MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Volunteers with the Drug Education for Youth program promoted Red Ribbon Week outside the base commissary Oct. 29, 2014.
The DEFY program, developed by the Department of the Navy’s Drug Demand Reduction Task Force staff, is a yearlong comprehensive, multiphase prevention program with the Provost Marshal’s Office. The leadership and life skills provided by DEFY include goal setting, team building, conflict resolution and decision making. The program also teaches kids how to resist drug and alcohol abuse, and gang involvement.
Cpl. Michael Antuna, a military police officer with PMO and a DEFY mentor, said the program plays an important role in the children’s lives.
“It might sound cliché, but I look at these kids like my own,” Antuna said. “To me, it means a lot to see these kids succeed. It’s really important for them to realize it is possible to have a life without drugs, and I think that should be brought forth to more people.”
Antuna said both actions in this year’s motto: “Love Yourself, Be Drug Free” are equally important.
“When it comes to drugs, a lot of the stuff people do is an alternative to dealing with things that have gone wrong in their lives,” Antuna said. “Much of this program is about encouraging people to be happier. Think about it: If you’re completely happy and there’s nothing else you want, you’re not going to seek some alternative high. Being drug-free is key, but loving yourself is on a whole other scale.”
Antuna said it was important for the kids to understand what Red Ribbon Week is all about.
Red Ribbon Week, which took place from Oct. 27 through 31, was created to raise drug and alcohol abuse awareness, and encourages communities to advocate a drug-free lifestyle. Red Ribbon Week is the largest, most visible prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the U.S., according to the Navy’s DDRTF.
The nationwide campaign is multifaceted, according to Jessica Burns, the PMO Crime Prevention coordinator.
“This is a huge campaign of spreading drug awareness, drug prevention, drug education and things like that,” Burns said. “The importance of Red Ribbon Week is, first of all, for everyone to understand the story behind it — to know there is something behind it and it’s not just all about promoting living a drug-free life. It is also important because it helps the DEFY kids learn about volunteering and telling others in the community to live drug-free.”
The campaign originated in 1985 when families across the country wore red ribbons in memory of Drug Enforcement Agency agent Enrique Camarena, who was murdered while investigating a drug ring.
“I have big hopes for the DEFY kids and Red Ribbon program,” Burns said. “We’re trying to instill the ideas of being good citizens in the world, volunteering their time, touching the community and making a difference.”
Sergio Aspiazu, 12, DEFY program participant, said one of the group’s main goals while promoting Red Ribbon Week is to teach other kids how drugs can impact their lives and how to say “no” to drugs.
“Not only does the program teach us about drugs, it also teaches us about friends and what friends you should choose,” Aspiazu said. “It’s taught us how to bond as a group.”
Aspiazu said people should just stay away from drugs because it can cause them a lot of pain and trouble.
“To me, Red Ribbon Week is about the safety of avoiding abusing drugs,” Aspiazu said. “It isn’t only about drugs, but also about alcohol safety and avoiding peer pressure. You should know not to drink and drive, and you don’t want to fall into peer pressure. People should want to live a happy, drug-free life and find healthy ways to spend their time.”