R 091600Z OCT 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 055/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2002 (FY02) SAFETY MESSAGE//
RMKS/1.  ON THE HEELS OF OUR BEST YEAR EVER, OUR FY02 MISHAP RATES
ARE PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTING.  INJURIES AND DEATHS HAVE EXTRACTED A
HEAVY AND UNNECCESSARY TOLL ON OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET, THE LIVES OF
OUR MARINES. WE MUST MAKE AN UNRELENTING EFFORT TO STOP THESE LOSSES.
2.  ON AVERAGE, ONE MARINE DIED EVERY FOUR DAYS IN A MISHAP. THE
MARINE AVIATION CLASS A FLIGHT MISHAP RATE WAS THE HIGHEST SINCE THE
EIGHTIES.  ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY GROUND FATALITIES HAVE BEEN WORSE
ONLY ONCE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.  EACH OF YOU KNOWS THE GREAT
IMPORTANCE OUR CORPS PLACES ON SAFETY.  WHILE THE PROFESSION OF ARMS
IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGER, WE MITIGATE THAT DANGER THROUGH CAREFUL
PLANNING, OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT (ORM), AND EXCELLENT TRAINING
FUNDAMENTALS THAT MUST BE APPLIED BOTH ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY.  
3.  THE OFF-DUTY MISHAP RATE IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME BECAUSE IT
IMPLIES THAT, WHEN THE LIBERTY BELL IS SOUNDED AND THE UNIFORM COMES
OFF, WE ARE NO LONGER THINKING AND ACTING LIKE MARINES.  WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO LET THAT MINDSET TAKE HOLD IN OUR MARINE CORPS.  WE ARE
MARINES, FIRST AND FOREMEOST - ALL THE TIME. AT NO TIME DURING THE
DAY OR NIGHT CAN WE STOP CARING FOR OURSELVES, FOR EACH OTHER, AND
FOR OUR FAMILIES.  REVERSING THIS TREND WILL TAKE A CONSTANT EFFORT
ON THE PART OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.  
A.  CONSIDER THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THE FOLLOWING FACTORS APPEARED
IN FY02 TRAFFIC FATALITIES:  TWO THIRDS OF OUR TRAFFIC FATALITIES
OCCURRED AT NIGHT.  SIXTY PERCENT OCCURRED ON THE WEEKEND.  ALMOST
HALF INVOLVED EXCESSIVE SPEED, AND/OR NOT WEARING SEATBELTS.  NEARLY
ONE FIFTH DIED IN AN ALCOHOL RELATED MISHAP.  FATIGUE WAS PRESENT IN
ONE SIXTH OF OUR FATAL TRAFFIC INCIDENTS.  EQUALLY DISTURBING, OVER
A QUARTER OF THE MARINES WHO DIED IN PMV MISHAPS WERE NOT DRIVERS,
BUT PASSENGERS.  
B.  THE TARGET FOR OFF-DUTY SAFETY PROGRAMS IS CLEAR.  IN FY02, OVER
HALF OF OUR FATALITIES WERE 21 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER AND, NOT
SURPRISINGLY, FOUR OUT OF FIVE MARINES KILLED OFF-DUTY WERE PFC'S,
LCPL'S, OR CPL'S.  THIS GROUP FORMS THE LARGEST AND YOUNGEST
POPULATION OF OUR CORPS.  DRIVER IMPROVEMENT COURSES ARE MANDATED
FOR ALL DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 26, BUT DRIVER IMPROVEMENT COURSES
ALONE ARE NOT THE ANSWER.  CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON SAFE DRIVING IS
REQUIRED IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED WITH LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS.  WHILE
MANY UNITS GO YEARS WITHOUT LOSING ANYONE IN A MISHAP, NO ONE IS
IMMUNE.  
4.  IN ADDITION TO ADHERING TO ESTABLISHED REQUIREMENTS, THREE VITAL
TOOLS CAN AND WILL REDUCE MISHAP FATALITIES BOTH ON AND OFF DUTY:
AWARENESS, LEADERSHIP, AND THE USE OF OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT.  
A.  SAFETY AWARENESS MUST BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERYTHING WE DO,
BOTH ON AND OFF THE JOB.  EVERY TIME SOMEONE DIES, HE OR SHE LEAVES
BEHIND BOTH A FAMILY AND A UNIT. WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT.
B.  LEADERSHIP INVOLVEMENT MUST EXTEND UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN OF
COMMAND.  OUR MOST JUNIOR LEADERS ARE THE KEY LINK THAT WILL WIN
THIS BATTLE.  NO ONE KNOWS MARINES BETTER THAN THE NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THEIR DIRECT SUPERVISION.  NCO'S PROVIDE THE
BACKBONE OF MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP; THEY MUST LEAD THE ATTACK
AGAINST THIS TRAGIC WASTE OF LIFE. LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS MUST SUPPORT
EACH OTHER IN POSITIVE STEPS TO MANAGE RISKS.
