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"Fight the Enemy" tobacco-free video competition winners announced

  • Published
  • By Yolanda Arrington
  • Military Health System Strategic Communications
WASHINGTON --  March 19 is nationally recognized as Kick Butts Day, a time to empower young people to speak out against tobacco use. A recent survey revealed that almost half of service members use tobacco products with higher use among junior enlisted service members ages 18-25. Department of Defense officials aimed to reach those younger service members with DoD's Fight the Enemy video competition.

Sponsored by the Innovation Office under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Fight the Enemy declared tobacco use an "enemy" that degrades health, fitness, work productivity and mission readiness. Service members from around the globe submitted videos last fall promoting tobacco-free living.

Five teams made the cut: Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Wash., U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka in Japan, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont., Naval Medical Center San Diego and Naval Technical Training Center - Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. The videos received nearly 8,500 YouTube views collectively. A team of DoD judges reviewed them for originality, creativity and impact to determine the top three winners. The public's vote, via YouTube, determined the Voters' Pick. Voting ended on March 14.

The first prize winner, "A Drag on Life," was submitted by a team from Malmstrom Air Force Base. Jennifer McMullen, the health promotion manager there, said the goal was to "get the message to young airmen about the detriments of tobacco use and how it can negatively impact them in all venues of their lives. Most airmen cannot see the havoc tobacco use can cause on their lives, both long- and short-term." This is the winning team's video.

The second prize winner, "Your Kids Are Watching," was submitted by a team from Naval Medical Center San Diego. That team took a unique approach to get its message across by featuring a child in the video.

The third prize winner, "Operation Black Lung," was submitted by a team from U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. Team lead, Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh Curtis said, "as a military treatment facility we thought entering the Fight the Enemy video competition was a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the psychological aspect of nicotine addiction and get the message out in a creative way that our audience could easily relate to that smokers don't have to be held hostage by their addiction." Take a look at the final product.

YouTube voters selected Fairchild Air Force Base's "Deploy the Drones!" video as their favorite. Sgt. Dean Brotherton said it was his wife's idea to use a drone theme. Brotherton said making this video was important because he wants "to be around as long as possible to see [his] kids grow up.... I wouldn't want to do something that could harm not only my health, but potentially theirs as well."

Winners will receive official recognition and thanks from DoD senior leaders.