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Program conducts random drug screenings for military, civilians

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  • By Nicole Turner
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  It's a random process that has the potential to put a person's entire career on the line, though people might not realize the intensity and seriousness of it. The Drug Demand Reduction Program is Tinker's drug testing program that is primarily performed through a computer-generated random selection method.

"This program is designed to deter illegal drug use," said Abe Kelly, 72nd Medical Group DDRP manager.

Currently, there are about 5,600 active duty men and women who are in the system and subject to be tested. There are also nearly 2,000 civilians that can be selected for drug testing, although, within the next year the number of civilians will possibly increase to 10,000.

"Those 8,000 folks that have never been tested know they don't have to be tested," Mr. Kelly said. "But when we actually get that enforced, people will know they are subject to being tested, which is how the deterrence factor plays a major role in people not using illegal substances or abusing prescribed drugs."

The process is done through a computer program that randomly selects several people from a pool using social security numbers. The selected individuals are then required to give a urine specimen that is tested for opiates, methamphetamines, marijuana, cocaine and even steroids if requested by commanders.

"Nine times out of 10, if they come up positive for an illegal drug, they are probably going to be separated. The Air Force has a no tolerance policy for illegal drugs," Mr. Kelly said.

The average number of tests that come back positive for military personnel is 16 to 24 per year and about 14 to 16 for civilians each year. Mr. Kelly said most of the positive tests are for marijuana. Once a person is tested, it takes as little as five days for results to come back.

"What people don't understand is that marijuana will stay in your system for quite some time," Mr. Kelly said. "Just because they smoked it on Friday night, doesn't mean it'll go away by Monday."

The Air Force mandates every duty day be a possible day for drug testing. Mr. Kelly checks the computer program each day, which ultimately determines the testing days.

"Therefore I don't know when we are going to test," Mr. Kelly said. "It's all computer generated."

Staff Sgt. Myre Huff, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment in the 72nd Medical Operations Squadron, has been randomly selected to be drug tested more than 30 times in her eight years of service in the Air Force.

"I have a very lucky social security number," Sergeant Huff said. "Some people get frustrated but I don't because I understand what the program is about. It's a great deterrent, and it reinforces the Air Force's zero tolerance policy. This is a great tool in helping maintain the Air Force core values."

Though the primary way to drug test is done through random selection on a computer, there are other ways to test as well. Mr. Kelly said drug tests can also be administered by requests of commanders, whether it is a unit sweep to test a complete or partial unit, or for an individual. Also, the DDRP has begun conducting gate sweeps to test people who drive through the gates at any given time of day or night.

Once people are selected to provide a urine sample, it is sent off to a laboratory for drug detection. Civilian samples are sent to Maryland and military samples are sent to Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Not many people test positive, Mr. Kelly said, but the ones who do go through a very extensive review process with strict guidelines and policies.

"This particular program is solid," Mr. Kelly said. "We could go to court with what we do here, and I believe we could win. We have rules on chain of custody that cannot be broken. You cannot go from A to C in this job. You have to go from A to B to C, you cannot skip a step. We are talking about somebody's job and somebody's career if we don't get it right."

Aside from just drug testing on the base, the DDRP secondarily focuses on outreach and prevention. About twice a month, Mr. Kelly visits local schools, retirees and veteran organizations, and speaks about the dangers of drug use and drug prevention.

For more information about the DDRP, contact Mr. Kelly at 736-2184.