AUGUST 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY
Date Signed: 6/15/2007 | ALMARS Number: 056/03
ALMARS : 056/03
R 301600Z SEP 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO ALMAR(uc)
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 056/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/AUGUST 2003 SAFETY SUMMARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2003, EIGHT MARINES
DIED IN MISHAPS, AND TWO MARINES DIED FROM SUICIDE.  DETAILS
CONCERNING THESE FATALITIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A. ALL MISHAPS WERE CLASSIFIED AS GROUND MISHAPS.  ONE MISHAP
OCCURRED WHILE THE MARINE WAS IN AN ON-DUTY STATUS, THE SEVEN
REMAINING MISHAPS WERE VEHICLE MISHAPS INVOLVING MARINES IN AN
OFF-DUTY STATUS.  
(1) THE ONE ON-DUTY MISHAP TOOK PLACE WHEN A CPL WAS ELECTROCUTED
WHILE TESTING A FLOODLIGHT SET ON A GENERATOR.  THIS MISHAP OCCURRED
AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO GROUND THE
EQUIPMENT.  
(2) THE SEVEN OFF-DUTY MISHAPS BREAK DOWN INTO FIVE FOUR-WHEELED
MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS AND TWO MOTORCYCLE MISHAPS.  THE FOUR-WHEELED
MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF ONE CWO2, THREE CPLS, AND
A LCPL.  ALCHOHOL, EXCESSIVE SPEED, FATIGUE, FAILURE TO WEAR SEAT
BELTS, OR A COMBINATION OF ALL FOUR WERE FACTORS IN THESE
FATALITIES. THE MOTORCYCLE MISHAPS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF A SGT AND A
LCPL.  THE SGT DIED WHEN HE MISSED A TURN AT 60-70 MPH AND
FLIPPED OVER A GUARDRAIL.  THE LCPL DIED WHEN HE PUT HIS MOTORCYCLE
IN A SLIDE TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR.
B. BOTH SUICIDES WERE FROM SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUNDS.
SUICIDES ARE A HEAVY BURDEN TO MARINES AND UNITS LEFT BEHIND AFTER
THE TRAGEDY.  WATCH ALL YOUR MARINES FOR EARLY SIGNS OF DESPONDENCY,
TO INCLUDE FEELINGS OF WORTHLESSNESS AND WITHDRAWAL.  KNOW YOUR
MARINES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEEK COUNSELING IF NEEDED.
2. RISK MANAGEMENT WOULD HAVE SAVED MANY OF THE YOUNG LIVES IN THESE
MISHAPS.  ON OR OFF DUTY, RISK MANAGEMENT IDENTIFIES DANGERS
ASSOCIATED WITH A GIVEN ACTIVITY AND HELPS MITIGATE THE RISKS
THROUGH PLANNING. FAILURE TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED SAFETY PROCEDURES,
OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, AND
DRIVING WHILE FATIGUED OR WITHOUT A SEATBELT ARE ALL INDICATIVE OF
POOR RISK MANAGEMENT.  FOR THE MARINES INVOLVED IN THE MISHAPS
ABOVE, IT COST THEM THEIR LIVES.  
A. RIDING A MOTORCYCLE IS A HIGH RISK ACTIVITY.  A PERSON IS 16
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED ON A MOTORCYCLE THAN WHILE DRIVING A
CAR.  RIDING A MOTORCYCLE REQUIRES CONSTANT APPLICATION OF PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL SKILLS AT A LEVEL HIGHER THAN THAT OF AN AUTOMOBILE.
TRAINING, PROTECTIVE GEAR, AND OPERATING AT A SAFE SPEED WITH THE
RIGHT ATTITUDE CAN HELP LOWER THE RISKS OF MOTORCYCLE
RIDING.  
3.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS/