R 161230Z DEC 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 071/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/NOVEMBER 2002 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2002, FOUR MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, TWO MARINES DIED IN APPARENT SUICIDES,
AND TWENTY MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A
SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2002:
1.A.  FATALITIES
1.A.1.  ONE MARINE DIED IN AN ON-DUTY MISHAP THIS MONTH.  
A RECRUIT FROM C CO, MCRD SAN DIEGO COLLAPSED DURING UNIT PT AND
LATER DIED.  
1.A.2.  THREE MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.
ALL THREE MARINES DIED IN SEPARATE MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.  A SGT
FROM H&S BN, WFTBN, MCRD PI DIED AFTER HE CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND
COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH AN 18-WHEELER.  A COL FROM TTECG, MAGTFTC AND
HIS WIFE WERE KILLED AFTER BEING STRUCK HEAD-ON BY ANOTHER MARINE
TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.  A LCPL AND PFC FROM 2/6 ALSO
EXPERIENCED A HEAD-ON COLLISION, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE PFC.  
THE LCPL IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.  
1.B.  SUICIDES: THREE MARINES DIED IN APPARENT SUICIDES THIS MONTH.
A CPL FROM VMMT-204 WAS FOUND IN HIS CAR WITH A HOSE CONNECTED TO THE
EXHAUST PIPE.  A PFC FROM H&HS, MCAS CAMP PENDLETON ON GUARD DUTY WAS
DISCOVERED DEAD ON POST WITH A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND.  THE NAVY
IS INVESTIGATING THE SUSPECTED SUICIDE OF A 2NDLT FROM I CO, BLT 3/1,
11TH MEU(SOC) ABOARD A SHIP.
1.C.  INJURIES
1.C.1.  NINE MARINES SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY INJURIES IN NOVEMBER.  
A PVT FROM B CO, ITB, CAMP PENDLETON ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF WHILE
CLEANING HIS WEAPON AFTER RETURNING FROM THE FIELD.   FIVE MARINES
FROM 4TH MEB SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES RANGING FROM LACERATIONS TO
BROKEN BONES AFTER THE VAN THEY WERE RIDING IN CAREENED OFF THE ROAD.  
FORTUNATELY, ALL WERE WEARING SEATBELTS OR THE RESULTS COULD HAVE
BEEN FAR WORSE.  A GYSGT FROM MP BN, 2D FSSG SUFFERED LACERATIONS AND
BURNS TO HIS HAND WHEN A CS GRENADE PREMATURELY EXPLODED IN HIS HAND.
A 1STLT FROM 1ST CEB, PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF THE RANGE SAFETY
OFFICER, LOST SEVERAL FINGERS AFTER A DETONATION CORD EXPLODED IN HIS
HAND.  FINALLY, A SSGT FROM RSS SOUTH DADE, DRIVING A GOV, MISTAKENLY
TURNED THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE WAY STREET, RESULTING IN A HEAD-ON
COLLISION.  HE IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH A BROKEN FEMUR AND
PATELLA.
1.C.2.  ELEVEN MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  
SEVEN OF THE MISHAPS OCCURRED IN AUTOMOBILES, ONE ON A MOTORCYCLE,
ONE ON AN ATV, ONE MARINE WAS STRUCK BY A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND THE LAST
IN A RECREATION/SPORTS MISHAP.  A SUMMARY OF THE MISHAPS IS AS
FOLLOWS:  
A SGT AND LCPL FROM 5TH MAR WERE BOTH INJURED WHEN THEIR VEHICLE WENT
OFF AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES.  TWO MARINES, A PFC AND
A PVT FROM RSS TYLER, RS DALLAS TEXAS WERE INJURED IN ANOTHER PMV
MISHAP.  THE PVT SUFFERED A LACERATED SPLEEN AND A BRUISED BRAIN,
WHILE THE PFC CRACKED A VERTEBRA.  A SGT FROM 8TH & I, WASHINGTON DC
WAS CRITICALLY INJURED AFTER HIS VEHICLE STRUCK A CONSTRUCTION PYLON,
CAUSING A BOULDER TO FALL FROM THE PYLON ONTO THE ROOF OF HIS
VEHICLE.  A LCPL FROM 1ST BN, 7TH MAR TRAVELING AS A PASSENGER,
SUFFERED A SEVERE CONCUSSION, BROKEN LEFT CLAVICLE AND POSSIBLE
BROKEN VERTEBRAE AND CRANIAL BLEEDING, AFTER HIS HEAD STRUCK THE
DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IN A CRASH.  HE WAS NOT WEARING HIS SEATBELT.  A
SGT FROM 4TH LAAD BN SUFFERED MULTIPLE BROKEN BONES AND IS IN
SERIOUS CONDITION AFTER A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HIS
MOTORCYCLE.  A LCPL FROM 1ST BN, 8TH MAR, WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE STREET.  HE SUFFERED A BROKEN RIB,
PUNCTURED LUNG, AND A FRACTURED TIBIA.  A SGT FROM 1ST BN, 7TH MAR
FRACTURED HIS SPINAL COLUMN AFTER THE ATV HE WAS RIDING FLIPPED OVER
ON TOP OF HIM.  A LCPL FROM 2D BN, 7TH MAR IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION
AFTER HE STRUCK HIS HEAD ON THE FLOOR WHILE WRESTLING AND WAS
KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS.
1.D.  AVIATION
1.D.1.  AN F/A-18D FROM VMFAT-101 CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN APPROX 78
MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAN DIEGO, CA.  THE AIR FORCE EXCHANGE PILOT
EJECTED AND WAS RECOVERED SAFELY.  
1.D.2.  AN F/A-18A+ FROM VMFA-115 DEPARTED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ON
LANDING ROLLOUT, RESULTING IN A CLASS B FLIGHT MISHAP.
1.D.3.  A CH-53D FROM HMH-463 STRUCK A CONCRETE REVETMENT WITH ITS
ROTOR BLADES DURING TAXIING, RESULTING IN A CLASS C AIRCRAFT GROUND
MISHAP.  THE FOUR PERSONNEL ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED.
2.  LOOKING AHEAD
2.A.  LAST FY THIS TIME, ELEVEN MARINES HAD DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND
AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  THIS FY, TEN MARINES HAVE DIED IN ON-DUTY
GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE TIME OF THIS
WRITING, WE HAVE ALREADY RECORDED OUR FIRST FATAL MISHAP OF DECEMBER
2002.  
2.B.  WE CAN ILL AFFORD TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF LAST YEAR.  YOU
NEED ONLY LOOK AT THE ALARMING NUMBER OF INJURIES LAST MONTH (20), TO
KNOW WE APPEAR TO BE HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.  DURING NOVEMBER,
WE RECORDED MORE SERIOUS ON-DUTY INJURIES THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE
PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.  IF THERE IS ANYTHING POSITIVE TO BE FOUND IN
THESE NUMBERS, IT IS THE NUMBER OF MISHAPS IN WHICH SEATBELTS WERE
USED, AND MOST LIKELY SAVED LIVES!  THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THE AUTO
MISHAP INVOLVING FIVE MARINES FROM 4TH MEB COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE
HAD THEY NOT PRACTICED WHAT WE PREACH: USE RISK MANAGEMENT AND BUCKLE
UP! SIMPLY BY WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS, THEY KEPT A BAD ACCIDENT FROM
BECOMING A FATAL ONE.  ORM WORKS!  IF YOU STILL HAVE DOUBTS, JUST ASK
ANY ONE OF THEM.  BRAVO ZULU MARINES, AND GET WELL SOON.
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.//