R 281600Z FEB 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 017/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DCSD//
SUBJ/JANUARY 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/-//
RMKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2003, FOUR MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY GROUND MISHAPS, FOUR DIED IN AN AVIATION MISHAP,
ONE DIED IN AN APPARENT SUICIDE, AND FIFTEEN SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT
INJURIES.  THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE
MONTH OF JANUARY 2003:
A.  FATALITIES
(1) TWO MARINES DIED IN ON-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH.  A SGT FROM
2ND BN, 10TH MAR COLLAPSED AND DIED FROM HEART FAILURE
WHILE RUNNING DURING PHYSICAL TRAINING.  A PFC FROM 1ST TSBN,
1ST FSSG DIED FROM MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC INJURIES HE SUSTAINED AS A
PASSENGER IN A POV THAT OVERTURNED; SEATBELTS WERE NOT WORN.  HE
WAS ON DUTY, AND SCHEDULED TO DEPLOY THE DAY OF THE MISHAP.  
(2) TWO MARINES DIED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS THIS MONTH. A SGT FROM
WTBN, MCRD SAN DIEGO, CA, DIED FROM MASSIVE HEAD INJURY,
SUFFERED WHEN HE STRUCK A PARKED CAR WHILE RIDING A MOTORCYCLE;
EARLY REPORTS INDICATE HE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED
AND WAS NOT WEARING HIS HELMET.  A LCPL FROM 3D MRB, 3D FSSG WAS
FOUND DROWNED BY A GROUP OF JAPANESE NATIONALS.
B.  SUICIDES: ONE MARINE DIED IN AN APPARENT SUICIDE THIS MONTH.
A LCPL (RES ON ACTDU) FROM 5TH BN, 14TH MAR WAS DISCOVERED WITH AN
APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD.  
C.  INJURIES
(1) EIGHT MARINES SUSTAINED SERIOUS ON-DUTY INJURIES IN JANUARY.  
A PVT FROM A CO ITB, CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, SUFFERED A SELF-INFLICTED
ACCIDENTAL GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS LEFT FOOT DURING LIVE FIRE TRAINING.
A LCPL FROM MWSS-271, MWSG 27, DEVELOPED PAIN IN HIS HEAD WHILE
RUNNING PT, WHICH WAS LATER DIAGNOSED AS PRESSURE FROM SEVERE
INTER-CRANIAL BLEEDING.  HE LATER UNDERWENT SURGERY, AND IS LISTED
IN SERIOUS CONDITION.  A LCPL FROM BLT 1/8, 26TH MEU, FAILED TO
REMOVE HIS HAND IN TIME DURING 60MM MORTAR FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING,
AND SEVERED HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER WHEN THE ROUND EXITED THE TUBE.
A MAJ (USMCR) FROM HQ BTRY, 4TH BN, 14TH MAR, HAD HIS RIGHT HAND
CRUSHED WHILE IN A HMMWV DURING DRILL WEEKEND.  SNO HAD TO UNDERGO
EMERGENCY SURGERY TO SAVE HIS RIGHT INDEX FINGER.  A LCPL FROM
2D FSSG FWD, ASSISTING IN THE DELIVERY AND OFFLOAD OF MUNITIONS,
ACCIDENTALLY FELL FROM A SEMI-TRAILER, RESULTING IN A SKULL FRACTURE.
A CPL FROM 2D FSSG FWD, WAS ONE OF SEVEN DRIVERS IN A TRACTOR-
TRAILER CONVOY, WHEN HE REAR-ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HIM.
SNM SUFFERED NASAL AND MAXILLARY SINUS FRACTURES, AND IS SCHEDULED
FOR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY.  A SGT FROM I&I STAFF, CO E, 4TH FSSG,
PARTICIPATING IN A MILITARY DEMONSTRATION, LOST CONTROL WHILE
RAPPELLING, RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT OF 40 FEET.  SNM
SUFFERED A MINOR FRACTURE IN HIS RIGHT FOOT, A COMPOUND FRACTURE
ABOVE HIS LEFT ANKLE, AND A DISLOCATION OF HIS LEFT ANKLE.  A PVT
FROM 2D MAINT BN, 2D FSSG, WAS OPERATING A FORKLIFT ILLEGALLY WITHOUT
A LICENSE, WHEN IT FLIPPED OVER, PINNING HIM UNDERNEATH.  HE
UNDERWENT EXPLORATORY SURGERY, AND IS LISTED IN SERIOUS, BUT STABLE
CONDITION.
(2) SEVEN MARINES WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS.  
