The Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) is dedicated to helping Sailors make life decisions that will not only save lives and prevent injuries but also promote positive lifestyles in keeping with the Navy's core values.
Following a recent presentation about CSADD, Naval Submarine Base New London's senior enlisted community is looking to spearhead the establishment of a chapter at the base and provide local military members with the best prevention and intervention tools possible to deal with issues such as recreational, vehicle, and firearm safety.
"CSADD is about Sailors helping Sailors, shipmates helping shipmates. Peers making an impression and positive impact on each other," said base Command Master Chief (SS) Ray Powell, after the program's overview by Navy Region Mid Atlantic Command Master Chief (AW/SW/SCW) Scott Benning.
Seeking a way to address the many drinking and driving incidents that were occurring in the region as well as an opportunity to rejuvenate Right Spirit, the Navy's alcohol abuse prevention program, Region Mid Atlantic assembled a group of Sailors from their staff and asked them to investigate the possibility of starting a Sailors Against Drunk Driving program.
As the acronym SADD already existed for Students Against Drunk Driving, the group returned not only with a new name but also with a new recommendation: to address the many situations that Sailors encounter in which they must make decisions that impact their future, success, and even life. The Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions was born.
CSADD's focus is to guide Sailors away from making poor and destructive decisions by providing them with positive and dynamic training and by showing them how to make quick, and yet correct choices, even in moments of high stress and peer pressure, according to Benning.
Of course, a key challenge that CSADD had to face was how best to influence Sailors and get them involved.
Rather than traditional "top-down" presentations from seniors to juniors, the CSADD development team had a better idea. They would start out with a core group of Sailors mainly ages 18 through 25 and work with Sailors of the same age group.
"If you want to reach a group of Sailors, the message should be developed by Sailors that are within the group," said Benning. "CSADD offers the opportunity for our young Sailors to engage."
There are no strict rules or regulations. Sailors can be as creative as they desire in how they present information. Participants develop the logos, graphics, and everything else needed to promote the program.
The result is that CSADD meetings are very interactive; Sailors getting together with their peers, candidly discussing important issues, and being comfortable doing so. It all makes for a more successful outcome, Benning believes.
The CSADD Web site, www.crnma.navy.mil/csadd, offers on- and off-duty resources.
A deck-plate Sailor is responsible for maintaining each page and ensuring it remains up to date with sites that will attract the peer group. There is also a link on the page to enable all commands to make best practice recommendations for posting on the site, as well as the opportunity for Sailors to share their testimonials for possible publication on the site.
The site's goal is to be as interactive and useful as possible, according to Chief Culinary Specialist (SW) David Rivette, the region CSADD director.
"Say, you are having a problem with safety in your department or command, you can go to the CSADD Web site and click on a link that can help you address your specific problem," pointed out Rivette in a recent article in the region's newspaper, The Flagship. "Say you had a problem with car accidents because people are texting on their cell phones. You can go to our Web site and click on the distracted driving icon. It will give you numerous Web sites you can look at that deal with distracted driving."
For SUBASE's Powell, CSADD's practical resources and interactive approach may the boost the Navy New London community needs to reach the next level in destructive decision awareness.
"Even though local commands are maintaining active training programs, senior enlisted are exercising deck-plate leadership, and the base Safe Ride program continues to offer no-questions-asked rides home to Sailors in need, we need to continue to do everything possible to assist Sailors in making the right choices," said Powell. "A SUBASE CSADD will offer Sailors a new and unique opportunity to positively influence each other."
Benning has great confidence in what CSADD will achieve.
"With their command involvement and support, and with their continual renewal of the visual tools and verbal messages that can be best understood, our young Sailors will lead their peers to success," he concluded.
If you are interested in helping to establish the Naval Submarine Base New London CSADD Chapter, please contact Command Master Chief (SS) Ray Powell at (860) 694-3860.
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