Effect of the Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program (AMPP) in air force technical training

Area of Science:

• Military Health
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Alcohol use is common in the U.S. military, leading to costly alcohol-related incidents (ARIs).
• ARIs result in significant personal and financial burdens within the military, particularly the U.S. Air Force.
• Previous strategies have not fully addressed the prevalence and impact of ARIs in military populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program (AMPP) in reducing ARIs.
• To assess the impact of a combined brief alcohol intervention (BAI) and random breathalyzer testing on ARI rates.
• To determine the feasibility and outcomes of implementing a structured alcohol intervention program in a military training environment.

Main Methods:

• A group-based, interactive 1-hour brief alcohol intervention (BAI) was delivered.
• Random alcohol breathalyzer testing was conducted concurrently with the BAI.
• The study involved 10,087 U.S. Air Force Technical Trainees at Lackland Air Force Base over fiscal years 2010-2011.

Main Results:

• The AMPP was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of an ARI (OR 0.555, p=0.0023).
• The average ARI rate per 1,000 trainees per quarter decreased from 7.30 before the program to 4.06 after implementation.
• Significant ARI reductions were observed across most quarters, indicating sustained impact.

Conclusions:

• The Alcohol Misconduct Prevention Program (AMPP), integrating BAI and breathalyzer testing, shows promise in decreasing ARIs.
• This intervention strategy may be effective in reducing alcohol-related incidents among military trainees.
• The findings suggest a potential model for alcohol misuse prevention in similar high-risk populations.