C.  PRIOR TO ANY ACTIVITY, ON-DUTY OR OFF-DUTY, EVERYONE MUST ANSWER
THE FOLLOWING TWO QUESTIONS: "WHAT CAN HURT ME?" "WHAT CAN I DO
ABOUT IT?"  FOR THOSE TRAVELING AS PASSENGERS, TWO ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED: "WHO IS DRIVING?" "WHAT ARE THE RISKS?"
THESE QUESTIONS ADDRESS OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT IN ITS SIMPLEST
FORM, AND MANY OF THE MARINES AND SAILORS LISTED BELOW MIGHT STILL
BE ALIVE TODAY IF THEY HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO ANSWER THESE TWO BASIC
QUESTIONS.
5.  IN FY02, I ESTABLISHED SWEEPING MISHAP REDUCTION GOALS FOR THE
MARINE CORPS.  THE GOALS CALLED FOR A 25 PERCENT REDUCTION FROM
FY-01 LEVELS IN CLASS A AND B MISHAPS FOR AVIATION, AS WELL AS
ON-DUTY AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS, FOLLOWED BY FURTHER REDUCTIONS OF 5
PERCENT PER YEAR THROUGH FY06.  THIS YEAR WE MET NONE OF OUR GOALS,
BUT THEY REMAIN VALID FOR THE FUTURE.  I AM FIRMLY CONVINCED THE
GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE, BUT ATTAINING THEM REQUIRES AN ALL-HANDS,
CONCERTED EFFORT.  
6.  SAFETY AND MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. IN
FACT, THE LEADERSHIP AND PLANNING STRENGTHS THAT HAVE LED TO OUR
BATTLEFIELD VICTORIES ARE THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT BRING US SUCCESS IN
PREVENTING MISHAPS. WE CAN AND MUST LEARN THE LESSONS OF HISTORY;
THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS, NO SILVER BULLETS. ADHERING TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF ORM, MAINTAINING AWARENESS WHILE FOCUSING ON THE
BASICS, AND UTILIZING TRADITIONAL MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
PROVIDE COMMANDERS THE BEST TOOLS TO AVOID REPEATING OUR MISTAKES OF
THIS PAST YEAR.  
7.  BE ALERT. EACH OF YOU HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. AS WE BEGIN FY03, I CHARGE EACH OF YOU TO REFLECT UPON
THE 111 MARINES AND SAILORS WHOSE LIVES WERE CUT SHORT IN MISHAPS
DURING FY02.  THESE 111 ARE NOT MERE STATISTICS; THEY ARE THE NAMES
OF THOSE WE KNEW AND WORKED WITH.
(READ IN THREE COLUMNS: NAME, UNIT, MISHAP TYPE.)
NAME                                   UNIT             MISHAP TYPE
A.  OCTOBER 2001
LCPL CHAD L CHARLET             1ST TSBN, FIRST MARDIV  TACT VEH
1STLT CHRISTIAN J ALEVRAS       VMFA(AW)-225, 3RD MAW   PMV
LCPL GILBERTO L RODRIGUEZ       2D FAST CO, MCSFBN      FALL
CPL STEPHEN P GAFFNEY           VMGR-252, 2ND MAW       PMV
CPL BEAN THA                    MAG-39, 3RD MAW         PMV
LCPL MATTHEW J SMITH            2/6, 2ND MARDIV         PMV
PFC DAVID V MARKHAM             MALS 16, 3RD MAW        BIKE
B.  NOVEMBER 2001:
LCPL WESLEY A SLYE              2ND CEB, 2ND MARDIV     PMV
CPL SEAN D VAUTER               MALS 13, 3RD MAW        PMV
PVT NATHAN R KIRKMAN            9TH COMM BN, 1ST MARDIV PMV
CPL CASEY E KIBBLE              MCSFCO, MCSFBN          FALL
WG-8 PATRICK BARNES             MCLB BARSTOW            FORKLIFT
C.  DECEMBER 2001:
SGT DARRIEN E DOLAN             MECEP STDNT, 4TH MARDIV PEDEST
LCPL SHAUN M AGER               CSSG-1, 1ST FSSG        PMV
LCPL LORENZO G STEWART          2ND TSB, 2ND FSSG       PMV
PFC NATHANIEL U GRANADOS        8TH COMMBN, 2 MARDIV    PMV
