R 191200Z SEP 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 043/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/AUGUST 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1. DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2001, SIX MARINES AND ONE SAILOR
DIED IN, ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS. ONE MARINE DIED FROM A SUSPECTED
SUICIDE AND NINE MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. THE
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST:
A. FATALITIES
ON DUTY:
1. NAVY E-4 FROM WATERFRONT OPERATIONS SECTION, HQBN, MCB KANEOHE
BAY, HI WAS PERFORMING ROUTINE SERVICE/MAINTENANCE OF A FUEL SPILL
CONTAINMENT BOOM WHEN HE FELL OUT FROM THE BOAT AND WAS RUN OVER;
RESULTING IN HIS DEATH.
2. PFC FROM 1ST BN, 4TH MAR AND HIS UNIT WERE SWIMMING DURING A
UNIT FUNCTION AT DEL MAR BEACH, CA. SNM WAS APPARENTLY CAUGHT BY A
RIPTIDE AND DROWNED.
3. AN F/A-18 FROM VMFA-115 CRASHED OUTSIDE OF MCAS YUMA, AZ. ITS
PILOT, A CAPTAIN, DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH.
4. LCPL FROM 2D FAST CO FELL OUT OF A 4 MILE PLATOON RUN AND LATER
DIED DUE TO CARDIAC COLLAPSE.
5. LCPL FROM 1ST BN, 2D MAR WAS STRUCK AND GRAVELY INJURED BY
LIGHTENING. HE LATER DIED DUE TO ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS
SYNDROME.
OFF DUTY:
1. CPL FROM 3D MAW BAND AND HIS GIRLFRIEND WERE KILLED IN A PMV
ACCIDENT. BOTH WERE WEARING SEATBELTS.
2. CPL FROM MATSG 23, NAS LEMOORE DIED IN A SINGLE MOTOR VEHICLE
ACCIDENT. HE WAS NOT WEARING HIS SEAT BELT.
B. MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES:
ON DUTY:
1. LCPL FROM 8TH ESB, 2D FSSG WAS SIPHONING JP-8 MULTIPURPOSE FUEL
FROM A ROUGH TERRAIN FORKLIFT. SNM UNINTENTIONALLY INGESTED APPROX
ONE CUP OF JP-8. HE WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN
SERIOUS/GUARDED CONDITION.
2. CPL FROM 2D TSB, 2D FSSG FELL DOWN A LADDER ABOARD THE USS
TRENTON.
3. PIONEER UAV FROM VMU-1 STRUCK A GYSGT (EXTERNAL PILOT) ON ITS
LANDING ROLLOUT BREAKING SNMS RIGHT LEG.
4. SGT FROM MSG DET, RIO DE JANEIRO WAS PARTICIPATING IN UNIT PT
PLAYING VOLLEYBALL IN DEEP SAND. SNM FELL AND FRACTURED HIS HIP
BONE POCKET.
OFF DUTY:
1. LCPL FROM 1ST TSB, 1ST FSSG WAS TRAVELING IN HIS POV WHEN HE
STRUCK A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL (CHP) VEHICLE INVOLVED IN TRAFFIC
STOP. THE CHP VEHICLE EXPLODED ON IMPACT, KILLING THE CHP OFFICER.
SNM WAS NOT INJURED, BUT HIS PASSENGER, A FELLOW MARINE SUSTAINED A
CONCUSSION AND A FRACTURED FOREARM. ALCOHOL WAS A FACTOR IN THIS
MISHAP.
2. CPL FROM MAG-49, DET B WAS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE AND WAS HIT BY AN
ONCOMING SUV. SNM SUFFERED BRAIN TRAUMA AND A RUPTURED SPLEEN AND IS
LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
3. SSGT FROM 4TH FORCE RECON, MCBH KANEOHE BAY FELL WHILE PRUNING A
TREE, BREAKING HIS NECK. SNM IS CURRENTLY IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
4. PFC WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE PMV ACCIDENT AND SUFFERED
RESPIRATORY DISTRESS.
5. LCPL FROM 3D BN, 6TH MAR, 26 MEU HIT A TELEPHONE POLE WITH HIS
PMV. THE LCPL SUFFERED HEAD TRAUMA AND IS IN FAIR CONDITION.
3. MIXED NEWS
A. LAST YEAR DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THREE MARINES DIED IN OFF
DUTY GROUND MISHAPS AND ONE DIED IN AN ON DUTY GROUND MISHAP
INVOLVING A TACTICAL VEHICLE. THE THREE OFF DUTY DEATHS WERE ALL THE
RESULT OF PMV MISHAPS. THIS YEAR, SIX ACTIVE DUTY MARINES AND ONE
SAILOR DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS DURING AUGUST, AS WELL AS ONE
SUSPECTED SUICIDE.
B. SO FAR THIS FY, 67 MARINES HAVE DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS.
LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, 96 MARINES HAD DIED.
C. THIS PAST MONTH FIVE CIVILIANS ALSO DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY
MISHAPS INVOLVING MARINES. SEVERAL OTHERS WERE INJURED. A SSGT FROM
SOI PULLED OUT OF A SIDE ROAD IN HIS PMV AND COLLIDED WITH AN
ON-COMING VEHICLE. THE MARINE RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES, HOWEVER,
THE CIVILIAN DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND
A SEVEN YEAR OLD CHILD IN THAT VEHICLE DIED. A LCPL FROM 2D LAR BN
WAS DRIVING A 5-TON DURING ROAD MARCH TRAINING. THE 5-TON TRUCK
IMPACTED A CIVILIAN MINIVAN. THE CIVILIAN FEMALE DRIVER OF THE
MINIVAN WAS KILLED. THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE ACCIDENTS THAT
RESULTED IN TRAGEDY TO NOT ONLY A MARINE, BUT EITHER A FAMILY MEMBER
OR A COMPLETE STRANGER.
D. THE NUMBER OF DEAD AND INJURED CIVILIANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE THAT DECISIONS WE MAKE AS INDIVIDUALS CAN HAVE
TRAGIC AND LIFE CHANGING EFFECTS ON OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES, AND EVEN
COMPLETE STRANGERS. A VEHICLE OPERATED WITH EITHER MOMENTARY
INATTENTION OR COMPLETE DISREGARD BECOMES A DANGEROUS WEAPON. BEFORE
YOU DRIVE SOMEWHERE, EITHER AS A DRIVER OR A PASSENGER, ASK YOURSELF
WHAT THE RISKS ARE AND HOW YOU CAN MINIMIZE THEM. FROM FY98 TO FY00,
54 PERCENT OF PMV DEATHS, MARINE CORPS WIDE, HAPPENED ON THE WEEKEND,
WITH 61 PERCENT OCCURRING AT NIGHT. ALCOHOL WAS A FACTOR IN 33
PERCENT OF THOSE DEATHS, WHILE THE LACK OF A SEATBELT AND SPEEDING
WERE BOTH FACTORS IN OVER 40 PERCENT OF THESE DEATHS. CONTROL THESE
RISKS, AND YOU HAVE GREATLY INCREASED NOT ONLY YOUR CHANCES, BUT THE
CHANCES OF YOUR PASSENGERS AND EVERY OTHER VEHICLE ON THE ROAD.
4. COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
5. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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