SPOTLIGHT ON

What’s your SA at home, work or play?

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
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Editor Evelyn Odango

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MISSION STATEMENT: Our goal is to provide information and resources to help our 

Sailors, Marines and civilians focus their efforts on the mission. We provide relevant 

data and analysis to help you manage risk, on or off duty. Sea Compass will do its part 

to keep you informed and be combat ready.

Sea Compass is published twice yearly and distributed to ships, submarines, diving 

commands, shore-based commands, and DoD agencies. Sea Compass (ISSN 1550-

1434) is published by Commander, Naval Safety Center, at 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 

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Postmaster: Send address changes to Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Sea 

Compass, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399.

Spring-Summer 2013

Vol. 2, No. 1

Commander, Naval Safety Center RDML Kenneth Norton

Deputy Commander COL Michael Young, USMC

Director, Afloat Safety Programs CDR Rosario D. McWhorter

Director, Communications and Marketing Mr. John Mahoney

NAVAL SAFETY CENTER ANALYSTS AND TECHNICAL ADVISORS

AFLOAT SAFETY PROGRAMS

CDR Eduardo Sandoval eduardo.sandoval@navy.mil

Diving and Salvage Division Head

LCDR Jason Krumbine jason.krumbine@navy.mil

Surface Ship Division Head

LT Richard Ray richard.d.ray1@navy.mil

Submarine Division Head

Steve Scudder steve.scudder1@navy.mil

Afloat Safety Analyst/Publications Review

SURFACE

LCDR Russell Goff russell.goff@navy.mil

Deck Analyst

LT Kevin Ginter kevin.ginter@navy.mil

Damage Control Lead/Mishap Investigator

EMCM (SW) Matt Kerridge matthew.kerridge@navy.mil

Electrical Analyst

ETCS (SW) Jason Mobbs jason.mobbs1@navy.mil

Fleet Combat Systems Analyst

GSCS (SW) Noah Lopez noah.lopez@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Gas Turbine Analyst

HMC (SW/AWFMF) Randahl S. Benson randahl.benson@navy.mil

Medical/Independent Duty Corpsman Analyst

MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright esters.wright@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Auxiliary Analyst

GMC (SW) Barry Cramer ramiro.salas@navy.mil

Weapons Analyst

SUBMARINE AND DIVING

EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña frank.valdepena@navy.mil

Submarine Division LCPO

NDCM David Schoephoerster david.schoephoerster@navy.mil

Diving/Salvage Assistant/MDV

MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk arthur.sisk@navy.mil

Submarine Damage Control Analyst

ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson kevin.d.dawson@navy.mil

Submarine Electrical and Mechanical Analyst

HMC (SS) Christopher Harris christopher.l.harris@navy.mil

Submarine Medical Analyst

COVER PHOTO: ICC Curtis N. Fox, assigned to USS 

Blue Ridge (LCC 19), enjoys an open water recreational 

scuba dive at Manta Ray Bay Reef on the Great Barrier 

Reef during a four-day port visit to Cairns, Australia. (U.S. 

Navy photo by MCC John S. Stadelman) OPPOSITE: 

GMSN Erikka Macon and BMSN Russell Bellinger 

conduct maintenance on the .50-caliber machine gun 

before manning their sea and anchor station aboard the 

guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73). (U.S. 

Navy photo by MC1 Jennifer A. Villalovos)

CONNECT WITH US ON THE WEB

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SPRING-SUMMER 2013

http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Sailors and Navy leaders work together in identifying common factors that cause mishaps. Awareness, a behavioral skill 

valuable in crew resource management, helps identify factors that increase the potential for error. The articles featured in 

this issue show how they use time critical and deliberate processes to mitigate mishaps. 

10

FEATURES

Experience, TCRM Instrumental in Scuba Rescue 8

Author uses his training during a medical intervention that 

saves the life of a critically-ill diver. By Lt. Cmdr. John Cooke

The Bold, the Daring and the Stressed 10

USS Decatur (DDG 73) leaders and Sailors keep a watchful 

eye on each other while meeting high optempo demands.

