Mighty Ninety Safe Ride Program: Getting Airmen home safely

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The Mighty Ninety Safe Ride Program is in full swing. Everyone has seen the emails, heard about it spoken about by leadership and received business cards with the number printed on it; but what exactly is the Safe Ride Program?

"[It's] an all volunteer program designed to help the active duty, dependents and civilians of Warren arrive home safely or get away from an unsafe situation," said Master Sgt. Joyce Reinoso, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron section chief and alternate Safe Ride Program coordinator. "It is a program of Airmen helping Airmen."

The program guarantees a safe ride to those in need, said Chief Master Sgt. Mike Garrou, 90th Missile Wing command chief.

"One goal of the program is to prevent DUIs from the Airmen of Warren, but that isn't the only reason the program exists," Garrou said. "If someone ever feels unsafe in a situation or plans fall through and they no longer have a ride home, they can call the number and we will make sure they get home."

The program runs seven days a week between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. offering rides to anyone in need.

"We decided to run every day because Airmen on base have different days that are considered their weekend," Garrou said. "We wanted to make sure those who have their weekend during the week have the same opportunity to use the program as those whose weekend is Saturday and Sunday."

In a program fully dependant on volunteers to achieve success, everyone can find a spot to help out. There are two main volunteer opportunities that are filled every night: the dispatcher and the drivers.

"Dispatchers are the ones who receive the phone calls for rides," Reinoso said. "They have a duty cell phone and they are responsible for getting the information and translating it to the drivers."

The dispatcher job is a good spot for those who don't have a car, Garrou said.

"The drivers are the ones who go out and pick up our Airmen brothers and sisters and get them home safe," Reinoso said.

To be a driver, one must have their own personal vehicle, but they won't go away empty handed, Garrou said.

"If a person uses their own vehicle, gas cards will be distributed based on the number of rides given during the weekend," he added.

There is one more spot for volunteers looking to help out: being a co-driver.

"A co-driver works as a safety observer for the driver and helps those drivers who don't want to go out alone," Garrou said. "The driver and co-driver usually volunteer as a team and work together."

The program relies on volunteers to fill the positions each night. Sundays thru Thursdays, there are three volunteer spots: a dispatcher and two drivers. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays there are five volunteer spots: a dispatcher and four drivers.

"The program can only be successful as long as there are volunteers willing to help the program," Garrou said. "Be a willing volunteer. Step-up. The program relies on volunteers; we don't want to have to task units into providing drivers."

Volunteers should have a great attitude and a willingness to help those who need them, Garrou said. There is always room for more people to volunteer.

After four weekends of the program active, 27 rides have been given.

"The implementation of the program has gone really well and the program has been very effective already," Garrou said. "I want the program to succeed and Airmen to use it as much as possible."

To volunteer for the program, Airmen should access the F.E. Warren SharePoint site at https://warren.eis.af.mil/default.aspx and go to the Safe Ride Program tab. A step-by-step PowerPoint on volunteering can be found at the bottom of the page.

"Every one of us has been in a situation where we could have used a little help," Garrou said. "This program is the helping hand to bring you home from any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable."