FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 031/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC SD//
SUBJ/SUCCESS ON THE BATTLEFIELD, SUCCESS ON RETURN//
RMKS/1.  MARINES AND SAILORS: OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, YOU HAVE
PERFORMED MAGNIFICENTLY ON AND OFF THE BATTLEFIELD.  THOSE OF YOU
DEPLOYED TO IRAQ HAVE SET A NEW STANDARD IN WARFIGHTING EXCELLENCE
AND FREED A PEOPLE FROM A BRUTAL REGIME.  THOSE OF YOU FORWARD
DEPLOYED, FORWARD STATIONED AND FORWARD BASED AROUND THE REST OF THE
WORLD HAVE PROVIDED A SENSE OF STABILITY AND SECURITY TO THE PEOPLE
IN YOUR AREA.  THOSE OF YOU REMAINING IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE
PROVIDED CRITICAL SUPPORT TO OUR FORWARD DEPLOYED FORCES WHILE
ENSURING OUR REMAINING FORCES ARE READY TO RESPOND TO ANY ADDITIONAL
TASKINGS.  YOU HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR RESPECTIVE MISSIONS WITH
COURAGE, COMMITMENT AND AN EXTREMELY HIGH DEGREE OF PROFESSIONALISM.
YOU HAVE ALSO DONE A SUPERB JOB IN TAKING CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.  OUR
SAFETY STATISTICS DURING THIS DANGEROUS AND VOLATILE TIME HAVE BEEN
OUTSTANDING.  ATTENTION TO DETAIL BY OUR SMALL UNIT LEADERS HAS
CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THESE SUCCESSES.
2.  WE HAVE NOW STARTED TO RESET OUR FORCE.  WE HAVE RECENTLY
RELEASED AN ALMAR THAT ADDRESSES HOW WE WILL LIFTSTOP-LOSS/STOP-MOVE
AND RETURN TO A NORMAL UDP AND MEU ROTATION.
3.  HISTORY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT SUCH TIMES PRESENT UNIQUE SAFETY
CHALLENGES.  AFTER DESERT STORM, ACCIDENTS, MISHAPS AND NON-COMBAT
DEATHS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.  QUITE OFTEN THE RISK MANAGEMENT,
ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND SMALL UNIT LEADERSHIP WE SEE WHEN DEPLOYED
AWAY FROM HOME STATION AND ON THE BATTLEFIELD ARE REPLACED BY
COMPLACENCY OR FEELINGS OF INVINCIBILITY WHEN WE RETURN TO GARRISON
AND HOME.
4.  THOSE OF YOU RETURNING TO HOME STATION HAVE EARNED A SAFE AND
JOYOUS REUNION WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.  RETURNING
TO OUR NATION'S HIGHWAYS IS THE MOST IMMEDIATE NEAR-TERM HAZARD YOU
WILL FACE.  HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS INJURE AND KILL MORE MARINES AND
SAILORS EACH YEAR THAN ANY OTHER MISHAPS.  WE ALL KNOW THAT:
    -  DRINKING AND DRIVING DO NOT MIX.
    -  SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES.
    -  SPEED KILLS.
    -  DRIVING WHILE FATIGUED DRAMATICALLY INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD
OF AN ACCIDENT.
4.A.  TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, EACH OTHER AND YOUR FAMILY BY APPLYING
APPROPRIATE RISK MANAGEMENT WHEN YOU GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A
VEHICLE.
4.B.  SUICIDE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR OUR MARINES.
THERE ARE MANY COMPLEX STRESSORS AND EMOTIONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE BATTLEFIELD AND WITH ONE'S RETURN.  WATCH OUT FOR YOUR
FELLOW MARINES AND GET THEM MEDICAL HELP IF THEY NEED IT.
4.C.  EXPECTATIONS OF JOYOUS FAMILY REUNIONS AND LOVING EMBRACES MAY
UNFORTUNATELY BE REPLACED WITH CONFUSION AND STRESS.  DEPRESSION,
INCREASED ALCOHOL USE, AND THE ADDED STRESS OF UNEXPECTED AND
UNCOMFORTABLE CHANGES AT HOME INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SPOUSAL AND
CHILD ABUSE.  OUR NCO'S ARE OUR FRONTLINE DEFENSE AGAINST THIS.  AS
WITH SUICIDE, WATCH OUT FOR YOUR FELLOW MARINES AND GET THEM HELP
WHEN THEY NEED IT.
5.  YOU HAVE DONE WELL OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS.  YOU HAVE SET NEW
AND HIGHER STANDARDS IN MANY AREAS. I ASK EACH AND EVERY MARINE AND
SAILOR TO APPLY THE SAME ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THOUGHTFULNESS AND
CARE OF ONE ANOTHER IN THE AREA OF SAFETY AS WE RESET THE FORCE.
6.  WHITE LETTER 03-03 AND ALMAR 032/03 WILL ADDRESS THESE ISSUES
AND ANY REQUIREMENTS MORE FULLY.
7.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
//