R 091215Z JAN 02 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 002/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/DECEMBER 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2001, SIX MARINES DIED IN OFF
DUTY MISHAPS, ONE MARINE DIED AS A RESULT OF A SUICIDE, AND FOURTEEN
MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF
OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2001:
A.  FATALITIES
ON DUTY:  NONE.
OFF DUTY:
1.  TWO SGTS FROM I&I JACKSONVILLE, FL WERE STRUCK BY A VEHICLE AS
THEY CROSSED A STREET IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.  ONE SGT WAS
PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE, THE OTHER SGT WAS TREATED FOR
MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED.  
2.  LCPL FROM CSSG-1, 1ST FSSG WAS INVOLVED IN SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT
RESULTING IN DEATH.  A WITNESS STATED HE WAS PASSED BY SNM AT A HIGH
RATE OF SPEED FIVE MILES FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.    
3.  LCPL FROM 2D TSB, 2D FSSG WAS TRAVELING IN A SEVERE RAINSTORM
WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO OVERTURN.  HE WAS
EJECTED ONTO THE HIGHWAY, WHERE A TRACTOR-TRAILER AND A CAR
SUBSEQUENTLY HIT HIM.  SNM WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT AND WAS
PRONOUNCED DEAD ON THE SCENE.
4.  TWO PFCS FROM 8TH COMMBN (PCSO ENROUTE) WERE INVOLVED IN A PMV
ACCIDENT.  ONE MARINE WAS PULLED FROM THE BURNING VEHICLE AND IS
CURRENTLY IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND ON LIFE SUPPORT.  THE OTHER
MARINE BURNED TO DEATH IN THE VEHICLE.  
5.  CPL FROM MCSFCO NAPLES ITALY WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS ON THE GROUND
AT THE ENLISTED BARRACKS WITH HEAD TRAUMA.  SNM WAS ATTEMPTING TO
CLIMB OVER THE RAILING WHEN HE FELL FROM THE SECOND DECK.
6.  CPL FROM 3RD LAR WAS HUNTING WITH A GUIDE AND TWO OTHER PERSONS
WHEN HE WAS ACCIDENTLY SHOT AND KILLED WITH HIS OWN RIFLE.  SNM'S
RIFLE SLING BROKE, CAUSING HIS RIFLE TO HIT THE GROUND AND DISCHARGE
A ROUND.  THE ROUND HIT SNM IN THE BACK RESULTING IN A FATAL WOUND.
B.  SUICIDES:  PVT FROM 1ST BN, 7TH MAR WAS ARRESTED ON 1 DEC 01 FOR
DUI AND RELEASED APPROX FOUR HOURS LATER.  ON MONDAY, 3 DEC 01, SNM
WAS FOUND HANGING AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN THE VICINITY OF THE JAIL
WHERE HE HAD BEEN HELD FOR THE DUI.  
C.  REPRESENTATIVE MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES
ON DUTY:
1.  CPL FROM DIVISION SCHOOLS WAS TRAINING AT THE MOUNT FAC.  SNM
PULLED THE PIN ON A G924 (GRENADE HAND RIOT CS), WHICH IMMEDIATELY
EXPLODED.  SNM SUFFERED MINOR BURNS AND RECEIVED FRAGMENTS OF
FIBERGLASS IN HIS HAND.  THE LOT NUMBER IS 2031-76-2017 AND IS
CURRENTLY BEING SUSPENDED FROM USE.
2.  THREE MARINES FROM H&HS MCAS NEW RIVER WERE RIDING IN A P-19
(AIRCRAFT RESCUE FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLE) ON A GRAVEL ROAD AT A SPEED
TOO FAST FOR ROAD CONDITIONS.  THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP DURING A
TRAINING MANEUVER, CAUSING THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT, WHICH
FLIPPED THE VEHICLE OVER ON ITS SIDE.  THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED,
PASSENGER ONE WAS TREATED ON THE SCENE FOR A LACERATION OF THE
FOREHEAD AND RELEASED, PASSENGER TWO COMPLAINED OF BACK PAINS AND
WAS TAKEN TO THE NAVAL HOSPITAL.
OFF DUTY:  
1.  CAPT FROM 2D BN, 1ST MAR LOST CONTROL OF HIS MOTORCYCLE, HIT A
TREE, AND WAS THROWN FROM THE MOTORCYCLE.  SNO SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT
HEAD INJURY AND IS IN A COMA IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
2.  CPL FROM MCRSC WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY SNM
ALLEGEDLY FALLING ASLEEP BEHIND THE WHEEL.  SNM SUFFERED A
COLLAPSED LUNG, BRUISED KIDNEY AND SPLEEN.  SNM IS CURRENTLY IN THE
HOSPITAL'S ICU IN STABLE CONDITION.  