Special from the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control 

Is OPTEMPO Driving Us to Fall Asleep at the Wheel? 12

Sleep deprivation can have the same effect as alcohol 

consumption. Adequate rest and sleep reduce fatigue.

By EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

IN THIS ISSUE

COMMANDER'S MESSAGE

Focus on Readiness 5

Rear Adm. Kenneth “K.J.” Norton talks about improving 

situational awareness and being ready to prevent mishaps 

with critical thinking and careful planning.

SAFETY IN HISTORY

THRESHER: Cold War Casualty 16

Remembering the tragic loss of USS Thresher (SSN 593) 

and the 129 lives, whose sacrifice led to the establishment 

of a world-renowned quality assurance program. By David Sears

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Navy Launches New Campaign Promoting Responsible 

Drinking 29

Sailors take part in developing awareness and prevention 

products that focus on their accomplishments in their Navy 

careers. Special from the Navy Personnel Command

DISASTER PLANNING CHECKLIST

Emergency Preparedness 32

Know what to do when disaster strikes. Featuring 

recommendations from the American Red Cross and other 

safety agencies, the checklist offers survival tips.

WEB EXTRAS

►	 Naval Education and Training Command – 

2012 Excellence in Safety Award Winners

►	 Naval Safety and Environmental Training Center –

Global Online Classes Shifting the Paradigm

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 1
2 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 

DEPARTMENTS

EDITOR'S NOTE

AN ISSUE OF AWARENESS 3

Use ORM resources to catch errors before they occur.

PERSPECTIVES

What Sailing Taught Me About Life, and Vice Versa 6

A seasoned seafarer, former Military Sealift Command 

leader shares his perspectives on maximizing efficiency, 

effectiveness and safety. By Rear Adm. Mark H. “Buz” Buzby

BEST PRACTICE

The Real Value of $3 Safety Glasses 14

Was it luck or PPE? Following protocol and requirements 

averts potential eye injury. By GSE3 (SW) Kayode Adewole

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

How Much Does It Weigh? 18 

Forklift operations, on the ship or shipyard dock, require 

strict adherence to procedures. By Gunnery Sgt. Amber Allison 

ORM PLAYBOOK

Personal Firearms, Personal Responsibility 21

How not to become a victim of accidental shooting. Get 

proper training and follow basic guidelines for weapon 

handling, storage and cleaning. By GMC (SW) Barry Cramer

ASK THE EXPERTS

Mobile, Portable or Personal: Do You Know the 

Difference? 24

Get smart about managing electrical/electronic equipment 

you bring and operate onboard. By EMCM (SW) Matthew Kerridge

Check Exhaust Ducts for Hazardous Gas Leaks 22 

Prevent potential burn to personnel and fire in work space.

By GSCS (SW) Noah Lopez

Storing Disinfectants 23 

How to avoid accidental exposure to hypochlorite. 

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl Benson

OFF DUTY

WATER SAFETY

Seconds Count in Preventing Poolside Tragedies 25 

Prevent a drowning by knowing the dangers, using pool 

safety barriers and making rescue equipment available.

By Wanda M. Walters

OFF-ROAD RIDING

Mojave Solitude 26

The author takes us to the desert during a training course on 

big and heavy off-road bikes like the R1200GS. By Mario di Prete

DISTRACTED DRIVING

In the Blink of an Eye 30

Getting overly confident behind the wheel leads to a 

disastrous ride on the highway. By Evelyn Odango

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Our online page offers articles and resources that can help you chart the course to a mishap-free Navy. 

Visit Sea Compass online at http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx. 
EDITOR’SNOTE

hile serving as a grand juror early this 

year, I heard cases that made me think 

about this issue’s focus on situational 

awareness (SA). There were a number of 

precautions that the victims of the alleged crimes could 

have taken. Similarly, there are things we can all do to 

minimize the odds of becoming a victim: shredding 

documents with private information to protect identity, 

not displaying valuables in a parked vehicle, or installing 

an alarm system to deter burglars. These safeguards give 

us peace of mind. 

