Servicemembers tested at Scott through Drug Demand Reduction Program Published June 18, 2015 By Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner 375th Air Mobility Wing public affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Illinois -- Regulations for the Drug Demand Reduction Program state that the performance of every active military member and federal employee must, at all times, support the Air Force mission with the highest level of integrity, productivity, reliability and judgment. The Air Force Drug Demand Reduction Program is in effect to ensure that each member is upholding their duty to support the mission. According to Carrie R. Payne, program manager for the Air Force Drug Demand Reduction Program, members are chosen for drug testing by random selection, by choice, if there is probable cause, for mishap investigations or medical purposes, under direction from their commander, during unit testing, and through unannounced installation inspections. Payne's job is to detect and deter military and civilian members from using and abusing illegal drugs and other illicit substances at Scott Air Force Base. She also assists the commanders in ensuring their members are mission ready. The DDR program asks volunteers from each unit to act as trusted agents and observers to help carry out drug testing. Tech. Sgt. James McBride, Air Force Space Command Cyber Space Support Squadron major command publications manager, is an after-hours collector for the DDR program. "Drug testing is important because negative tests prove that we can uphold the standards that the military and its federal employees are expected to meet by the civilian populace," said McBride. McBride expressed that it is also important to be accountable to each other. "It instills integrity not only in ourselves, but in others," McBride said. "It gives us the ability to know that our wingmen are trusted and are fully capable to have our backs in the event that we need to rely on them in any situation, due to them being drug free." Drug tests conducted by the DDR program are testing for many different illegal substances and schedule II to V prescription drugs, if requested by the appropriate authority or if the drug has been added to the drug program testing panel. Payne said prescription drug abuse has become a major concern across the Air Force. "If you have a prescription that's over one year old and the condition for which you were prescribed it has resurfaced, it is best to contact your primary care manager to ensure it's still safe to use the drug," said Payne. "Otherwise, do not take it and make an appointment with your PCM. If you are randomly selected or part of a unit or gate sweep and your specimen is returned positive for a prescription drug that is not current in your medical records, start looking for a visit from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations or Security Forces Investigations. As a reminder, if you receive care outside of the Military Treatment Facility, make sure all your prescriptions are in your medical records." In addition to illegal substances and controlled prescriptions, the Air Force prohibits military members from ingesting and using any product that contains or is derived from hemp seed or hemp seed oil. Violations may result in administrative disciplinary action without regard to otherwise applicable criminal or civil sanctions for violations of related laws. The Department of Defense currently has no formal policy on the use of dietary supplements and no list of either banned or safe supplements, as there are too many supplements that are out there that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, said Payne. Bottom line, said Payne, it pays to read the label and ensure what you are putting in or on your body does not contain ingredients that will cause a drug test to pop positive. The following website covers the DoDs Operation Supplement Safety: http://hprc-online.org/dietary-supplements/OPSS.