R 231600Z FEB 04
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 010/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/JANUARY 2004 SAFETY SUMMARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  DURING JANUARY, ONE MARINE DIED IN AN OFF-DUTY
PRIVATELY-OWNED VEHICLE (POV) MISHAP; ONE MARINE DIED IN A
GOVERNMENT-OWNED VEHICLE (GOV) MISHAP; FOUR MARINES DIED AND TWO
AIRCRAFT WERE LOST IN AVIATION MISHAPS; AND TWO MARINES COMMITTED
SUICIDE.
A.  OFF-DUTY.  A CIVILIAN DRIVING A VEHICLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF
ALCOHOL AND NARCOTICS STRUCK A PVT'S VEHICLE AND KILLED HIM.
B.  ON-DUTY.  A SSGT WAS KILLED DRIVING A GOV WHEN HE STRUCK THE
REAR OF A POV, LEFT THE ROADWAY, AND IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES.  THE
SSGT WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT.
C.  AVIATION
(1) A UH-1N CRASHED IN THE VICINITY OF TALEGA CANYON, CAMP
PENDLETON, CA, KILLING THE FOUR MARINES THAT COMPRISED THE AIRCREW.
(2) AN AH-1W WAS DESTROYED IN A MISHAP 25 MILES EAST OF MCAS YUMA.
THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE CO-PILOT WAS TREATED FOR
BURNS.  
D.  SUICIDES  
(1) AFTER INVOLVEMENT IN A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, A GYSGT WAS LATER
FOUND DEAD FROM AN APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND.  
(2) A SSGT'S SPOUSE FOUND HIM DEAD FROM AN APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED
GUNSHOT WOUND.  
2.  TRENDS/OBSERVATIONS  
A.  THE 19 OFF-DUTY FATALITIES DUE TO MISHAPS THIS FY EQUALS LAST
YEAR'S NUMBER AT THIS TIME.  MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS ACCOUNTED FOR 14
OF THESE FATALITIES.  MISHAPS INVOLVED SPEEDING, DRINKING ALCOHOL,
FALLING ASLEEP, AND NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT.  WE MUST DO BETTER IN
OUR ORM AND EDUCATION.
B.  IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOR
THE COMING MONTHS.  LAST YEAR, 13 OF THE 17 MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES
OCCURRED IN THE SUMMER.  THOSE OF YOU CONSIDERING RIDING MOTORCYCLES
SHOULD WEIGH THE RISKS AND BEGIN TO REDUCE THEM NOW.  SIGN UP EARLY
FOR A CLASS WHERE MOTORCYCLE TRAINING IS PROVIDED: YOU WILL BE MORE
PREPARED; YOU WILL BE A BETTER RIDER; AND YOU WILL HAVE COMPLETED
THE MANDATORY TRAINING REQUIREMENT.
C.  AS WE BEGIN REDEPLOYING MARINES TO IRAQ, RECALL THE SAFETY
TRAINING YOU HAVE RECEIVED SINCE BOOT CAMP.  FOLLOW ESTABLISHED
SAFETY PROCEDURES TO ENSURE TASKS, FROM THE SIMPLE TO THE COMPLEX,
ARE DONE SAFELY AND CORRECTLY.  AVOID SHORTCUTS THAT INCREASE RISKS
UNNECESSARILY AND CAN POTENTIALLY HINDER OR JEOPARDIZE THE MISSION.
PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL; HANDLE YOUR WEAPON AS YOU WERE TRAINED;
DRIVE RESPONSIBLY AT A REASONABLE SPEED AS CONDITIONS PERMIT; AND
LASTLY, DO NOT HANDLE UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE UNLESS TRAINED TO DO SO.  
3.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//