 434th ARW, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, as well as three Army Reserve units and a Marine Corps communication detachment.
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