KNOB NOSTER, Mo. -- A nearly $1 million grant will be used to help curb underage drinking in the Warrensburg area.

The grant money will be used to combat underage drinking among airmen and airwomen in the Warrensburg and Knob Noster area. The announcement was made during a ceremony at Whiteman Air Force Base.

Missouri will receive the grant over a three-year period. The grant is a joint effort between base personnel and the Missouri Department of Public Safety to reduce underage drinking.

The push to stop teen drinking has been an ongoing effort by a prevention task force, helping students at the University of Central Missouri and other Johnson County, Mo., teens. The grant will allow the efforts to expand to Knob Noster and Whiteman Air Force Base.

"It's 15.22 times more likely for them to be killed in an off-duty type scenario involving alcohol and a personal vehicle or ATV, than it is in Iraq or Afghanistan," said Brig. Gen. Robert E. Wheeler. "And that is a sobering statistic."

The grant will allow law enforcement to do more DUI checkpoints. They will also be able to do a better job monitoring retailers regarding the sale of alcohol to minors.

The program at Whiteman will attempt to teach the airmen and airwomen how to socialize without having alcohol around.