Petty Officer 1st Class Barker, fellow sailors form peer mentoring group

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel A. Barker, son of Alice A. Barker and James L. Barker Jr. of Ramona, and fellow sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) formed a Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) committee.

CSADD is a peer-to-peer mentoring program geared toward assisting sailors in making positive decisions in all areas of their lives.

The program was originally created for those in ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps), JROTC, and similar programs. It quickly spread throughout the Navy and is now a resource for all sailors.

The goals of its members are to get a group of sailors who, through networking and discussion, can create ways to inform and inspire others to make better decisions, and to equip all with the tools they need to make those decisions.

The coalition has different topics it focuses on every month in an effort to raise awareness about these issues. Topics range from addressing problems such as sexual assault to everyday issues such as car buying.

CSADD recently held its first meeting and plans to meet at least once per month for the rest of the ship’s deployment.

Barker, a 1999 graduate of Castle Park High School in Chula Vista, joined the Navy in July 1999.