CPL BROOKS B BLACK              3RD LAR BN, 1ST MARDIV  HUNTING
D. JANUARY 2002:
HA THOMAS CASAS                 1/7, 1ST MARDIV         PMV
CAPT MATTHEW W BANCROFT         VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
CAPT DANIEL G MCCOLLUM          VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
GYSGT STEPHEN L BRYSON          VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
SSGT SCOTT N GERMOSEN           VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
SGT NATHAN P HAYS               VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
SGT JEANNETTE L WINTERS         VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
LCPL BRYAN P BERTRAND           VMGR-352, 3RD MAW       AIRCRAFT
LCPL TRAVIS W LAWRENCE          1/7, 1ST MARDIV         PMV
LCPL RYAN C BUSH                1/7, 1ST MARDIV         PMV
PFC KEVIN G MCMILLAN            FIRST LAR, FIRST MARDIV TACT VEH
SSGT DWIGHT J MORGAN            HMM-163, 3RD MAW        AIRCRAFT
SSGT WALTER F COHEE III         HMM-163, 3RD MAW        AIRCRAFT
SGT SCOTT C ANSLOW              FIRST MC DISTRICT, MCRC GMV
SGT PATRICK T FLATTEM           MALS-26, 2ND MAW        MOTORCYLE
LCPL ROLAND D WILLIAMS          MARBKS, WASHINGTON DC   PMV
LCPL BENNIE J WELCH             MARBKS, WASHINGTON DC   PMV
CPL MARCELLO D WILKS            VMFA(AW)-332, 1ST MAW   DROWNING
E.  FEBRUARY 2002:
PFC CAMILLE N MANALO            RSS HAYWARD, MCRC       PMV
HN JOSE JUAN HERNANDEZ          2/7, 1ST MARDIV         PMV
LCPL MIGUEL CAMPOS              MACS-1, 3RD MAW         PMV
CPL DANIEL L HUDSON             5/11, FIRST MARDIV      TACT VEH
CPL BENJAMIN H WORCHEL          5/11, FIRST MARDIV      TACT VEH
CPL AARON M PINETTI             5/11, FIRST MARDIV      TACT VEH
LCPL ISSAC D FAWKS              3/24, 4TH MARDIV        PMV
LCPL JUAN D ARIZMENDEZ          4TH TANK BN, 4TH MARDIV PMV
LCPL ROGER D RODRIQUEZ          5/10, 2ND MARDIV        OPS/TRNG
CAPT THEODORE S TREADWELL       HMM-166, 3RD MAW        AIRCRAFT
SSGT RODERICK D NESMITH         HMM-166, 3RD MAW        AIRCRAFT
CAPT JAMES B BLACKMON, JR       VMFA(AW)-533, 2ND MAW   AIRCRAFT
PFC SAMUEL J BALLADARES         1/8, 2ND MARDIV         PMV
PFC JORGE CARLOS DELGADO        1/8, 2ND MARDIV         PMV
SGT FREDERICK A HUGHES          MCRD PARRIS ISLAND      OPS/TRNG
GYSGT GREGORY A QUILLIN         MALS-29, 2ND MAW        MOTORCYCLE
F.  MARCH 2002:
CPL JAROM L COOK                FIRST TSB, FIRST FSSG   OPS/TRNG
HM1 KEVIN J FRANK               H&HS B'FORT, COMCABEAST AIRCRAFT
GYSGT MICHAEL E LOPEZ           MCTSSA, T&E CMD, MCCDC  JOGGING
PVT JAMES R BOGLIN, JR          1ST RCT TRN BN, MCRD PI OPS/TRNG
CPL DAVID J NEGUS               HMLA-167, 2ND MAW       PMV
LCPL RORY A MILLER              HMLA-167, 2ND MAW       PMV
GYSGT PAUL C CALZADA            MCSFBN, MARFORLANT      MOTORCYCLE
G.  APRIL 2002:
PFC GAVIN A GILBERT             MCCES, MAGTFTC 29 PALMS PMV
PFC JUSTIN M LOMAX              MCCES, MAGTFTC 29 PALMS PMV
LCPL BRADLEY L ATKINS           2/7, 1ST MARDIV         PMV
CAPT ANDREW D MUHS                                      AIRCRAFT
LCPL CHRISTOPHER C DRINKWINE    PCS ENROUTE TO 3 MAW    APT FIRE
LCPL LANCE L CLITSO             CSSG-1, 1ST FSSG        PMV
