Reservists recognize Red Ribbon Week

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Laura Balch
  • 99th Air Base Wing public affairs
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Red Ribbon Week took place Oct. 23-29.

Red Ribbon Week is a national drug awareness and prevention program and its theme this year is "It's up to me to be drug free."

To educate military members and their families about this awareness week, personnel from the 99th Medical Group Mental Health Clinic made a presentation to children at Lomie Grey Heard Elementary School; created a display table with educational materials, red ribbons, pencils, bracelets and stickers that encourage children to be alcohol and drug free at the Nellis Youth Center; and displayed educational materials in the lobby of the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital.

Additionally, volunteers from the 926th Aerospace Medicine Squadron helped man a table at the base exchange, handing out the educational materials to passersby. 

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated in remembrance of Special Agent Enrique "KiKi" Camarena. Camarena was an 11-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Agency who was kidnapped and killed on Feb. 7, 1985, while on assignment to gathering information on marijuana and cocaine traffickers in Mexico.

In 1988, the National Family Partnership coordinated the first national Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Ronald Regan, who served as honorary chairpersons.

Since then, the DEA and the Department of Defense have celebrated Red Ribbon Week during the last week of October to increase awareness of the serious problems illegal drug use causes and to showcase drug prevention efforts to members in military communities.

For more information about Red Ribbon Week, contact Maj. Jewel George, in the Nellis Mental Health Clinic at 653-3880.

(Story contributed to by 926th Group public affairs)