R 090840Z FEB 01  
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS  //N05000//
ALMAR 005/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/JANUARY 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/ 1.  DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2001, FOUR ACTIVE DUTY MARINES
AND TWO RESERVISTS NOT IN AN ACTIVE DUTY STATUS, DIED DUE TO MISHAPS
AND SIX MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THREE MORE DIED FROM
SUSPECTED SUICIDES.  THE FOLLOWING PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF OUR
CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY:
A.  FATALITIES:
   1.  CPL FROM 3D MARINES, KANEOHE BAY, WAS OPERATING A PICKUP
TRUCK IN PLAINFIELD, CT AND STRUCK ANOTHER TRUCK HEAD ON.  SNM DIED
AT THE SCENE.
   2.  USMCR GYSGT (NOT ON ACTIVE DUTY) FROM MALS-41, 4TH MAW, WAS
RUN OFF THE ROAD AND KILLED WHEN HIS CAR FELL 25 FEET AND HIT AN
EMBANKMENT.
   3.  DRIVER, PVT #1, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND ROLLED THREE
TIMES.  DRIVER (PVT#1) WAS PLACED ON LIFE-SUPPORT AND DIED ON 1 FEB.
PASSENGER/OWNER (PVT#2) SUFFERED LARGE LACERATIONS TO THE HEAD AND
WAS TREATED AND RELEASED.  PASSENGER (PVT#3) SUFFERED DISLOCATED
HIP.
   4.  CPL FROM MSSG-31, 31ST MEU WAS CONSUMING ALCOHOL AT A PARTY
AT THE ARMY RECREATION BEACH AT TORI STATION, OKINAWA.  SNM FELL OFF
REEF AND WAS SWEPT OUT TO SEA.  SNM PRONOUNCED DEAD AFTER EXTENSIVE
SEARCH.
   5.  USMCR LTCOL AND MAJOR FROM MAG-42, 4TH MAW, DIED IN A
PRIVATELY OWNED TWO SEAT AIRCRAFT THAT CRASHED ON A FLIGHT FROM
KENNESAW, GA TO CLOUDCROFT, NM.  MAJOR WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY, LTCOL WAS
NOT IN ACTIVE DUTY STATUS.
B.  SERIOUS INJURIES:
   1.  PVT FROM MARINE BARRACKS 8TH & I, ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF
IN HIS LEFT FOOT WITH HIS PRIVATELY OWNED SHOTGUN WHILE AT HOME ON
LEAVE.  SNM UNDERWENT SURGERY.  PROGNOSIS IS GOOD.
   2.  MAJOR FROM MARFORRES, NEW ORLEANS, LA, WOUNDED HIMSELF WITH A
.45 CALIBER PISTOL WHILE CHANGING MAGAZINES IN HIS HOME, FOLLOWING
WEAPON MAINTENANCE.  SNO WAS ADMITTED TO CHARITY HOSPITAL IN NEW
ORLEANS.  NO NERVE DAMAGE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.  PROGNOSIS IS FOR A
FULL RECOVERY AFTER ADDITIONAL SURGERY TO REPAIR BONE DAMAGE IN HIS
HAND.
   3.  MARINE FROM MWSS-171, 1ST MAW, WAS THE DRIVER OF A POV,
TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN HIROSHIMA, JAPAN.  HE FELL
ASLEEP AND STRUCK THE REAR END OF A TRUCK SUSTAINING INTERNAL
BLEEDING, SEVERE FACIAL LACERATIONS, A BROKEN NOSE AND BROKEN JAW.
HIS CONDITION AND PROGNOSIS ARE BOTH GOOD.  ALCOHOL NOT INVOLVED.
   4.  MARINE FROM MCCSSS, TRAINING COMMAND, CLNC, WAS A PASSENGER
IN A VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A TWO CAR HEAD-ON COLLISION.  THREE PEOPLE
IN THE VEHICLE WERE KILLED AND THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR
WAS INJURED.  SNM IS RECOVERING AND SHOULD RETURN TO DUTY.
   5.  MSGT FROM MAG-36, 1ST MAW WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST FOR
CONDITIONS, FAILED TO PROPERLY NEGOTIATE A CURVE AND LOST CONTROL OF
HIS MOTORCYCLE.  SNM WAS TREATED FOR A FRACTURED PELVIS.
C.  FLIGHT MISHAPS AND INCIDENTS:
   1.  PART OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR DEPARTED F/A-18A AND
STRUCK THE FLIR POD DURING BFM.  VMFA-321.  CLASS C FRM.
   2. EA-6B PORT FLAPERON WAS DAMAGED DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.
VMAQ-3. CLASS C AGM.
D.  SUSPECTED SUICIDES:
   1.  MARINE'S MOTHER DISCOVERED HIS BODY HANGING IN CLOSET WHEN
SHE WENT TO WAKE HIM FOR RETURN TO HIS COMM ELECT SCHOOL, 29 PALMS,
CA AT THE END OF LEAVE PERIOD.
   2.  PFC FROM HQSVCO, 1/2, 2ND MARDIV, APPARENTLY COMMITTED
SUICIDE BY GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD WHILE ON LEAVE.
   3.  CPL FROM HQSVCBN, MCRD PI, SHOT HIMSELF IN THE RIGHT TEMPLE
WITH A 9MM HANDGUN AND DIED AS A RESULT OF THE INJURY.  SNM'S SPOUSE
WITNESSED THE EVENT.
2.  LAST YEAR, FOUR MARINES DIED IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, ALL IN
PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE (PMV) MISHAPS.  THIS YEAR, FOUR ACTIVE DUTY
MARINES DIED IN JANUARY: ONE DIED IN A CIVIL AVIATION MISHAP, TWO
DIED AS A RESULT OF PMV MISHAPS, AND ONE DIED AFTER HE FELL INTO THE
OCEAN ON LIBERTY.
3.  DURING FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, FIVE MARINES LOST THEIR LIVES.  TWO
DIED ON DUTY AND THREE DIED OFF DUTY IN PMV ACCIDENTS.  SINCE FY96,
WE HAVE NEVER LOST LESS THAN THREE MARINES TO OFF DUTY MISHAPS
DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.  THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY LOST THREE
MARINES IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.  THEY ALL DIED ON THE HIGHWAY.  WE
HAVE HAD A PHENOMENAL DECREASE IN OUR PMV FATALITIES SO FAR THIS FY.
KEEP PRESSING.
4.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES ARE AWARE OF THIS ALMAR
AND THAT EVERY MARINE IS WELL BRIEFED AND READY FOR THE RISKS THEY
WILL ENCOUNTER DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE FY.  CONTINUE TO
STRESS OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT, BOTH ON AND OFF DUTY, AND
PARTICULARLY ON THE HIGHWAY.
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
BT