R 101558Z OCT 00 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS  //N05000//
ALMAR 036/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/SAFETY UPDATE TO COMMANDANTS GUIDANCE//
REF/A/MSG/ALMAR 023/99/YMD:DTG 020001ZJUL99//
AMPN/REF A IS COMMANDANTS GUIDANCE//
POC/CPL WOODS/ADMIN CHIEF/CSG/TEL:(703) 614-2326
/EMAIL:WOODSJP@HQMC.USMC.MIL//
RMKS/1.  THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS THE TEXT OF THE UPDATE TO
THE 32ND COMMANDANTS GUIDANCE, REF (A).  THIS DOCUMENT, WITH
PHOTOGRAPHS, IS AVAILABLE ON THE COMMANDANT'S PAGE OF
MARINE LINK AT WWW.USMC.MIL/CMC. THE CMC COVER LETTER IS QUOTED
AS FOLLOWS:
   "A YEAR AGO, I ISSUED THE COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE AS AN
EXPRESSION OF MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY CONCERNING OUR CORPS.
AS A BROAD STATEMENT THAT IS DESCRIPTIVE, RATHER THAN
PRESCRIPTIVE, THE DOCUMENT IS TRUE TO ITS TITLE: IT PROVIDES
GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMANDANT REGARDING SUBJECTS THAT ARE OF
INTEREST AND CONCERN TO MARINES.  THESE SUBJECTS WERE
CAREFULLY CHOSEN, BUT AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY FIRST YEAR IN
OFFICE, I DIRECTED MY STAFF TO ASSIST ME IN REVIEWING THE
COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY
AREAS IN NEED OF REFINEMENT OR ANY IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT HAD
BEEN OVERLOOKED.  THE RESOUNDING AND UNANIMOUS ANSWER ECHOED
THE CONCLUSION I HAD ALREADY REACHED: SAFETY.
   IN THE ONE-YEAR PERIOD FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF THE
COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE ON 1 JULY 1999, ACCIDENTS RESULTED IN
THE DEATHS OF 112 OF OUR MARINES AND SAILORS, AND INJURIES TO
775 OTHERS.  THESE STATISTICS INCLUDE BOTH TRAINING AND
OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  THE NUMBERS ARE ALARMING.  SADLY, IN MANY
CASES, DEATHS AND INJURIES COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, 50 PERCENT OF THE MARINES KILLED OFF-DUTY IN MOTOR
VEHICLE COLLISIONS WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS.  SUCH LOSSES ARE
AS SENSELESS AND INEXCUSABLE AS THEY ARE TRAGIC.
   THE RECORD WOULD APPEAR TO INDICATE THAT THE MARINE CORPS HAS
BECOME COMPLACENT ABOUT SAFETY, BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THIS
IS NOT THE CASE.  IN FACT, SAFETY IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST
PRIORITIES AND IS OF SUCH IMPORTANCE THAT THE ASSISTANT
COMMANDANT PERSONALLY HEADS OUR EFFORTS IN THAT AREA, CHAIRING
AN EXECUTIVE SAFETY BOARD THAT DIRECTLY ENGAGES THE SENIOR
LEADERSHIP OF THE CORPS IN ADDRESSING AND RESOLVING ISSUES.
SAFETY IS A SUBJECT THAT HAS HELD MY OWN CLOSE ATTENTION
THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT WE HAVE A
PROBLEM.  HOWEVER, IT IS A PROBLEM THAT WE CAN CORRECT THROUGH
THE CONCERTED APPLICATION OF LEADERSHIP, COMMON SENSE, AND
DISCIPLINE: RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CORPS IN ABUNDANCE.
   WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, I HAVE ISSUED AN UPDATE TO THE
COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE ADDRESSING THIS MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT.  AS
SAFETY IS AN INHERENT FUNCTION OF LEADERSHIP, THIS NEW MATERIAL
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SECTION IN THE
GUIDANCE ENTITLED "LEADING MARINES."  LIKE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT
OF WHICH IT NOW FORMS A PART, THIS ADDENDUM IS INTENDED TO
ESTABLISH "COMMANDANT'S INTENT" WITH REGARD TO ONE OF THE MOST
PRESSING CHALLENGES FACING US TODAY.  MARINE LEADERS AT ALL
LEVELS MUST TRANSLATE THIS INTENT INTO ACTION BY IMPLEMENTING
APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ATTACK AND DEFEAT THE UNSAFE ACTS AND
CONDITIONS THAT ARE ROBBING US OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSET:
OUR MARINES.
   THE SITUATION IS CLEAR.  THE MISSION: ELIMINATE AVOIDABLE
ACCIDENTS.  H-HOUR: NOW."
2.  THE UPDATE TO THE 32ND COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE IS QUOTED AS
FOLLOWS:
   "SAFETY, BOTH OPERATIONAL AND PERSONAL, IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
EVERY MARINE.  IT BEGINS WITH LEADERSHIP.  THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE,
AND AS OLD AS THE CORPS ITSELF: LEADERS TAKE CARE OF THEIR MARINES.
THAT DUTY IS ALL ENCOMPASSING, TOUCHING ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF OUR
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES.  MARINE LEADERS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE ACTIONS AND OMISSIONS OF THE MEN AND WOMEN THEY LEAD, ON
DUTY AND OFF, TO AN EXTENT THAT IS UNIQUE TO MILITARY CULTURE, WITH
NO COUNTERPART IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD.  THEY ACTIVELY CONCERN
THEMSELVES WITH THEIR MARINES' WELFARE AND COMBAT PREPAREDNESS,
INCLUDING THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING, TRAINING, PERSONAL
READINESS, AND FAMILY READINESS.  IT IS EVIDENT, THEN, THAT
CONDITIONS, PRACTICES, AND HABITS POSING A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF
MARINES MUST BE SOUGHT OUT, ATTACKED, AND ELIMINATED BY LEADERS.
