R 191230Z MAR 02 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 016/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/FEBRUARY 2002 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2002, 12 MARINES AND 1
SAILOR DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, 1 MARINE COMMITTED SUICIDE,
AND 15 MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS
A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2002:
A.  FATALITIES
ON DUTY FATALITIES:
1.  SEVEN MARINES AND ONE SAILOR FROM 5TH BN, 11TH MAR WERE
INVOLVED IN A FIVE-TON ROLLOVER.  THREE MARINES (ALL CPLS) WERE
KILLED, AND THREE (TWO CPLS, ONE LCPL) WERE INJURED WHEN THEIR
FIVE-TON TRUCK TOWING A M198 ROLLED.
2.  LCPL FROM 5TH BN, 10TH MAR WAS KILLED WHEN THE BARREL OF A
HOWITZER STRUCK HIM IN THE CHEST.
3.  SGT FROM DI SCHOOL, RTR, MCRD PARRIS ISLAND, SC DIED AFTER
COLLAPSING AND GOING INTO CARDIO-PULMONARY ARREST FOLLOWING A FOUR
MILE RUN.
OFF DUTY FATALITIES:
1.  PFC FROM RSS HAYWARD, RS SAN FRANCISCO CA WAS KILLED WHEN SHE
FELL ASLEEP DRIVING.  SNM WAS NOT WEARING HER SEATBELT AND WAS
EJECTED.
2.  TWO LCPLS FROM MACS-1 WERE DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN A VEHICLE,
WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO OVERTAKE A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT
APPROXIMATELY 80-85 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE.  THE DRIVER
OVERCOMPENSATED, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH FLIPPED AND
ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET.  THE DRIVER WAS NOT WEARING A
SEATBELT AND WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DIED FROM HIS
INJURIES.  THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, IS IN STABLE
CONDITION AT YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.
3.  CORPSMAN (HN) FROM 2D BN, 7TH MAR WAS KILLED IN A THREE CAR
ACCIDENT.
4.  LCPL (RES ON ACTIVE DUTY) FROM A CO, 4TH TANK BN LOST CONTROL OF
HIS VEHICLE ON HIS WAY HOME FROM DRILL AND DIED IN THE CRASH.
5.  TWO PVTS FROM CO A, 1ST BN, 8TH MAR, CAMP LEJEUNE, NC WERE
INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED VEHICLE ACCIDENT, WHICH RESULTED IN BOTH
THEIR DEATHS.
6.  GYSGT FROM MALS-29, MAG-29, 2ND MAW, NEW RIVER NC WAS RIDING A
MOTORCYCLE AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND KILLED.
SUICIDES:
1.  LCPL FROM MALS-14, 2D MAW, MCAS CHERRY POINT, NC WAS FOUND DEAD
IN HIS HOTEL ROOM BY THE LOCAL SHERRIF.  SNM HAD HUNG HIMSELF.
B.  REPRESENTATIVE MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES:
ON DUTY GROUND INJURIES:
1.  PFC FROM G BATTERY, 2/10 WAS A PASSENGER IN THE BACK OF A
FIVE-TON VEHICLE TRAVELING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN.  SNM WAS BOUNCING
AROUND VIOLENTLY WHEN HIS HEAD IMPACTED THE TAILGATE OF THE FIVE-TON.
SNM SUFFERED TEMPORARY NUMBNESS TO HIS LOWER EXTREMITIES AND WAS
MEDEVAC'D TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH INTER-CRANIAL
BLEEDING.
2.  SIX MARINES FROM B CO 1/23 WERE RIDING IN A HIGH BACK HMMWV
TRAVELING ALONG A FENCE LINE, WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID AN
ENDANGERED SPECIES (IGUANA) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.  THE SHOULDER
WAS NARROW AND THE TERRAIN BEYOND IT GAVE WAY TO A STEEP EMBANKMENT.
THE VEHICLE TRAVELED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT, CAUSING SOME MARINES TO BE
TOSSED AROUND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND EJECTING OTHERS.  FOUR MARINES
SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, ONE SUSTAINED HEAD CONTUSIONS AND A LEG
INJURY, AND ONE OTHER SUSTAINED A SOFT TISSUE BACK INJURY AND REMAINS
HOSPITALIZED IN STABLE CONDITION WITH A GOOD PROGNOSIS.
OFF DUTY GROUND INJURIES:
1.  CPL, LCPL, & PFC FROM 1ST TANKBN, 1STMARDIV WERE IN A VEHICLE
DRIVEN BY THE PFC.  THE VEHICLE DRIFTED OFF THE ROAD AND STRUCK A
TREE.  THE PFC WAS ARRESTED FOR FELONY DUI AND IS CURRENTLY IHCA.
