P 061711Z DEC 00  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS  //N05000//
ALMAR 045/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/MISHAP FATALITY AND INJURY SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 2000//
POC/LEIF R LARSEN/COL/DIR SAFETY DIVISION/CMC (SD)
/TEL:DSN 224-1202/1077/TEL:COMM (703) 614-1202//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2000, THREE MARINES DIED DUE
TO MISHAPS, ANOTHER THREE DUE TO SUSPECTED SUICIDE AND 13 SUFFERED
SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF OUR
DEATHS AND INJURIES FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:
A. FATALITIES:
  1.  LCPL FROM BLT 2/8, 24TH MEU, II MEF, MCB CAMLEJ, NC, DIED FROM
INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM A 20 FOOT FALL DURING AN ASSAULT CLIMBERS
COURSE AT CAMP DAWSON, WV.  SNM WAS DESIGNATED A LEAD CLIMBER AND WAS
WEARING A KEVLAR HELMET WITH A SPECIAL CHINSTRAP (ON DUTY).
  2.  LCPL FROM MARCORPS DET, DAM NECK, VA, DIED WHEN HE LOST
CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING AT 0145, VEERED TO THE RIGHT
AND STRUCK TWO TREES.  SNM HAD BORROWED THE CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION.
SPEED, FATIGUE AND ALCOHOL ARE SUSPECTED AS CAUSAL FACTORS THAT
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS MISHAP (OFF DUTY).
  3.  PVT FROM 1/1, 1ST MARDIV, MCB CAMPEN, CA, WAS KILLED WHEN THE
VEHICLE HE WAS RIDING IN RAN A RED LIGHT AND WAS STRUCK BROAD SIDE.
FATIGUE IS SUSPECTED AS A RISK FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS
MISHAP (OFF DUTY).
  4.  TWO RESERVISTS (BOTH CPL'S) NOT IN A DUTY STATUS AND A LCPL
DESERTER WERE KILLED IN SEPARATE PMV MISHAPS.  ALTHOUGH THESE THREE
DEATHS DO NOT ADD TO OUR MISHAP STATISTICS, THEY ARE TRAINED MARINES
WHO MUST BE REPLACED.
B. SERIOUS INJURIES:
  1.  A CAPTAIN, CWO, AND GYSGT FROM 8TH ENG SUPT BN AND MWSS 273
WERE INJURED WHILE INERTING ORDNANCE IN BOSNIA (ON DUTY).
  2.  PFC FROM B CO, ITB, SOI, WAS SHOT IN THE ARM DURING LIVE FIRE
NIGHT TRAINING.  SNM WAS STRUCK BY AN M249 SAW ROUND FIRED BY ANOTHER
MARINE (ON DUTY).
  3.  TWO LCPL'S FROM HQBN, CAMP FUJI, JAPAN, WERE TRAVELING IN A
5-TON TRUCK AS PART OF A CONVOY WHEN THE VEHICLE CRASHED.  BOTH
MARINES WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL.  ONE LCPL SUSTAINED A
BROKEN RIGHT HAND AND BROKEN VERTEBRAE.  THE SECOND LCPL WAS
RELEASED FROM THE LOCAL HOSPITAL TO CAMP FUJI (OFF DUTY).
  4.  TWO LCPL'S WERE HAVING AN ARGUMENT WHEN A MARINE NOT
INVOLVED IN THE ARGUMENT STUCK HIS HEAD IN THE HATCHWAY.  SNM'S
HAND WAS IN THE DOOR JAM.  ONE OF THE ARGUING LCPL'S KICKED THE
HATCH SHUT WITH HIS FOOT, PINCHING SNM'S FINGER (2ND DIGIT, RIGHT
HAND, ABOVE 1ST JOINT).  SNM'S FINGER REQUIRED AMPUTATION AT THE
HOSPITAL LATER (OFF DUTY).
  5.  CPL FROM HMH-363, 1ST MAW ASE, MCB, KANEOHE BAY, HI, FELL
FROM A CLIFF WHILE HIKING.  SMN SUFFERED MULTIPLE VERTEBRAL
FRACTURES, A SEVERE SCALP LACERATION, A FRACTURED CLAVICLE, AND
POSSIBLE ARTERY DAMAGE TO BACK AND SHOULDERS (OFF DUTY).
  6.  LCPL FROM 3/8, 2D MARDIV, TRAVELING BY PMV, AT AN ESTIMATED
80 MPH, LEFT THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TREE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE
VEHICLE.  SNM WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.  SNM SUFFERED
MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC INJURY, SPINAL INJURY, AND INTERNAL BLEEDING (OFF
DUTY).
