ALS puts eyes on nightlife

  • Published
  • By Airman Leadership Class 07-02
  • 39th Air Base Wing
For most people, a normal Friday night at Incirlik consists of drinking in the dorms or
housing units before heading to the Alley, then going to the club. If a few of us hadn't
been assigned to Eyes On for ALS, we probably could have been found out in the Alley
too. We started the night early, meeting at 10 p.m. inside the club.

At about 10:30 p.m. a female was walking around inside the club obviously obliterated;
she had to be assisted into a chair. One woman was seen walking into the male bathroom as well. Throughout the night open containers around base were an extremely common sight, some even in cabs. As one group got out of a cab, they shared the last of one person's drink stating that, "the drink can't be wasted," as they prepared to go out the main gate. The events seemed to get even more interesting for the midnight to 2 a.m. Eyes On shift.

With the exception of several loud and obnoxious individuals, curfew at the gate
was pretty orderly. Unfortunately one of those obnoxious individuals ended up vomiting
on himself. As our class headed toward the club, they were barked at by a group in
the dorms; this same group was throwing trash over the balcony and one girl was yelling profanities. A few high school dependents were also seen drinking and smoking in the dorms. There were several arguments at the club; one which involved head butting resulting in a call to Security Forces.

It's not that we're chastising alcohol use, but how can you not be embarrassed if you're one of the above mentioned individuals?

Alcohol should be consumed responsibly as it is a controlled substance. Is it that we're not educated enough on the side effects of drinking?

Here's something to think about: According to an Alcohol Alert published by the U.S. Department of Health, "Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment.

Heavy drinking may have extensive and far-reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple 'slips' in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. And even moderate drinking leads to short-term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking and driving."

All that can be asked is that you drink responsibly. Follow the 0-1-3 recommendation, drink slowly, don't consume alcohol on an empty stomach, and learn how to say no.

You don't have to drink just because everyone else is or because someone bought you a drink.