FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
One by one, Soldiers filed into Fort Eustis' Jacobs Theater to the gripping sight of a casket greeting them. It stood as a ghastly reminder of the potentially fatal consequences of drunk driving.
The Save-a-life Tour visited Fort Eustis April 30 to May 2 to increase awareness of the dangers of drunk driving and the effects it has on Soldiers' careers and lives. The tour presentations included graphic videos, a drunk-driving simulator and real-life testimony.
Andrew Tipton, Save-a-Life Tour briefer, began the presentation with graphic videos of actual drunk driving accident scenes, police testimonials and emergency room treatment to victims.
Afterward, Tipton spoke with Soldiers about his experiences with drunk driving, and encouraged responsible drinking.
"You can go out and drink as much you want, but all I want you to do is drink responsibly," he said. "You can have fun. No one is taking that right from you.
"You signed up to protect me and people like me, and every day you risk your life to save mine and I greatly appreciate that," he continued. "But if you drink and drive, it's everything you're fighting against. People who drink and drive are killing people."
Following the briefing, Tipton explained how the simulator replicates driving while intoxicated, inviting Soldiers to try their hand at the feat. U.S. Army Spc. Steven Saddler, 7th Sustainment Brigade, was the first to use the simulator.
"The simulator was really good," the specialist said. "Even though I wasn't physically drunk, the car drove as if I was to give a realistic effect of what it's like."
While the audience laughed as their colleagues tried unsuccessfully to complete the simulator, the seriousness of the presentation impacted many who attended.
"Today's briefing was outstanding. It brings a real-life perception to the impact driving intoxicated has," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Selby, 7th Sus. Bde. "It showed how it impacts the families, as opposed to hearing 'don't drink and drive' every week."
The Save-a-Life Tour specializes in visits to high schools, colleges and military installations nationwide. For more information, visit
www.savealifetour.com.