Photo By Staff Sgt. Reece Heck | Warren Stow, owner of the GEICO Oklahoma City South Agency, presents Tech. Sgt. James...... read more read more
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A member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard was recently recognized for his efforts to reduce drug and alcohol abuse in Oklahoma communities.
In a ceremony at the Oklahoma National Guard Headquarters in Oklahoma City, Aug. 25, Tech. Sgt. James Rambur, who serves with the Oklahoma National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, was presented with the 2021 GEICO Military Service Award. Rambur received the award in recognition of his dedication to the reduction of illegal substances and prescription drugs on Oklahoma streets, as well as a drop in alcohol abuse in Oklahoma.
The award is presented annually to one currently serving enlisted member from each branch of the armed forces, to include the National Guard, by GEICO Insurance Company. The award is intended to recognize each recipients’ contributions to their communities’ drug and alcohol abuse prevention, fire safety, traffic safety and accident prevention programs.
Rambur, who is also a member of the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, said receiving the award is humbling, but he does not want people to think it is all about his efforts alone.
“This award isn’t just for me. [The counter drug office has] a relatively small team, and everyone contributes and supports each other,” said Rambur. “I could not have done this without the efforts of our team and the wonderful organizations that we work with. This [award] is a representation of our [combined] efforts in our communities.”
As the non-commissioned officer in charge of Drug Command Reduction Outreach for the Oklahoma National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Rambur has worked more than 100 missions covering all 77 of Oklahoma’s counties. All that work, added up to more than 530 hours on the job, reducing drug and alcohol abuse. Rambur also volunteered an additional 322 hours with Course for Change, an at-risk youth mentoring program that works to help keep at-risk youth from falling back into the temptations of drugs and alcohol.
“Drug addiction affects [many Oklahoma] families, whether it’s a family member or somebody you know,” Rambur said. “It’s devastating for the families and for the individuals that have the addiction. If we can bring about change in people’s lives or prevent [the substance abuse] completely, it’s worth the fight.”
Rambur describes his job as a being a coordinator between law enforcement and communities and the coalitions that assist those suffering from chemical dependency. One of the many organizations Rambur and the Oklahoma National Guard Drug Task Force work with is Oklahoma Community Initiatives.
Lisa Harper, director of Oklahoma Community Initiatives, has worked hand in hand with Rambur for more than a year.
“James is a huge advocate for this work, for the people of Oklahoma,” Harper said. “We’re super thankful for all that he does and the constant resource that he is.”
As an abuse prevention skills trainer, Rambur instructed more than 50 Guard members and prevention specialists on how to equip themselves with the necessary skills to combat drug reliance issues. The overall mission stays the same for Rambur and it’s what drives him to continue to help Oklahomans in their drug prevention efforts.
“This job is a blessing, it’s an honor and a passion of mine,” said Rambur. “It’s hard to put into words but one of the things I love most about my job is getting to help communities develop outside of the box solutions to minimize the negative impact of substance abuse in their communities. Solutions that include mentorship programs like Run the Streets, that give kids hope and a positive trajectory.”
| Date Taken: | 08.26.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2022 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 428143 |
| Location: | OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 856 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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