R 220800Z APR 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 024/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/MARCH 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1.  OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM BEGAN IN MARCH.  SINCE THE START
OF HOSTILITIES, MARINES HAVE BEEN ENGAGED AROUND THE CLOCK IN
COMBAT OPERATIONS.  SUSTAINED COMBAT OPERATIONS HAVE ALSO RESULTED
IN MISHAPS.  WHILE REGRETTABLE, THESE MISHAPS ARE NOT UNEXPECTED.  
DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2003, 11 MARINES DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND
AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS, 7 IN AVIATION MISHAPS, AND 2 FROM APPARENT
SUICIDES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR MISHAP CASUALTIES FOR
THE MONTH OF MARCH 2003:
A.  FATALITIES
(1) SEVEN MARINES DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  A
SGT FROM 2NDBN 10TH MAR COLLAPSED DURING PT ABOARD MCB 29 PALMS
AND LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL.  SIX OTHER MARINES LOST THEIR
LIVES IN GROUND MISHAPS DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM THIS MONTH.      
(2) FOUR MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  A SGT FROM
HQBN, HQMC FELL OFF A BRIDGE WHILE FISHING AND DROWNED.  A CPL FROM
MALS-31, MAG-31 FELL OVER THE SIDE OF AN OVERPASS, AND LATER DIED
OF HIS INJURIES.  A LCPL (USMCR) FROM C CO, 4TH TANK BN TRAVELING
HOME FROM DRILL WEEKEND LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO
ROLL SEVERAL TIMES.  HE LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.  A PFC FROM
HMM-764 WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE SHOWER OF HIS BEQ.
B.  SUICIDES  
(1) TWO MARINES DIED OF SUSPECTED SUICIDES THIS MONTH.  A GYSGT
FROM NAMTRA UNIT WAS FOUND HANGING IN HIS GARAGE.  A CPL FROM
3D LAR BN WAS DISCOVERED WITH A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE
HEAD.  
C.  INJURIES
(1) A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MARINES SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY
INJURIES IN MARCH.  A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THOSE INJURIES IS
PROVIDED BELOW:
A LCPL FROM B CO, 1ST BN, 11TH MAR WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN HE
WAS SHOT IN THE NECK BY THE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE OF ANOTHER MARINE.  
A PFC FROM RCT-2, 2D MEB BROKE HIS RIGHT LEG WHILE JUMPING FROM THE
BED OF A MTVR TRUCK.  A PFC FROM CSSC-115, CSSG-11 SUFFERED SECOND
DEGREE BURNS TO HIS FACE, ARMS, AND BACK WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CHECK
THE FUEL GAUGES ON A LVS REFUELER WITH A LIGHTER, AND THE REFUELER
IGNITED.  A LCPL FROM 1ST TANK BN WAS SHOT IN THE THIGH BY ANOTHER
MARINE S NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE.  TWO LCPLS AND A PFC FROM L CO, 3D BN,
6TH MAR, 4TH MEB WERE DIAGNOSED WITH HEATSTROKE DURING A 10 MILE
HIKE.  ONE LCPL WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR TREATMENT.  A CPL FROM 1ST BN,
2D MAR HAD HIS LEGS CRUSHED BY AN M1A1 TANK.  A LCPL FROM 15TH MEU
SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY TO HIS HAND WHEN HIS BAYONET CUT IT DURING
BUILDING CLEARING EXERCISES.  A LCPL FROM 3D AABN SUFFERED A
POSSIBLE SPINE FRACTURE AFTER FALLING FROM THE ROOF OF AN AAV.  
(2) NINE MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  EIGHT
OF THE NINE MISHAPS OCCURRED IN AUTOMOBILES, AND ONE ON A MOTORCYLE.  
A SGT AND CPL FROM 14TH MAR WERE INJURED WHEN THE CPL RAN A STOP
SIGN AND HIT A TREE.  BOTH MARINES WERE HOSPITALIZED, AND BOTH WERE
WEARING SEATBELTS.  A SGT FROM HQHQRON, MCAS YUMA WAS HOSPTIALIZED
AFTER HIS VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AND ROLLED.  A LCPL FROM BATTERY T,
5TH BN, 10TH MAR UNDERWENT CHEEK AND JAWBONE SURGERY AFTER CRASHING
INTO A BUILDING WHILE RIDING A MOTORCYCLE.  TWO PFCS FROM 1ST BN,
6TH MAR SUSTAINED INJURIES WHEN THE VEHICLE THEY WERE TRAVELING IN
HIT A TREE.  BOTH ARE CURRENTLY IN STABLE CONDITION, AND BOTH WERE
WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS.  A LCPL FROM NAMTRA, MAG-39 WAS INJURED
WHEN HIS AUTOMOBILE HYDROPLANED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND STRUCK
ANOTHER VEHICLE.  HE SUFFERED CUTS, ABRASIONS, AND INTERNAL
BLEEDING, AND IS IN SERIOUS BUT STABLE CONDITION.  A CPL AND LCPL
FROM WFTBN, CAMP PENDLETON WERE INJURED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
AFTER THE DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AND STRUCK A TREE.  BOTH WERE
HOSPITALIZED FOR MULTIPLE NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES, AND BOTH
WERE WEARING SEATBELTS.
D.  AVIATION  
(1) A CH-46E FROM HMM-268 IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING NVG OPERATIONS
IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.  FOUR U.S. MARINES AND EIGHT ROYAL
MARINES PERISHED IN THE MISHAP.  A UH-1N FROM HMLA-169 IMPACTED THE
GROUND ON TAKEOFF DURING NVG OPERATIONS IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.  
THREE MARINES DIED IN THE MISHAP AND ONE MARINE WAS INJURED.
2.  LOOKING AHEAD
A.  THE CHALLENGES CONFRONTING OUR DEPLOYED MARINES ARE ENORMOUS, BUT
THEY HAVE BEEN MET HEAD ON.  REMARKABLY, THE BUILD UP FOR OPERATION
IRAQI FREEDOM WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT A SINGLE MARINE FATALITY.  EACH
OF YOU DESERVES CREDIT FOR THIS.  IN COMBAT AND IN TRAINING, CONTINUED
APPLICATION OF RISK MANAGEMENT AND SOLID LEADERSHIP ARE THE BEST TOOLS
TO REDUCE THE TOLL OF MISHAPS.  THE LEVEL OF ACCEPTABLE RISK CHANGES
IN COMBAT; BUT THE PRINCIPLES OF RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF OUR SUPERB LEADERS NEVER CHANGE.  KEEP ATTACKING!        
3.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.  
SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//