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Reservist wins GEICO military service award

  • Published
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  An Air Force reservist will receive a Department of Defense-level award for helping to prevent drug and alcohol abuse.

Tech. Sgt. Anita Garcia of Air Force Reserve Command’s 433rd Airlift Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas, is one of two bluesuiters to win a 2005 Government Employees Insurance Co. Military Service Award.

Sergeant Garcia’s award recognizes her as a reserve component recipient in the drug and alcohol abuse prevention category.

She will be honored during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., April 24.

Sergeant Garcia became involved in her wing’s drug demand reduction program more than eight years ago. She recently became the wing’s drug testing program manager.

GEICO military service awards recognize enlisted service members for their achievements or contributions in drug and alcohol abuse prevention, in fire safety and fire prevention, and in traffic safety and accident prevention.

Between 2001 and 2005, Sergeant Garcia collected and processed more than 4,500 drug testing samples and exceeded the command’s goal of less than 1 percent untestable rate.

She meets monthly with wing first sergeants and quarterly with the wing commander and key staff on the status of the program and trends affecting the program’s effectiveness. Sergeant Garcia explains AFRC and local policies to newcomers, telling them about fines, attorney fees and court costs for people caught driving while intoxicated. She briefs them about the Air Force’s policy on drug use.

Off-duty she goes to public schools to tell students about the effects of drug abuse on a person’s health, future employment opportunities and quality of life.

The Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas, announced Sergeant Garcia’s award selection April 5 in a news release. She will receive a plaque and cash honorarium from GEICO. (AFRC News Service)