JUNE 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY
Date Signed: 6/15/2007 | ALMARS Number: 046/03
ALMARS : 046/03
R 181600Z JUL 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 046/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/JUNE 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE 2003, THIRTEEN
MARINES DIED IN MISHAPS AND TWO MARINES COMMITTED SUICIDE.
THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR MISHAP CASUALTIES FOR THE
MONTH OF JUNE 2003:
A.  FATALITIES
(1) SIX MARINES DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND MISHAPS THIS MONTH.
TWO FATALITIES INVOLVED NEGLIGENT DISCHARGES AND TWO INVOLVED
VEHICULAR ROLLOVERS.  
(2) THERE WERE NO AVIATION FATALITIES THIS MONTH.  
(3) SEVEN MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  FOUR
DIED IN MOTORCYCLE MISHAPS AND THREE DIED IN PRIVATE MOTOR
VEHICLE (PMV) MISHAPS.
2.  LOOKING AHEAD
A.  MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST SERIOUS RISK
TO MARINES WHETHER THEY ARE DEPLOYED OR AT HOME.  SPECIFICALLY,
THE NUMBER OF OFF-DUTY MISHAPS REMAINS ALARMINGLY HIGH, AND WE
MUST REVERSE THIS TREND NOW.  AS WE ENTER THE MID-SUMMER MONTHS,
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OUR EFFORT AND EFFECTIVENESS ENFORCING SAFETY
STANDARDS.  PROFESSIONALS DO NOT TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS ON OR
OFF-DUTY.  LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATING
AND TRAINING THEIR MARINES ON AVOIDING POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND
MINIMIZING RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES.  ALL MARINES
WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR OWN ACTIONS.
B.  ON-DUTY MISHAPS CONTINUE TO RISE.  FATALITIES IN JUNE INCLUDED
TWO MARINES WHO DIED DUE TO NEGLIGENT DISCHARGES.  EARLY
INDICATIONS FROM ONE INCIDENT SUGGEST, "HORSE PLAY" WHILE STANDING
GUARD.  THIS CARELESSNESS IS NOT ONLY UNACCEPTABLE WHEN IT INVOLVES
WEAPONS IT IS INEXCUSABLE AND CRIMINAL.        
C.  I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD LEADERSHIP AT ALL
LEVELS.  MARINES MUST APPLY RISK MANAGEMENT TO THEIR ACTIVITIES TO
MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED HAZARDS WITH ON AND OFF DUTY ACTIVITIES.
TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND (TECOM) HAS RECENTLY DEVELOPED A
DISTANCE LEARNING (DL) COURSE FOR RISK MANAGEMENT.  THIS COURSE
IS AVAILABLE ON LINE AT WWW.MARINENET.USMC.MIL/PORTAL/.  
3.  ALMARS 031/03 AND 032/03 PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO MARINES RETURNING
FROM DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, AND MONTHLY
SAFETY MESSAGES REGULARLY PROMULGATE ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS
TO CALL ATTENTION TO POTENTIAL DANGERS AND TO HELP ELIMINATE THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECENT TOLL PMV MISHAPS TOOK ON OUR 'CORPS
DEMONSTRATES THAT NOT ALL MARINES ARE LEARNING THE CRITICAL SAFETY
LESSONS CONTAINED IN THESE MESSAGES.  TRAGICALLY, FIVE MARINES
HAVE DIED IN THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS OF JULY.  EACH DIED IN AN
OFF-DUTY TRAFFIC MISHAP.  ALL WERE E4 AND BELOW.  WE MUST REDOUBLE
OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE MARINES UNDERSTAND THE RISKS AND
CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH SPEEDING, DRINKING AND DRIVING,
FATIGUED DRIVING, AND DRIVING OR RIDING WITHOUT A SEATBELT.  DO IT
NOW BEFORE ANOTHER MARINE OR SAILOR LOSES THEIR LIFE IN A
SENSELESS MISHAP.  WE DON'T LEAVE MARINES TO DIE ON THE BATTLEFIELD,
AND WE WON'T LEAVE THEM TO DIE ON THE HIGHWAY.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//