THE CPL (PASSENGER) SUFFERED LACERATIONS TO THE HEAD AND IS IN
SERIOUS CONDITION AND WILL UNDERGO SURGERY.  THE LCPL (PASSENGER)
SUFFERED A FRACTURED HIP AND HIS PROGNOSIS IS GOOD.
2.  PFC FROM MALS-16, MAG-16, 3D MAW IS IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER HE
WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH THREE OTHER VEHICLES.  SNM SUFFERED
INJURIES TO HIS NECK, BACK AND CHEST.
3.  CWO2 FROM HQSPTBN CAMP PENDLETON, CA WAS INVOLVED IN A POV
ROLLOVER ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY.  SNO WAS MEDEVAC'D TO
THE HOSPITAL IN SERIOUS CONDITION, UNDERWENT SURGERY AND HIS
PROGNOSIS IS LISTED AS GOOD.
4.  CPL AND LCPL FROM HQBN MCD MAGTFTC, MWSS-374 WERE RETURNING FROM
A 4X4 DRIVING EVENT WHEN THE VEHICLE THEY WERE RIDING IN ROLLED,
KILLING A 17 YR OLD CIVILIAN DRIVER.  DRIVER AND CPL WERE NOT
WEARING SEAT BELTS.  CPL SUSTAINED CRACKED RIBS, AND THE LCPL IS IN
THE ICU PENDING A CAT SCAN.
5.  CPL FROM 1ST SUPBN 1ST FSSG WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE SWERVED TO AVOID
A STONE IN THE ROAD AND LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO
ROLL OFF THE ROAD.  SNM WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN FAIR CONDITION
AND IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY WITH PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT
OF HER LEFT HAND.
6.  CPL FROM DEEP RECONNAISSANCE PLATOON, 31ST MEU ATTEMPTED TO JUMP
INSIDE THE DOOR OF A MOVING BUS WHILE THE BUS WAS EXITING THE CAMP
HANSEN FOOD COURT PARKING LOT.  HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.  SNM BECAME
TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE BUS, AND SUFFERED MULTIPLE INJURIES.  HE WAS
TRANSPORTED TO LESTER NAVAL HOSPITAL, AND IS IN GUARDED CONDITION.
C.  AVIATION:
1.  UH-1N FROM 13TH MEU (SOC) PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISE EDGED MALLET
IN KENYA, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING.  SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED TO
THE AIRCRAFT AND THREE MARINES WERE INJURED, BUT NONE SERIOUSLY.
2.  KC-130F FROM VMGR-252 MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING THREE MILES WEST
OF THE 29 PALMS EXPEDITIONARY AIRFIELD.  SIX MARINES WERE ONBOARD THE
AIRCRAFT.  FIVE WERE AMBULATORY, AND THE SIXTH WAS HOSPITALIZED IN
STABLE CONDITION.
3.  TWO CAPTS FROM VMFA-533 EJECTED FROM THEIR F/A-18 AIRCRAFT.  THE
PILOT LANDED WITH MINOR INJURIES, BUT THE WSO (BACKSEATER) DIED FROM
INJURIES INCURRED FOLLOWING THE EJECTION.
3.  MIXED NEWS:
A.  LAST FY THIS TIME, 22 MARINES HAD DIED FROM GROUND RELATED
MISHAPS, AND ANOTHER 6 WERE LOST TO AVIATION MISHAPS.  THIS FY,
THE NUMBERS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE.  WE CONTINUE TO LOSE MARINES IN
RECORD NUMBERS IN BOTH GROUND AND AVIATION MISHAPS.  MISHAPS TO DATE
HAVE CLAIMED THE LIVES OF 39 MARINES AND SAILORS ON THE GROUND, AND
ANOTHER 12 IN AVIATION MISHAPS.  FIFTY ONE MARINES AND SAILORS HAVE
LOST THEIR LIVES, IN WHAT ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT PREVENTABLE
MISHAPS.
B.  WE HAVE BROKEN MARINES AND DINGED AIRPLANES THIS FISCAL YEAR AT A
TRULY DISTURBING RATE.  THE ENVIRONMENT WE OPERATE IN CAN BE
DANGEROUS AND UNFORGIVING.  EACH OF US MUST MAINTAIN OUR SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS.  DON'T PAINT YOURSELF INTO A BOX WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO DO
SOMETHING STUPID TO GET OUT.  KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL, STAY
SMART, AND DON'T TAKE DUMB CHANCES.  REMEMBER THE RECRUITING
COMMERCIAL WHICH SAID "TO COMPETE YOU MUST BE STRONG.  TO WIN, YOU
MUST BE SMART"?  UNLESS YOU CAN KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE BOTH AT WORK AND
AT PLAY, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW STRONG OR HOW SMART YOU ARE.  TAKE
CHARGE OF YOURSELF AND TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR BUDDIES!  WORK HARD, WORK
SMART, AND STAY SAFE!
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.//