R 170930Z SEP 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 049/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/AUG 2002 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2002, TEN MARINES DIED IN ON
AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, AND TWENTY-ONE MARINES SUFFERED
SIGNIFICANT INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR
CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2002:
A.  FATALITIES
1.  ONE CORPSMAN AND ONE PFC DIED IN ON-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  
AN HN FROM 2ND MED BN, 2ND FSSG HAD JUST COMPLETED A PRACTICE PRT
WHEN HE COLLAPSED.  THE CORPSMAN WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL
WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.  A PFC FROM MSSG-15 WAS SHOT AND
KILLED WHILE PARTICIPATING AS OPFOR IN A CQB ACCIDENT AFTER A
MARINE LOADED LIVE ROUNDS INSTEAD OF BLANKS.
2.  EIGHT MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.
A SGT, TWO CPLS, THREE LCPLS, A PFC, AND A PVT DIED IN MOTOR
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.  A SGT PEDESTRIAN FROM MCLB ALBANY, GA WAS
STRUCK AND KILLED WHILE CROSSING THE STREET.  A CPL AND TWO
LCPLS FROM VMFA-314 WERE IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHICH
KILLED THE CPL AND ONE OF THE LCPLS.  THE SURVIVING MARINE WAS
THE ONLY ONE WEARING A SEATBELT.  TWO CPLS AND A LCPL WERE
SWEPT OUT TO SEA NEAR TORI STATION, OKINAWA.  ONE CPL RETURNED
TO SHORE AND REPORTED THE MISHAP.  THE REMAINING TWO MARINES
ARE MISSING AND PRESUMED DEAD.  A LCPL FROM 9TH COMM BN DIED
AFTER HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE ABOARD MCB CAMP PENDLETON
AND WAS EJECTED.  A PFC FROM VMA-513 LOST CONTROL OF HIS PMV AND
WAS EJECTED.  A PVT FROM MCCES 29 PALMS, CA TRAVELING AS A
PASSENGER DIED FOLLOWING A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A TRUCK.  
THE ACCIDENT KILLED TWO OTHER CIVILIANS IN THE VEHICLE.
B.  SUICIDES
1.  TWO MARINES DIED IN APPARENT SUICIDES THIS MONTH.  A LCPL
ON TAD TO THE NAVY MARINE CORPS INTEL TRAINING CENTER WAS
FOUND HANGED IN HIS BARRACKS.  A PFC IN THE BRIG AT MCB CAMP
PENDLETON HUNG HIMSELF IN HIS CELL.
C.  INJURIES
1.  EIGHT MARINES SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY INJURIES IN AUGUST.  
A SGT FROM 6TH MOTOR TRANSPORT BN WAS THE SENIOR MARINE IN A
CONVOY.  ONE VEHICLE IN THE CONVOY SLID ON WET PAVEMENT.  WHILE
DISCUSSING THE ACCIDENT WITH POLICE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, A
TRACTOR TRAILER JACK-KNIFED AND STRUCK HIM, BREAKING BOTH HIS
FEMURS AND COLLAPSING A LUNG.  TWO LCPLS FROM MWSS-172 WERE
PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON A 5000 GALLON REFUELER.  THE REFUELER
COLLAPSED, TRAPPING THE MARINES UNDERNEATH OF IT.  TWO LCPLS
FROM 1ST CEB WERE INJURED WHEN THEIR HMMWV OVERTURNED.  A LCPL
FROM 2/8 SHOT HIMSELF IN THE FOOT WHILE CONDUCTING MANEUVERS
ON A RANGE.  TWO LCPLS WERE INJURED AFTER THEIR FIVE TON
ROLLED OVER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN DURING A NIGHT MOVEMENT.
2.  THIRTEEN MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.
A GYSGT FROM WESTERN RECRUITING REGION, MCRD SAN DIEGO WAS
INJURED IN A MOTORCYCLE MISHAP.  A SGT FROM MCRS DENVER, CO
WAS CRITICALLY INJURED AFTER A MOTORCYCLE CRASH.  A CPL FROM
MWHS-2, MCAS CHERRY POINT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AFTER HE LOST
CONTROL OF HIS MOTORCYCLE WHILE DRIVING WELL OVER THE SPEED
LIMIT.  SNM WAS BEING PURSUED BY LOCAL POLICE WHEN THE MISHAP
OCCURRED.  A LCPL FROM 1/12 WAS INJURED WHEN THE CAR HE WAS
TRAVELING IN HIT A GUARDRAIL AND FLIPPED.  HE WAS NOT WEARING
A SEATBELT.  A LCPL FROM HMLA-367 WAS STRUCK BY A VAN OUTSIDE
OF MCAS FUTENMA AND RECEIVED SEVERE ABRASIONS TO HIS HEAD.  
TWO LCPLS FROM H&HS, MCAS NEW RIVER WERE FORCED TO TAKE EVASIVE
ACTION TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE IN THEIR LANE.  THEIR VEHICLE
LEFT THE ROAD AND OVERTURNED, RESULTING IN A BROKEN LEG TO ONE
MARINE AND MINOR INJURIES TO THE SECOND.  A LCPL FROM HMH-772 WAS
INJURED WHEN THE VEHICLE HE WAS WORKING ON FELL ON HIM.  A LCPL
FROM 11TH MARINES FELL APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET WHILE ROCK CLIMBING
AND SUFFERED CRUSHED VERTEBRAE.  A LCPL FROM HMLA-269 WAS
SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR AND HIT A FENCE.  
A LCPL AND PFC MARRIED TO EACH OTHER WERE INVOLVED IN A TWO CAR
ACCIDENT.  ALTHOUGH BOTH WERE SEAT BELTED, THE PFC DRIVER WAS
SERIOUSLY INJURED.  HIS WIFE, THE LCPL, WAS TWENTY WEEKS PREGNANT.  
SHE WAS CRITICALLY  INJURED AND HER BABY WAS LOST.  SHE WAS PLACED
ON LIFE SUPPORT AND DIED ON 2 SEPTEMBER.  A PVT FROM 1/8 WAS
INJURED WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE AND WAS THROWN
APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET.
D.  AVIATION:  
1.  A T-34C FROM VMFAT-101 CRASHED NEAR BIG BEAR LAKE, CA.  THE
PILOT WAS INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
2.  MIXED NEWS:
A.  BY THE END OF LAST AUGUST, 70 MARINES DIED IN AVIATION,
ON-DUTY GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  THIS YEAR, 104 MARINES HAVE
DIED IN AVIATION, ON-DUTY GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.
B.  THE HIGHWAY CONTINUES TO BE THE SINGLE BIGGEST THREAT OUR
MARINES AND SAILORS FACE EVERY DAY.  THIS MONTH, FIVE MARINES DIED
IN CAR CRASHES AND A SIXTH WAS STRUCK BY A CAR.  FOUR OF THE FIVE
WHO DIED IN CAR CRASHES WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS.  CALL IT
COMMON SENSE, CALL IT ORM; IT DOESN'T MATTER.  YOUR SEATBELT WILL
SAVE YOUR LIFE.  IF YOU DOUBT THIS, ASK THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF A
CAR CRASH THAT HAPPENED ON 17 AUGUST: HE IS IN STABLE CONDITION,
WHILE HIS TWO BUDDIES, FELLOW MARINES, WERE EJECTED AND DIED.  
5.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
6.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//