FIVE OF THE MISHAPS OCCURRED IN AUTOMOBILES, ONE ON A MOTORCYCLE,
AND THE LAST IN A FALL FROM THE THIRD STORY OF A BUILDING.  A LCPL FROM
8TH ENGSPTBN, 2D FSSG, SUFFERED A COLLAPSED LUNG AND BROKEN RIBS IN
A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHEN HIS VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AND STRUCK A
TREE.  THE LCPL WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT AND ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED.
A SSGT FROM TASK FORCE EAGLE, SFOR BOSNIA, WAS TAD TO GERMANY, WHEN
HE FELL THREE STORIES WHILE SMOKING A CIGARETTE ON A STAIRWAY.  HE
SUFFERED SERIOUS HEAD TRAUMA, A SEVERED NECK ARTERY, BROKEN LEFT
ARM, LUNG DAMAGE, NERVE DAMAGE AND BROKEN FINGERS ON HIS RIGHT HAND.  
SNM UNDERWENT SURGERY TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON HIS BRAIN, AND WAS
LISTED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION.  A SGT FROM MCSA, KANSAS CITY,
MO, HAD A NEAR HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE.  THE DRIVER OF
THE SECOND VEHICLE DIED ON THE SCENE.  SNM SUFFERED MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC
INJURIES, TO INCLUDE, MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS, ABRASIONS, ORAL TRAUMA,
AND SURGERY FOR HIS JAW AND RIGHT FOOT. THE SGT WAS WEARING HIS
SEATBELT, WHICH PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO HIS SURVIVAL.  HIS CONDITION
AND PROGNOSIS ARE GOOD.  A PFC FROM 3RD AABN, CAMP PENDLETON, CA,
SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES, TO INCLUDE A RIGHT FEMORAL COMPOUND
BREAK, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO JUMP FROM A MOVING VEHICLE TRAVELING
APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH.  SURGERY HAD TO BE DELAYED SO MEDICATION
TO LOWER HIS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL COULD BE ADMINISTERED.  A SSGT FROM
HQSVCBN, 3D FSSG, SUFFERED MULTIPLE FRACTURES TO HIS LEFT ARM AND
HEAD INJURIES AS A RESULT OF A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT.  A LCPL FROM 2D
CEB, SUSTAINED MULTIPLE FACIAL AND SKULL FRACTURES AFTER THE VEHICLE
HE WAS TRAVELING IN HIT A DITCH AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES.  A LCPL
FROM 6TH MTB, 1ST FSSG WAS A PASSENGER ALONG WITH TWO OTHER MARINES,
WHEN THEIR CIVILIAN DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A
GUARDRAIL.  SNM SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK AND IS PARALYZED.  THE OTHER
TWO MARINES WERE NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED.
D.  AVIATION
(1) AN F/A-18D FROM VMFA-225, 3D MAW WAS DESTROYED AFTER THE
AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS DURING A POST-MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT.
BOTH PILOTS EJECTED AND WERE RECOVERED SAFELY.
(2) TWO AH-1WS FROM HMLA-775, MAG-46, DET A, ON COUNTER-DRUG MISSIONS
IN SUPPORT OF U.S. BORDER PATROL, EXPERIENCED A MID-AIR COLLISION,
RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF FOUR PILOTS.  
2.  LOOKING AHEAD
A.  LAST FY THIS TIME, 26 MARINES HAD DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND
AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS, AND ANOTHER NINE IN AVIATION MISHAPS.  THIS
FY, 28 MARINES HAVE DIED IN ON-DUTY GROUND AND OFF-DUTY MISHAPS,
AND FOUR TO AVIATION MISHAPS.  
B.  NINE MARINES LOST THEIR LIVES IN MISHAPS THIS MONTH AND 15 MORE
WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED.  WE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER.  AT A TIME UNLIKE
ANY OTHER IN RECENT HISTORY, OUR NATION NEEDS YOU READY AND ABLE TO
CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES AHEAD - AND YOU CAN'T BE READY IF YOU ARE
HOSPITALIZED OR WORSE.  SO FAR THIS FY, 90% OF OUR OFF-DUTY
FATALITIES
INVOLVED CARS, MOTORCYCLES, OR ATVS!  IF YOU ARE NOT ASKING, AND
ANSWERING, THE BASIC LEVEL RISK MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS 'WHAT CAN HURT
ME?' AND 'WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?' YOU ARE WRONG.
C.  REDUCING THE TOLL OF MISHAPS REQUIRES A PROACTIVE ALL HANDS
EFFORT, ALL THE TIME.  REDUCING MISHAPS KEEPS MARINES ALIVE AND
ENSURES THE PRESERVATION OF OUR FORCE.  PRESERVING OUR FORCE
ENSURES OUR CORPS REMAINS READY AND ABLE FOR WHATEVER CHALLENGES WE
CONFRONT.  ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION FIRST, DO IT SAFELY ALWAYS.
3.  COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.