If we’re already managing risks to increase personal 

safety, it wouldn’t be hard to do the same while at work. 

By increasing our situational awareness, we can avoid 

damaging Navy equipment or becoming a mishap 

casualty. We have the resources to manage risks at work 

or during off-duty hours; these are embedded in ORM. 

When we have good situational awareness, we can catch 

errors before they occur. 

Our contributing writers and safety experts address 

key factors that can increase the potential for error. They 

help us recognize that task loading, additive conditions 

and crew fatigue/stress can decrease situational 

awareness.

In the scuba rescue article (page 8), the author 

calls on his knowledge of diving and experience as an 

aerospace physiologist to save a life. The leaders and 

Sailors of USS Decatur (DDG 73) depend on each 

other to handle the stresses of work demands and 

home issues (page 10). Our safety analyst’s article on 

sleep deprivation gives us insights on fatigue and how 

it affects mental awareness (page 12). From planning 

to preventing, these articles address the value of using 

resources. You’ll see a promotional piece for the Naval 

Safety and Environmental Training Center’s online 

classes. Take the time to visit their site. Browse courses 

such as safety programs afloat and other refreshers; 

these can help improve your safety knowledge and 

expertise. 

Enjoy this issue of Sea Compass and let us know if 

there are articles that help your situational awareness. I 

look forward to receiving your submissions for the fall/

winter 2013 issue.

Evelyn Odango

evelyn.odango@navy.mil

An Issue of Awareness

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013

3
4 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE: FOCUS ON READINESS

I

t’s no secret that times are tough. Sequestration 

happened and we are all doing the best that we 

can as we remain the world’s greatest fighting 

force. And due to the realities of the fiscal 

restraints, we have had to cancel maintenance and 

reduce training opportunities. We have to operate with 

less, and consequently that means every Sailor, Marine 

and civilian must take care of the resources we do have 

– both human and material. We simply cannot afford to 

lose anyone or anything due to preventable mishaps.

This issue of Sea Compass is centered on readiness. 

We all know that injury and even death are possible 

during combat actions. That is the tragic side of 

warfighting, and we do everything we can to prevent 

it. However, mishaps during routine operations cost 

millions of dollars and too many lives. We owe it to 

our shipmates and to the taxpayers to prevent those by 

making good decisions on the job and during off-duty 

hours as well.

Mishaps (non-combat) cost us $3.2 billion and 675 

lives during FY08-12. This money and those lives would 

build and man four new Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. 

Breaking it down to conceptual grasp, reported mishaps 

cost us $20 every second of every day. But even this 

staggering number doesn’t tell the full story.

When a live-fire exercise kills seven Marines, when 

an FA-18 crashes into an apartment complex, or when 

one of our ships runs aground on a reef, headlines 

about these mishaps damage our reputation and create 

a lack of trust and confidence in our organization. We, 

therefore, must be better stewards of our resources and 

our people. Not doing so takes a toll on our combat 

readiness and the ramifications distract us from 

successfully executing our mission.

Everyone – from the most senior officer to the 

most junior Sailor and Marine – plays an important 

role in Fleet combat readiness. No matter what your 

pay grade, you are authorized and obligated to speak 

up if something unsafe is taking place on or off the job. 

You know the principles of ORM, but it’s up to you to 

make those principles apply to real life. Make a plan, 

think ahead, take care of yourself and your shipmates, be 

engaged, and never be afraid to seek guidance. We are all 

in this together.

Of course, there are no guarantees, but we stand a 

better chance of preventing painful mishaps with critical 

thinking and careful planning. I hope to read about 

your lessons learned and best practices in Sea Compass

magazine. Your stories reflect well on our willingness to 

tackle the challenges we face and remain a ready Navy 

and Marine Corps team.

