Email   Print   Share By Lt. Gen. Don Campbell Jr., III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General

Facebook Digg Delicious July 5, 2012 | Editorial

Our safety record here at the Great Place is improving, but we can do even better. We have suffered 13 accidental fatalities so far in fiscal year 2012. That is better than the 16 we had suffered by this time last year, but only by a slim margin. I think we can and will do better than that.

We have three more months remaining in FY 2012. We will do better for the rest of this year if we focus on what matters the most in the safety arena. That is the role of the individual Soldier, and their leaders, in enforcing standards and ensuring that the appropriate regulations, policies and laws are adhered to at all times. Things like: wearing personal protective equipment when riding motor cycles, ensuring that you and all passengers are wearing seatbelts in your car, not talking or texting on your cell phone while you drive.

Yes, environmental factors and activity choices matter. How hot it is, how much alcohol we consume and whether or not we drink enough water. All of these things matter in specific situations.

But I am talking today about the two things that matter in every situation.

First, you, the individual, need to decide, when nobody is watching, to know the rules of whatever activity you are engaged in, and to follow them. Know the speed limit. Know the PPE requirements. Decide to wear that PPE when riding your motorcycle. Your commander or first sergeant can’t always be there to force you to do the right thing. Have the discipline to know what is right, and to actually do it.

Second, commanders and first sergeants, do your Soldiers know how closely you are watching them? Have you exhausted every opportunity to directly and personally inspect your Soldiers for compliance with all regulatory requirements for the activities you know they engage in?

You can’t follow every Soldier around every moment of the day. But you should know if they own a motorcycle, a boat, or if they engage in competitive sports. You should know if they have had the proper training and own the appropriate PPE for these activities. Do your Soldiers know that you are educated on these topics? Can they remember the last time you inspected their training records, licenses, or their PPE? They should.

This is shaping up to be a beautiful summer here at the Great Place. I am enjoying it with all of you already. Let’s remember what the accident numbers actually represent and continue to improve our safety record. Let’s make this great season even better by choosing to be disciplined individuals and aggressively engaged leaders.

The rules and regulations matter. They save lives, but only if we abide by them!