R 191630Z NOV 01  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS  //N05000//
ALMAR 058/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/CMC/SD//
SUBJ/OCTOBER 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2001, SIX MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, THREE MARINES DIED FROM SUICIDES,
AND NINE MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS
A SUMMARY OF THE CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER:
A.  FATALITIES
ON DUTY:  TWO LCPLS FROM 1ST FSSG, TSB WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT
IN AN LVS-48.  THE LVS WAS ATTEMPTING TO NEGOTIATE A CURVE AND
OVERTURNED.  THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THE A-DRIVER AND
INJURIES REQUIRING MEDEVAC OF THE DRIVER.  SEATBELT USE UNKNOWN.  
OFF DUTY:
1.  1STLT FROM VMFA-AW 225 LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, CROSSED THE
MEDIAN AND IMPACTED AN ONCOMING TRACTOR-TRAILER RESULTING IN DEATH.  
SEATBELT USE UNKNOWN.  
2.  LCPL FROM 2D FAST CO, MCSF BN DIED AFTER SUSTAINING MULTIPLE
TRAUMATIC INJURIES IN A FALL FROM THE 3D DECK OF THE 2D FAST COMPANY
BARRACKS IN YORKTOWN.  THE MARINE LANDED HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE
CONCRETE SIDEWALK.    
3.  CPL FROM VMGR-252 DIED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHILE HEADED
BACK TO BASE.  THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING LEFT THE ROAD, TRAVELED
ABOUT 75 FEET AND STRUCK A TREE.  SNM WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.  
4.  LCPL FROM BLT 2DBN 6TH MARINES WAS INVOLVED IN A PMV ACCIDENT
WHILE ON LEAVE.  SNM RAN A STOP SIGN AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER
VEHICLE CAUSING MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC INJURIES WHICH RESULTED IN HIS
DEATH.  SEATBELT USE UNKNOWN.
5.  PFC FROM MALS-16, MAG-16 BODY WAS FOUND AFTER WHAT APPEARED TO
BE A HIT AND RUN WHILE HE WAS RIDING A BICYCLE.  USE OF PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT UNKNOWN.
SUICIDES:
1.  CPL FROM 2DBN 4TH MARINES SHOT HIMSELF AFTER CHECKING OUT HIS
PISTOL AND RIFLE FOR RANGE DETAIL.
2.  PVT FROM THE SCHOOL OF INFANTRY AT CAMP PENDLETON SHOT HIMSELF
WITH  HIS GUARD DUTY WEAPON.
3.  PFC FROM MALS-14, MAG-14 SHOT HIMSELF WITH HIS HUNTING RIFLE,
THREE DAYS AFTER PMO FOUND MARIJUANA IN HIS VEHICLE.  SNM WAS UA AT
THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.  
B.  MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES
ON DUTY:  CPL FROM 1STBN 3D MARINES WAS DRIVING A HARDBACK HMMWV
WITH THREE PASSENGERS IN A TRAINING AREA.  WHILE MAKING A TURN ON
A DIRT ROAD THE HMMWV FLIPPED AND ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES.  SNM
SUSTAINED A CLOSED HEAD WOUND AND WAS UNCONSCIOUS AT THE SCENE OF
THE ACCIDENT.  SNM IS IN A MEDICATION-INDUCED COMA WITH SEVERAL
POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES.  THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER
SUSTAINED AN AVULSION LACERATION TO HIS RIGHT FOREARM AND WILL
POSSIBLY GO THROUGH A SKIN GRAFT.  THE TWO BACKSEAT PASSENGERS
SUSTAINED BROKEN BONES ON FINGERS AND CLAVICLE.  SEATBELT USE
UNKNOWN.  
OFF DUTY:  
1.  LCPL FROM MP BN, 2D FSSG WAS INJURED WHEN AN ONCOMING CAR STRUCK
HIS VEHICLE.  SNM WAS EVACUATED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUFFERED A
FRACTURED PELVIS, DAMAGE TO HIS SPLEEN, KIDNEY AND LIVER.  THE MARINE
WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT AND IS CURRENTLY IN STABLE CONDITION.  