RDML Kenneth “K.J.” Norton

Commander, Naval Safety Center

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 5
RESPECT THE SEA

“Thy sea is so vast, and my ship so small.” MSC 

ships do business on the great waters 24/7, 365. One 

of the first lessons I learned about respecting the sea 

was to understand the elements — wind and wave — 

and the powerful and sometimes unexpected effects 

they can have on your life. As a boy, I took my 16-

foot runabout for the first time out to the Great Egg 

Harbor inlet on the Jersey Shore. There was a steep 

swell break over my bow. I learned very quickly that 

there were times when a small boat did not belong 

there. I hadn’t bothered to note the strong onshore 

winds and the strongly ebbing tide combining to make 

some very sloppy seas. The more you understand 

your environment and the uncertainty of what you 

might face, the better able you are to function day to 

day and handle the bad stuff when it comes. It always 

will. Sound like something that might apply to work 

ashore? Or even to life at home?

KNOW YOUR SHIP AND YOURSELF

Whatever your duties, afloat or ashore, knowing 

your “ship” is key to maximizing efficiency and 

effectiveness, as well as your safety and that of your 

shipmates and co-workers. Our full value to the Navy 

and other customers is realized only when we know 

our ship and how to put it to best use. That includes 

knowing the rules and policies that govern our duties, 

or how a given piece of equipment operates in our ship. 

The more we know, the more effectively we can operate 

and the more passion we can pour into what we do. 

KNOW YOUR SHIPMATES

I was told years ago by an old sailing master that 

“you never really know someone until you have been 

to sea with them.” On the water, it quickly becomes 

obvious that your life depends on the people around 

you, especially during UNREPs and the many other 

and Vice Versa

About Life,

Taught Me

What Sailing

As I put together my remarks for the Naval Academy Safety at Sea seminar, I called 

upon much of what I had learned from my own 50 plus years of experience 

on the water, including my time at Military Sealift Command leading our 

professionals at sea and the afterguard ashore. I quickly realized that much of my lecture 

was truly reflective of the way we do business at MSC. This is what I shared with those 

young seafarers; see if any of this rings true for you, too.

By Rear Adm. Mark H. “Buz” Buzby

PERSPECTIVES

6 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
inherently dangerous operations we execute every 

day. In the office, it may not be life and death, but 

it sure can affect your career when the team doesn’t 

function the way it’s supposed to. Getting to know 

your shipmates — their strengths and weaknesses, 

whom you can trust in a stressful situation and whom 

you can’t — is an important part of forging a strong 

team. Our line of work is not for everyone, but your 

strengths can help build up someone else’s weaknesses, 

and the other way around.

BE CAUTIOUS OF SHORTCUTS

During my presentation, I showed a picture of a 

“vessel.” It had been assembled from a rusted out barge 

with a cabin fabricated from salvaged house parts. It was 

propelled by a paddlewheel made from a car rear end 

and a used diesel generator. The family band who built 

it (“The Flying Neutrinos”) intended to drive it up and 

down the coast visiting various gigs. It didn’t get very 

far. We all know, deep down inside, that cutting corners 

is risky business — whether we’re at sea, in the office or 

at home. It comes home to roost sooner or later. Two 

band aids and a bottle of aspirin don’t make a first aid 

kit, nor does several wraps of duct tape make a proper 

pipe patch. While “winging it” temporarily is sometimes 

required on short notice, doing it right, using the right 

materials and the right procedure is the professional way 

to do business. 

GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE BOX

In this age of information and automation, it is too 

easy to be drawn into a very narrow view of the facts 

based solely on what the marvelous electronic display 

is telling you. These systems are not infallible, though 

many of us seem to have total belief in the information 

they are presenting (“If it’s on the Internet, it must be 

true”). Who hasn’t been led astray by a car GPS that 

steers you off to the boondocks? The point is that a 

seasoned mariner uses all aids and sources available to 

him or her to ascertain the vessel’s position and maintain 

situational awareness. Pulling your head “out of the box” 

will most often keep you from shoal water that may be 

plainly visible if you just had looked. The same holds 

true ashore; more informational “lines of position” will 

usually result in a better “fix.” If you haven’t heard that, 

look it up — this is a nautical outfit!

