As the community misconduct adviser, I deal with lots of problems servicemembers face that could be easily resolved by some precautionary measures and common sense behavior.
Here’s some hints to help our community stay safe and have a better new year.
1 Secure your vehicles and house to prevent thieves from gaining easy access.
2 Do not leave items in open view in your car (for example, GPS systems, cell phones, etc). Doing this just makes them easy targets for a thief.
3 Do not pay for expensive items in advance, for example a vehicle, without having inspected the item and
knowing the seller’s full name and
address.
4 Be careful when you give an individual a general power of attorney; often, a limited power of attorney will suffice (check with your legal office for details).
5 Be aware of the importance of your government documents, such as ID card, Common Access Card and U.S. Army Europe driver’s license.
Always keep them with you or in a safe place.
6 Do not use or be in possession of controlled substances, whether it’s on or off base.
7 If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. For example, if you read about a person who is giving away free puppies, check out why. Do your own research and question why the individual is giving away the animals. Is there a health issue with the puppy?
8 Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
9 Do not walk around downtown (in any city) at night alone.
10 If someone tries to fight you, walk away if possible and call the police.