2.  CPL FROM HMM-166 WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE WHEN IT DEPARTED THE
ROAD AND FELL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET COMING TO REST ON ITS ROOF.  SNM
SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES BUT IS LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION.  HE WAS
WEARING HIS SEATBELT AT THE TIME.
3.  PVT ON RECRUITER'S ASSISTANCE AT MCRS JAX FL WAS A PASSENGER IN A
PMV MINIVAN WHEN A DRUNKEN DRIVER IN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT
OF THE MINIVAN CAUSING A COLLISION.  SNM WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT.  
SNM SUFFERED MULTIPLE SERIOUS INJURIES AND 100 SUTURES TO HIS FACE.
HE WILL PROBABLY REQUIRE SURGERY TO HIS LEFT ARM AND IS CURRENTLY
HOSPITALIZED IN SERIOUS BUT STABLE CONDITION.    
C.  AVIATION
1.  HMH-464, MAG-29 MCAS NEW RIVER, DURING EXERCISE ROLLING THUNDER,
A CH-53E INADVERTENTLY RELEASED A HMMWV FROM 250 FEET INTO A HEAVILY
WOODED AREA IN FT BRAGG, NC TRAINING AREA.  NO INJURIES WERE
REPORTED AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY.  ESTIMATES OF DAMAGES TO
HMMWV ARE STILL TO BE DETERMINED.  
2.  TWO PILOTS/TWO ENLISTED AIRCREW FROM MAWTS-1 IN A UH-1N WERE ON
NVG'S PARTICIPATING IN WTI EVOLUTION AST-4 WHEN THEIR AIRCRAFT
SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING.  NO DEATHS OCCURRED.  TWO OF THE FOUR
CREWMEMBERS SUFFERED NO INJURIES.  THE OTHER TWO HAVE MINOR
INJURIES (CLASS A MISHAP).
3.  HMM-365, AH-1W AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND DURING ATTACK PULL-OFF,
DAMAGING SKIDS AND TAIL BOOM.  AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT FURTHER
DAMAGE.  NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED (CLASS B MISHAP).
2.  MIXED NEWS
A.  LAST YEAR, DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, FOUR MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY GROUND MISHAPS; ONE DIED IN AN OPS/TRNG MISHAP, TWO
DIED IN PMV MISHAPS, AND ONE DIED IN A RECREATION RELATED MISHAP.
THIS YEAR DURING OCTOBER SIX ACTIVE DUTY MARINES DIED IN ON AND OFF
DUTY MISHAPS, IN ADDITION TO THREE FROM SUICIDES.  FIVE OF THE SIX
DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH WERE MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED MISHAPS.
ONE INVOLVED A TACTICAL VEHICLE, THREE WERE PMV'S DRIVEN BY MARINES,
AND ONE, A MARINE RIDING HIS BICYCLE, WAS LIKELY THE VICTIM OF
A CARELESS MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATOR WHO LEFT THE SCENE AFTER
THE ACCIDENT.  IN ADDITION TO MISHAPS MENTIONED ABOVE, WE HAD ONE
INCIDENT IN WHICH A LCPL SERIOUSLY INJURED HIS CIVILIAN COUSIN.  
AFTER CONSUMING ENOUGH ALCOHOL TO BE LATER CHARGED WITH DUI, SNM GOT
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF HIS CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AWAY.  WHILE IT IS
NOT CLEAR WHY HIS COUSIN STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM, HE DID, AND THE
LCPL STRUCK HIM.  THE COUSIN IS NOW IN A COMA LISTED IN SERIOUS
CONDITION IN ICU.  
B.  SO FAR THIS FY WE HAVE LOST FIVE MARINES TO PMV OR OTHER MOTOR
VEHICLE RELATED MISHAPS.  AFTER PROVING LAST FY THAT WE CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF SENSELESS PMV FATALITIES, THIS IS NO WAY
TO START THE NEW FY.  LET'S NOT ALLOW THE EVENTS OF THE WORLD TO
CAUSE US TO LOSE FOCUS ON SAFETY AT HOME, WORK, AND ESPECIALLY ON
THE ROADS.  
3.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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