R 071600Z OCT 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 053/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/SEPTEMBER 2002 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2002, SIX MARINES DIED IN
ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  ONE MARINE DIED IN AN APPARENT
SUICIDE, AND TEN MARINES AND ONE SAILOR SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT
INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2002.
1.  FATALITIES
A.  ONE MARINE DIED IN AN ON-DUTY MISHAP THIS MONTH.  A 2NDLT
ASSIGNED TO MATSG-21 DIED AFTER HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING A
SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT IN A CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT.
B.  FIVE MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  A SGT
AND A LCPL DIED IN SEPARATE MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.  A SGT
FROM WPNS TRNG BN, MCRD, SAN DIEGO PERISHED WITH HIS WIFE AND
TWO CHILDREN AFTER REPORTEDLY LOSING CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE WHILE
TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.  A LCPL FROM H&HS CO, MARBKS,
WASHDC WAS A PASSENGER IN A VEHICLE, WHEN THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL
AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL, CAUSING THE DEATH OF THE LCPL.  TWO CPLS
DIED IN MOTORCYCLE MISHAPS.  ONE CPL FROM MALS-11, AN INEXPERIENCED
RIDER WHO HAD ALREADY CRASHED ONCE, LOST CONTROL A SECOND TIME
FATALLY HITTING A GUARDRAIL.  THE OTHER CPL, FROM BLT 2/6, SUFFERED
FATAL INJURIES AFTER CRASHING HIS MOTORCYLE WHILE ON ANNUAL LEAVE.
A PFC FROM NAMTRA MARUNIT, MCAS CHERRY PT DIED WHEN HE FELL FROM A
ZIP LINE AT A WATER PARK.
2.  SUICIDES
A.  ONE MARINE DIED IN AN APPARENT SUICIDE THIS MONTH.  A CPL FROM
3RD BN, 10TH MAR DIED FROM A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE
HEAD.
3.  INJURIES
A.  THREE MARINES AND ONE SAILOR SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY
INJURIES IN SEPTEMBER.  A CPL FROM 4TH RECON SUFFERED MULTIPLE
SPINAL FRACTURES AFTER EXECUTING AN IMPROPER PARACHUTE LANDING
FROM A C-130.  A SGT FROM 25TH MEU FWD SEVERELY INJURED HIS LEFT
HAND AFTER A FLASH BANG EXPLODED IN HIS HAND DURING A ROOM
CLEARING EXERCISE.  A CAPT FROM MARFOR UNITAS RECEIVED FRACTURES
TO BOTH HANDS WHEN THE HATCH TO HIS AAV CLOSED WHILE THE VEHICLE
WAS IN MOTION.  A HN FROM 3RDBN 6THMAR INJURIED HIS RIGHT EYE
WHEN A SIMULATION ROUND FRAGMENT PASSED THROUGH HIS FIELD
PROTECTIVE MASK AND STRUCK HIM IN THE EYE.
B.  SEVEN MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.
THREE CPLS, A PFC, AND A PVT WERE ALL INJURED IN SEPARATE MOTOR
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.  ONE CPL FROM 8TH COMM SEVERED HIS RIGHT HAND,
AND SERIOUSLY INJURED THE LEFT WHEN THEY BECAME CAUGHT BETWEEN
THE CAR AND THE GUARDRAIL DURING AN ACCIDENT.  ANOTHER CPL, ALSO
FROM 8TH COMM, SUFFERED A BROKEN RIGHT ARM AND FEMUR, AND
LACERATIONS TO HER HEAD AND FACE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SHE WAS RIDING
IN SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A TREE.  THE DRIVER OF THAT VEHICLE,
A CPL FROM 22ND MEU, ALSO SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO HIS HAND.  A PFC
FROM 2D MAINTBN WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN ANOTHER CAR RAN A
STOP SIGN AND STRUCK HIS CAR.  A PVT FROM NAVY SUPPLY SCHOOL WAS
INJURED AS A PASSENGER WHEN THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL, SLID OFF
THE ROAD, AND HIT A TREE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE.  A SGT FROM
VMU-2 WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A MOTORCYCLE MISHAP AFTER HITTING
A DITCH AND BEING THROWN FROM THE BIKE.  A PVT FROM H&SBN, 2D FSSG
ACCIDENTLY SHOT HIMSELF WHILE CLEANING A GUN AT HIS RESIDENCE.  
4.  AVIATION
A.  A 1STLT FROM VT-9 SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS FACE WHEN THE CANOPY
OF HIS AIRCRAFT JETTISONED IN FLIGHT.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY.
5.  CHALLENGE
A.  LAST FY, A TOTAL OF 70 MARINES DIED IN AVIATION, ON-DUTY GROUND
AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  THIS FY, 111 MARINES HAVE DIED IN AVIATION,
ON-DUTY GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.
B.  FISCAL YEAR 2002 HAS PROVEN TO BE ONE OF OUR TOUGHEST FOR
OFF-DUTY SAFETY.  WE CAN, AND MUST DO BETTER IN THE COMING YEAR.
REDUCING THE NUMBER OF 'PREVENTABLE' MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES BEGINS
WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WEARING YOUR SEATBELT, AND ENSURING ALL
VEHICLE OCCUPANTS DO THE SAME.  THE SAME EFFORT THAT WAS PUT FORTH
IN REDUCING OUR ON-DUTY GROUND MISHAPS BY 35 PERCENT FROM FY-01 TO
FY-02 CAN BE APPLIED TO OFF-DUTY MISHAP PREVENTION FOR FY-03.  
LEADERSHIP MUST START AT THE LOWEST LEVELS, WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD, AND WORK ITS WAY UP.  NCOS, SNCOS AND EVERYONE UP THE
CHAIN MUST BECOME VOCAL ADVOCATES OF SAFETY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.  
WHEN YOU BECOME AN ADVOCATE, YOU SHOW YOUR MARINES HOW MUCH YOU
TRULY VALUE THEIR LIVES.
6.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
7.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//