CAPT CARLTON BRADLEY SANDERS    VMFA(AW)-224, 2ND MAW   PMV
SGT DANIEL E SCHOW              RS SAN DIEGO, MCRC      GMV
H.  MAY 2002:
GYSGT GERALD W JONES            3/1, 1ST MARDIV         FORKLIFT
2NDLT JOHN N WILT                                       AIRCRAFT
LCPL DENNIS M BUDEWIG           1/1, 1ST MARDIV         MOTORCYCLE
CPL NICHOLAS J HALVORSON        H&HS CO, MCAS CP        PMV
CPL JOEL E PUCHI                2/4, 1ST MARDIV         TACT VEH
LCPL SHANE A TAVARES            2ND AAV BN, 2ND MARDIV  PMV
LCPL JOSHUA P GRUKA             1/5, 1ST MARDIV         MOTORCYCLE
I.  JUNE 2002:
LCPL SEAN C MAITLAND            8TH COMMBN, 2ND MARDIV  MOTORCYCLE
LCPL CARLOS DELATORRE, JR       7TH ENG SPT BN,1ST FSSG MOTORCYCLE
LCPL TRAVIS M EVANS             4TH RECONBN, 4TH MARDIV OPS/TRNG
PFC BRANDON L ASHLEY            MCCES, MAGTFTC 29 PALMS FALL
LCPL EDWARD L RUSSELL           MALS-14, 2ND MAW        PMV
PFC STEFANO A WESTON            MALS-14, 2ND MAW        PMV
CAPT ROBBI J BANAZAK            HMM-263, 2ND MAW        MOTORCYCLE
LCPL JOSHUA L WADEL             HQSVCBN, 1ST FSSG       MOTORCYCLE
SGT DON J TUCKER                HQ, MARFOREUR           PMV
LCPL HUGH A JACKSON             5/11, 1ST MARDIV        GMV
LCPL JASON L SEPULVEDA          2ND LAR BN, 2ND MARDIV  PMV
PFC BRADEN D BAILESS            2ND LAR BN, 2ND MARDIV  PMV
J.  JULY 2002:
CPL CHRISTOPHER K ALLISON       MWSS-272, 2ND MAW       DROWNING
GYSGT NOEL JOSE RAMIREZ         MCCES, MAGTFTC 29 PALMS PMV
SGT CHARLES R SANTANGELO        RSS ROCKHILL, MCRC      OPS/TRNG
LCPL KENNETH D ROBERTS          5/10, 2ND MARDIV        PMV
LCPL PETER E ORLANDO            3/2, 2ND MARDIV         TACT VEH
CPL JASON D POOL                1ST TSBN, 1ST FSSG      PEDEST
LCPL RICARDO MONTOYA            MCRD SAN DIEGO, TECOM   PMV
LCPL HEYNAR SALGADO             MCRD SAN DIEGO, TECOM   PMV
LCPL ROBERT CORTEZ              MCRD SAN DIEGO, TECOM   PMV
K.  AUGUST 2002:
PFC BRIAN A EDWARDS             VMA-513, 3RD MAW        PMV
SGT CHRISTOPHER JORDAN          MCLB ALBANY, GA         PEDEST
LCPL PATRICK SAINTPREUX         9TH COMMBN, 1ST MARDIV  PMV
CPL JAMES L GRIFFITH            VMFA-314, 3RD MAW       PMV
LCPL BRUCE J SILER              VMFA-314, 3RD MAW       PMV
PVT JASON A RUESCH              MCCES, MAGTFTC 29 PALMS PMV
PFC JEREMY R PURCELL            MSSG-15, I MEF          OPS/TRNG
LCPL RICHARD F MOORE, JR        3RD MRB, 3RD FSSG       DROWNING
LCPL BEATRIZ A RODRIGUEZ        3RD MRB, 3RD FSSG       DROWNING
LCPL LINDSAY R HARRISON         MWSS-272, 2D MAW        PMV
L.  SEPTEMBER 2002:
PFC CHRISTOPHER L BERG          NAMTRAMARU CP, MCCDC    FALL
SGT JOSEITO MORA                4TH LSBN, 4TH FSSG      PMV
LCPL MICHAEL P STEVENS          MARBKS WASHINGTON DC    PMV
CPL IAN P HEFLIN                MALS-11, 3 MAW          MOTORCYCLE
SGT GABRIEL OTERO               WFTBNB, MCB CAMPPEN     PMV
2NDLT KENNETH M GRAFF           MATSG-21, TECOM         AIRCRAFT
CPL STEVEN H GERRIOR            BLT 2/6, 26 MEU         MOTORCYCLE
8.  WE WILL LEARN FROM THESE TRAGEDIES AND THEREBY AVOID FURTHER
PREVENTABLE LOSSES, AND OUR FELLOW MARINES AND SAILORS WILL NOT HAVE
DIED IN VAIN. WE WILL DO BETTER!
9.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//