   A LEADER'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY INCLUDES THREE BROAD
FUNCTIONS.  FIRST, LEADERS ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY.  THIS REQUIRES MORE THAN
PERFUNCTORY SAFE DRIVING LECTURES.  IT IS, INSTEAD, A CONTINUING
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS THAT SEEKS TO STIMULATE AN ATTITUDE OF TRUE
SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS IN EVERY MEMBER OF THE UNIT.  A LEADER'S SECOND
FUNCTION WITH REGARD TO SAFETY IS SUPERVISION.  INHERENT TO
AUTHORITY IS THE OBLIGATION TO ISSUE AND ENFORCE POLICY.  TOO
FREQUENTLY, ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS REVEAL A FATEFUL DEVIATION FROM
REGULATIONS.  SUPERVISION AND ENFORCEMENT CAN PREVENT MANY SUCH
OCCURENCES.  FINALLY, LEADERS SEEK BALANCE.  THE MARINE CORPS IS A
COMBAT ORGANIZATION, AND COMBAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS
ACTIVITY IN WHICH SUCCESS OFTEN ENTAILS RISK.  ACCORDINGLY, WE VALUE
LEADERS WHO ARE PRUDENT RISK-TAKERS.  THIS IS A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF
THE CORPS' REPUTATION FOR SUCCESS IN COMBAT AND IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT
IT BE PRESERVED.  IN COMBAT, LEADERS CONSTANTLY ASSESS RISK, SEEKING
TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION WHILE PROTECTING THEIR MARINES.  WHEN THE
RISK IS TOO HIGH, WE SEEK OTHER MEANS OF APPROACHING THE MISSION.
WE MUST TRANSLATE THIS HABIT TO THE TRAINING ENVIRONMENT.  OUR GOAL
IS TO TRAIN REALISTICALLY, BUT SAFELY, RECOGNIZING AND ASSESSING
RISK, JUST AS WE DO IN COMBAT.
   RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY DOES NOT END WITH LEADERS.  TO
REINFORCE THE ACTIONS OF LEADERS, ALL HANDS, REGARDLESS OF GRADE OR
BILLET, MUST BE MINDFUL OF SAFETY CONCERNS AND WATCHFUL OF THEIR
FELLOW MARINES.  THERE IS AN OLD AND WELL-KNOWN SAYING THAT TELLS
US, "MARINES TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN."  THESE WORDS EXPRESS IN SIMPLE
AND DIRECT TERMS THE VERY POWERFUL IDEA THAT EACH OF US BEARS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SHIPMATES.  IT IS A CONCEPT THAT HAS GIVEN
RISE TO COUNTLESS ACTS OF HEROISM IN COMBAT AND ELSEWHERE, AS
MARINES AND SAILORS HAVE SELFLESSLY STRIVEN TO PRESERVE THE LIVES OF
STRICKEN COMRADES, FACING DANGER AND EVEN SACRIFICING THEIR OWN
LIVES IN THE PROCESS.  THIS IS THE EPITOME OF PHYSICAL COURAGE, AND
THE SPIRIT TO PERFORM SUCH ACTS OF HEROISM IS PRESENT IN THE HEART
OF EVERY MARINE.  BUT IN THE REALM OF SAFETY, IT IS OFTEN MORAL
COURAGE THAT IS REQUIRED: THE FORTITUDE TO STEP FORWARD AND SPEAK UP
WHEN AN UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION THREATENS HARM.  SUCH MORAL COURAGE
IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE CHARACTER OF THE U.S. MARINE.  IT IS
A PART OF OUR INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY.  WE WILL USE IT LIBERALLY IN
OUR ASSAULT ON PREVENTABLE MISHAPS.
   THE FINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY RESTS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL
MARINE.  LEADERS SET THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH SAFETY MATTERS RECEIVE
THE PROPER EMPHASIS, AND ALL MARINES STRIVE TO "TAKE CARE OF THEIR
OWN," BUT THE POWER TO ACT WISELY FREQUENTLY RESTS IN THE HANDS OF
THE INDIVIDUAL.  FOR EXAMPLE, A MARINE ON LIBERTY USUALLY DECIDES
ALONE WHETHER TO FASTEN A SEATBELT OR WEAR A MOTORCYCLE HELMET.  IN
KEEPING WITH MY PHILOSOPHY THAT MARINES ALWAYS TRY TO DO THE RIGHT
THING, I EXPECT AND REQUIRE ALL MARINES TO ACT APPROPRIATELY IN
EXERCISING THEIR INDIVIDUAL SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES.
   CLEARLY, SAFETY AFFECTS ALMOST EVERY ACTIVITY IN WHICH MARINES
ENGAGE: TRAINING, RECREATION, AND THE BASIC DAILY ROUTINE.  AS SUCH,
WE WILL AFFORD IT THE ATTENTION IT WARRANTS, WITH THE GOAL OF
ELIMINATING PREVENTABLE MISHAPS.  THROUGH RESPONSIBLE RISK
MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY AWARENESS WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION.  AS
MARINES, WE CAN SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS."
3.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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