3.  LCPL FROM 2D BN, 4TH MAR WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE
ACCIDENT WHERE HE STRUCK A TREE.  ALCOHOL WAS A FACTOR IN THE
ACCIDENT.  SNM WAS TRAVELING ALONE AND SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEFT
SHOULDER AND LEFT CLAVICLE, FRACTURED ALL OF HIS RIBS ON THE LEFT
SIDE, PUNCTURED LEFT LUNG, COLLAPSED RIGHT LUNG, RUPTURED DIAPHRAGM,
AND WAS PLACED IN A DRUG INDUCED COMA ON A BREATHING MACHINE FOR TWO
TO THREE DAYS.  SNM IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND HIS PROGNOSIS IS
UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.  
4.  LCPL FROM HQSVCBN, MCB CAMP BUTLER, OKINAWA WAS A PASSENGER
IN A VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT.  THE DRIVER OF THE
VEHICLE VEERED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE AND STRUCK A CONCRETE
TELEPHONE POLE.  SNM IS LISTED IN GOOD CONDITION WITH BROKEN RIBS,
LACERATED LIVER AND PULMONARY CONTUSION.  
5.  LCPL FROM CO C, 1ST CEB, 1STMARDIV WAS INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE
ACCIDENT NEAR MACON, GA, IN WHICH SNM WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.
SNM WAS ADMITTED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER OF CENTRAL GEORGIA IN SERIOUS
CONDITION.
6.  TWO LCPLS FROM MSSG-24 AND 8TH ESB, 2D FSSG WERE INJURED WHEN
ONE LCPL WAS CLEANING HIS PISTOL IN HIS OFF-BASE RESIDENCE AND
ACCIDENTALLY PULLED THE TRIGGER SHOOTING HIMSELF AND THE OTHER LCPL.
THE ROUND WENT THROUGH HIS LEFT HAND AND THEN THROUGH THE RIGHT CALF
OF THE OTHER LCPL.  THE SHOOTING SUSPECT UNDERWENT SURGERY AND THE
OTHER VICTIM WAS ALSO TREATED.  NEITHER MARINE HAS LIFE THREATENING
INJURIES.
7.  SGT FROM 8TH COMM BN WAS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE AT A MOTOCROSS PARK
AND LOST CONTROL WHILE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE THE COURSE.  SNM SUFFERED
A BROKEN BACK, HIS 9TH VERTEBRA WAS CRUSHED, AND HIS SEVENTH AND
TENTH VERTEBRAE WERE FRACTURED.  PROGNOSIS IS GOOD, BUT SNM WILL
REQUIRE EXTENSIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY.
8.  GYSGT FROM 8TH ESB, 2D FSSG WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE
ACCIDENT IN WHICH HE SUSTAINED A BROKEN PELVIS, CONCUSSION SYNDROME,
AND FRACTURED RIBS.  SNM WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT.
D.  AVIATION:  NONE.
2.  MIXED NEWS:
A.  LAST FY THIS TIME, 13 MARINES WERE LOST DUE TO SAFETY RELATED
MISHAPS.  UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED THAT NUMBER
THIS FY, WITH A TOTAL OF 16 FATALITIES TO DATE.  WHILE THE
NUMBER OF PMV FATALITES FOR DECEMBER DECREASED FROM A MONTH AGO, THE
NUMBER OF PMV MISHAPS RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES MORE THAN DOUBLED.
MANY OF THE INJURIES ARE BORDERLINE, AND EXCEPT FOR SOME MINOR
MIRACLES, COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN DEATH.  WE WOULD LIKE TO
THINK THAT MARINES ARE GETTING THE WORD AND INCREASED SEATBELT USAGE
IS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING MARINES ALIVE, BUT WE CAN'T STOP
THERE.  REMEMBER, INJURIES ALSO TAKE YOU OUT OF THE FIGHT AND RENDER
YOU INEFFECTIVE.  THE EMPHASIS ON BETTER DECISION MAKING HAS TO
EXTEND BEYOND SEATBELT USAGE WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR.  
MAKE ORM YOUR NAVIGATOR TO ENSURE YOU AND YOUR PASSENGERS NOT ONLY
ARRIVE ALIVE, BUT INJURY FREE.
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.//
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