  7.  RECRUIT FROM 3D RECRUIT TRNG BN, MCRD, SAN DIEGO, CA, WAS
CLIMBING A ROPE DURING A TRAINING EVOLUTION.  UPON REACHING A HEIGHT
OF APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET, SNR LET GO OF THE ROPE AND FELL TO THE
GROUND.  SNR WAS FLOWN TO SCRIPPS HOSPITAL IN LA JOLLA, CA (ON
DUTY).
  8.  LCPL FROM 1/10, 2D MARDIV, WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL.  SNM HIT A
TELEPHONE POLE GUIDE WIRE, FLIPPING HIS BODY, CAUSING HIM TO LAND ON
HIS NECK.  SNM WAS TRANSPORTED TO CAMP LEJEUNE NAVAL HOSPITAL BY
AMBULANCE FOR TREATMENT OF A FRACTURE TO THE C-3 REGION (OFF DUTY).
  9.  PFC FROM A/1/12, WAS DRIVING A HMMWV WITH FIVE OTHER MARINES
ON HIGHWAY H-3.  HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH LANES, AND A CIVILIAN DRIVER
COMING UP ON THE HMMWV HONKED TO SIGNAL THAT THERE WAS A VEHICLE
THERE.  PFC THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE HMMWV AND IT HIT THE CENTER
MEDIAN.  ONE LCPL AND TWO PFC'S WERE TRANSPORTED TO QUEENS MEDICAL
CENTER FOR OBSERVATION.  THE OTHER THREE MARINES WERE TREATED ON
THE SCENE AND RELEASED (OFF DUTY).
  10.  LCPL FROM VMGRT-253, MAG-14, 2D MAW, SUFFERED MULTIPLE LOWER
BACK FRACTURES WHEN HE ATTEMPTED A 12 FOOT JUMP WHILE RIDING A
MOTORIZED DIRT BIKE.  SMN FELL TO THE GROUND AND SUFFERED TAILBONE
AND LOWER BACK INJURIES (OFF DUTY).
  11.  HN FROM 2/1, 1ST MARDIV WAS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WHEN A CAR
CUT IN FRONT OF HIM CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL AND SLIDE UNDER
WHEEL OF THE CAR.  SNM SUSTAINED FRACTURES OF THE RIGHT TIBIA AND
FIBULA (OFF DUTY).
  12.  PFC FROM SOI, MCB CAMLEJ, NC, SUFFERED A GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS
LEFT KNEE DURING A HUNTING TRIP IN WV (OFF DUTY).
C.  SUSPECTED SUICIDES:
   1.  LCPL FROM MCSFCO, KINGS BAY, GA, SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD
WITHA 9MM PISTOL IN HIS FIANCEE'S HOME.
   2.  LCPL FROM 2/8, 2D MARDIV, WAS FOUND HANGING BY A ROPE FROM
THE 3RD DECK BALCONY.  MARINES CUT HIM DOWN AND ADMINISTERED CPR
UNTIL PARAMEDICS ARRIVED.  SNM WAS LATER REMOVED FROM LIFE SUPPORT
EQUIPMENT.
   3.  MAJ FROM INTERAGENCY AFFAIRS FOR ONSITE INSPECTION
DIRECTORATE DIED FROM SELF INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUNDS.
D.  FLIGHT RELATED INCIDENTS:
   1.  CAPTIVE TACTS POD DEPARTED AN F/A-18D AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT.
VMFAT-101, MAG 11, 3 MAW, MCAS MIRAMAR, CA.  (CLASS C FRM)
   2.  UH-1N FROM 13TH MEU EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING IN UNITED ARAB
EMERIATES.  MINOR DAMAGE.
2.  THE CASUALTIES LISTED ABOVE ONCE AGAIN SHOW THE AREAS WHERE OUR
MARINES ARE VULNERABLE.  THE THREE SUSPECTED SUICIDES WE HAD IN
NOVEMBER ARE DISTURBING.  LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS AND IN ALL
ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF WARNING SIGNS AND KNOW WHERE
TO GET HELP FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.
3.  LAST YEAR, FROM THANKSGIVING TO NEW YEARS, THE MARINE CORPS LOST
NINE MARINES DUE TO MISHAPS.  EIGHT OF THOSE FATALITIES WERE IN OFF
DUTY PMV HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS.  WE ARE IN A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS
SEASON FOR TRAVEL ON OUR HIGHWAYS.  DAYS SHORT OF DAYLIGHT, OUR RUSH
TO GET HOME TO OUR LOVED ONES AND INCLEMENT WEATHER ARE CONDITIONS
WE MUST MANAGE PROPERLY.  WE AS MARINES MUST BE AT THE TOP OF OUR
GAME ANY TIME WE ARE OUT ON THE HIGHWAYS.
4.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR AND
THAT EVERY MARINE IS WELL BRIEFED AND READY FOR THE RISKS THEY WILL
ENCOUNTER OVER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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