ALMARS : 010/02
R 260900Z FEB 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 010/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/JANUARY 2002 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1. DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2002, 18 MARINES AND 1
SAILOR DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, 1 MARINE COMMITTED
SUICIDE, AND 4 MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. THE
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
2002:
A. FATALITIES
ON DUTY:
(1) PFC FROM 1ST LAR BN WAS INSTRUCTED TO ACT AS ONE OF TWO REQUIRED
GROUND GUIDES IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN MOVING A FIVE-TON TRUCK OFF THE
RAMP AREA. THE DRIVER STARTED THE TRUCK AND THE VICTIM JUMPED OFF
THE LOADING RAMP BEHIND THE VEHICLE. BEFORE SNM COULD MOVE, THE
VEHICLE JERKED BACKWARDS, STRUCK AND KILLED HIM.
(2) CPL FROM VMFA(AW)-332, AND TWO OTHER MARINES WERE SNORKELING AT
A BEACH IN GUAM DURING A SQUADRON PICNIC WHEN A RIPTIDE SWEPT THEM
OUT TO SEA. TWO MANAGED TO GET TO SHORE, BUT THE LAST MARINE WAS
PULLED UNDER AND DROWNED.
(3) SGT FROM RS HARRISBURG, PA COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH A BUS AND DIED.
OFF DUTY:
(1) PFC FROM 2/4 WAS OUT DRINKING WITH FRIENDS WHEN HE EXPERIENCED
BREATHING DIFFICULTY. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND DIED.
(2) CORPSMAN FROM 1/7 AND TWO CIVILIAN PASSENGERS DIED AFTER LOSING
CONTROL OF THEIR CAR WHILE ALLEGEDLY DRAG RACING ANOTHER VEHICLE.
(3) TWO LCPLS FROM 1/7 WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON I-15 WHEN A TRACTOR
TRAILER CROSSED THE CENTER MEDIAN AND STRUCK THEM HEAD-ON. BOTH
MARINES WERE KILLED.
(4) SGT FROM MALS-26, MCAS NEW RIVER, NC DIED ON A MOTORCYCLE WHEN
HE ATTEMPTED TO PASS A VEHICLE, CROSSED THE CENTERLINE, AND HIT
ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON.
(5) TWO LCPLS FROM MARBKS, 8TH AND I DIED AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF
THEIR CAR WHILE SPEEDING. A CIVILIAN PASSENGER WAS INJURED.
SUICIDES: MSGT FROM MCRS, MILWAUKEE, WI WAS FOUND DEAD BEHIND HIS
OFF-BASE RESIDENCE FROM A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE CHEST.
B. MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES
ON DUTY:
(1) TWO MARINES FROM 3/6, 26TH MEU, TF 58 WERE INJURED WHEN A C-17 AT
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD BLEW TWO PALLETS INTO THE AIR, WHICH LANDED IN
THEIR BILLETING AREA. NEITHER MARINE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
(2) THREE MARINES FROM THE 26TH MEU RECEIVED NON-LIFE THREATENING
INJURIES WHEN AN UNKNOWN ITEM EXPLODED IN A BURN PIT WHILE BURNING
TRASH IN AFGHANISTAN.
OFF DUTY:
(1) PFC FROM HMX-1 FRACTURED A VERTEBRA AFTER HE SWERVED TO AVOID
SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AND LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR.
(2) PFC FROM MALS-16, MAG-16, 3D MAW IS IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER HE
WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH THREE OTHER VEHICLES. SNM SUFFERED
INJURIES TO HIS NECK, BACK AND CHEST.
C. AVIATION
(1) KC-130R FROM VMGR-352 CRASHED DURING AN APPROACH TO AN AIRFIELD
IN PAKISTAN. ALL SEVEN MARINES ON BOARD WERE KILLED.
(2) CH-53E ATTACHED TO HMM-163(REIN) CRASHED DURING A RESUPPLY
FLIGHT IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN. TWO OF THE SEVEN MARINES ONBOARD
DIED IN THE CRASH.
2. MIXED NEWS:
A. THIS TIME LAST FY, 17 MARINES DIED FROM GROUND RELATED
MISHAPS, AND ANOTHER 4 WERE LOST TO AVIATION MISHAPS. THIS
FY, GROUND AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF
27 OF OUR FELLOW MARINES. AVIATION MISHAPS HAVE CLAIMED ANOTHER
NINE. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR FY-02 TO
36, GREATER THAN ANY PREVIOUS FIGURE DURING THE SAME PERIOD
FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. OF THE 36 DEATHS THIS FY, 14 WERE ON DUTY
(BOTH AVIATION AND GROUND), AND 22 WERE OFF DUTY.
B. THE COMMON DENOMINATOR IN OFF DUTY FATALITIES IS THE CAR. FAR
TOO MANY MARINES DIED BECAUSE THEY EITHER DROVE TOO FAST, WERE
DRUNK, OR WERE TOO TIRED. NONE OF US WOULD PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE
WITH A LOADED GUN, YET WE CONTINUE TO SEE MARINES PLAY AN EQUALLY
DANGEROUS AND SENSELESS GAME WITH THEIR CARS. THIS CARNAGE IS
UNACCEPTABLE. OUR CORPS IS FAMOUS FOR ITS SELF DISCIPLINE, BUT
EACH TIME A MARINE DRIVES DRUNK OR RECKLESSLY, THAT SELF DISCIPLINE
FAILS. THERE IS NO DESTINATION SO IMPORTANT THAT IT IS WORTH
YOUR LIFE.
3. COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
4. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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