Protect what you’ve earned: CLC-23 Marines learn the consequences of driving under the influence

Photo By Sgt. Ashley Phillips | A Marine participates in a Wet Lab aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Jan. 30. During the interactive professional military education class Marines Drink a six pack of beer. Then a Highway Patrol trooper simulates pulling the Marines over and preforming a sobriety test. The Marine is with Combat Logistics Company 23, Marine Aircraft Group 31, stationed abroad MCAS Beaufort.  

BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES

02.02.2017

Story by Lance Cpl. Ashley Phillips 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Beaufort Marines hold a wet lab, or an educational experiment, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Jan. 30.

The interactive professional military education class educates Marines about the risks of driving under the influence and how the highway patrol troopers conduct sobriety tests.The Combat Logistics Company 23, Marine Aircraft Group 31 leadership coordinated the wet lab with Marine Corps Community Services and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

“Drinking and driving is a serious subject,” said State Trooper Lance Cpl. Matt Southern, with the South Carolina Highway Patrol. “Hopefully having the Marines do something a little more lighthearted like this gets them interested and it sticks with them. Alcohol is the leading cause of fatalities that we see.”

Four Marines of different genders, heights, and weights were chosen to participate in the wet lab. For the lab the Marines started drinking at 8:00 a.m. and were given three hours to drink a six pack of beer.

“We are drinking today because I don’t think a lot of people know exactly what happens if you get pulled over for drunk driving,” said Cpl. Madison Hardy, a motor transportation operator with CLC-23. “With this the Marines get to see a sobriety test and what to expect after that. It also reinforces that idea of protecting what you’ve earned.”

After the Marines had finished drinking, the rest of the unit gathered outside and met with Southern. Each Marine sat in the driver’s seat of a van where they were approached by Southern. He then went through the process state troopers use to assess whether drivers are impaired.

“There are a lot of ways we can test subjects based on whether they have any injuries or not,” said Southern. “We are looking for how well their eyes focus, their listening and cognitive skills, and their balance. Then we use a breathalyzer.”

For persons over the age of 21 they cannot register over a 0.08. The Marines in the lab were breathalyzed every hour, then given the field sobriety test. All showed signs of impairment during the field sobriety test, yet only two Marines failed the breathalyzer and the other two passed.

“We do this because this shows the Marines that even though they all drank the same amount of alcohol, over the same amount of time, their bodies absorb alcohol differently,” said Southern. “The bigger males were able to pass the breathalyzer. The smaller the person the higher their
blood alcohol content tends to be.”

Holding the wet lab showed the Marines how alcohol affects people differently and the importance of knowing their limit. The lab reinforced the idea of protecting what you’ve earned and physically showed the Marines just how little it takes to endanger not only their career, but
their lives and the lives of others.

“Impairment begins with the first sip,” said Southern. “If you are going to consume alcohol have a plan; have a sober designated driver. Driving under the influence could hurt not only yourself but other innocent drivers on the road. The consequences are heavy.”

• Date Taken: 02.02.2017
• Date Posted: 02.02.2017 12:38
• Story ID: 222301
• Location: BEAUFORT, SC, US