Some airmen in Turkey are staring down a very dry Christmas this year.
The commander of the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Incirlik Air Force Base has barred alcohol consumption following a string of recent drinking-related incidents which “demonstrated how alcohol use can have a direct impact on our unit’s ability to support U.S. service members,” according to a memo sent to 39th LRS airmen
The alcohol ban went into effect Wednesday and will remain so until further notice, wrote Maj. June Chung in the memo, which first appeared on the popular Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page.
“Due to this decrease in mission readiness coupled with current tensions in the region, the option to consume alcohol is a privilege which can no longer be provided at this time,” wrote Chung.
While Chung plans on reevaluating the policy on Jan. 4, 2020, this means that the airmen of the 39th LRS will likely have to ring in the New Year with ginger ale rather than champagne.
To be fair, it looks like 39th LRS airmen could use a break from the bottle: Chung’s memo included of photo of a vehicle incident in which one of the squadron’s airmen purportedly got drunk, got behind the wheel of a red sedan, hopped a curb, blew out the airbags, and fled on foot back to his dormitory before security arrived, according to Air Force amn/nco/snco.
Although the the Air Force did not immediately confirm the particulars of the incident that led to the ban, 39th Air Base Wing spokeswoman 1st Lt. Kaila Bryant confirmed to Air Force Times that the drinking restriction was limited only to 39th LRS.
“Never get a rental in Incirlik,” wrote one commenter on the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page. “Always easier to hide your DUI crash when driving a scooter.”