IT’S NOT CORNY TO PLAN AND DRILL

In fact, it’s professional! At sea, drills are a routine 

part of being ready to swiftly and effectively handle 

emergencies. Ashore, over the past several years, we’ve 

been working on our Mission Continuity Plan. How 

would we conduct MSC business in the event of a 

disaster? What would we do in a situation that forces 

us to abandon our headquarters buildings? We’ve 

exercised mobile working. We’ve planned for relocating 

to alternate facilities. When Hurricane Sandy hit the 

East Coast in October 2012, MSC business was virtually 

unaffected, even though the federal government in D.C. 

closed down for two days. We could do that because we 

planned for it, rehearsed it, refined our processes, and 

figured out how to get the mission done.

DON’T SETTLE FOR MINIMUMS

Whether it’s safety, quality or commitment, don’t 

aim for “just enough.” Aim to exceed your goals, provide 

a better service, write a better contract. That’s what 

builds MSC’s reputation as the place to go for maritime 

solutions, knowledge and expertise. That’s why the 

Navy and DoD place trust and confidence in MSC 

and continue to give us new classes of ships and new 

missions. It’s not because we look good, it’s because we 

are good. 

WHEN IN COMMAND, COMMAND!

That is to say, if you are charged with responsibility 

for something — whether it is to write a report or 

command an MSC vessel — I expect you to exercise the 

full extent of your authority to produce the best possible 

outcome. Whether it’s your ship, your department, your 

task or your life, take charge and forge ahead. You can 

truly have an impact on much of what happens to you 

through your own actions. Take charge of yourself and 

make a difference for MSC, your office, your ship, and 

yourself. 

Editor’s Note: Former Commander of Military Sealift 

Command, Rear Adm. Buzby, shared his perspectives on sailing 

in the January 2013 edition of Sealift. He talked about the core 

values and standards that, when combined with the skills workers 

bring to the command, define them as individuals and enable 

them to do their jobs well. Photo of Rear Adm. Buzby and Zulu 

courtesy of Gina Buzby. Reprinted with permission.

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 7
By Lt. Cmdr. John Cooke, CTW-5

Experience, TCRM

Instrumental in Scuba Rescue

E

Early this year, I was involved in a medical 

intervention that called for time critical risk 

management. My experience as a physiologist came into 

play during a dive gone wrong.

In January, I took my 10-year old daughter to 

Gulf Islands National Seashore for her junior scuba 

qualification. It was the first of four dives she would have 

to complete. I was confident that she was in good hands 

with a qualified dive master, who was also an Army 

Special Forces combat dive medic. Two other students 

were present. The group was going 30 feet below in this 

popular aquatic preserve known for its sandy beaches 

and aquamarine waters. 

As the four submerged into the water, my older son 

and I waited for a friend to arrive in his boat (we were 

going fishing nearby while my daughter was diving). 

Only a couple of minutes into the dive, the instructor 

and a male student surfaced. As the male diver thrashed 

(he apparently panicked while underwater and tried to 

ascend from 30 feet), the instructor yelled out to the 

beachgoers, “Get him out of the water!”

I retrieved the student as the instructor dove back 

to look for the others. After watching him search four 

separate times to no avail, I decided it was time for me 

to take action. I took the snorkel, mask and a pair of fins 

from the student who was recovering ashore. I followed 

a rhythmic flow of bubbles coming from below and 

free dove to their location. I was immediately engulfed 

by poor visibility and cold temperature (the surface 

temperature was a balmy 60 degrees). 

After three unaided short and unsuccessful searches, 

I swam to shore and donned the student’s scuba gear 

and resumed my search. By this time, the dive master 

had searched five more times. I was about midway to 

the student divers when the instructor’s ninth trip down 

proved successful. It turned out that my daughter and 

the other student had been doing some dive drills to 

pass the time. They were oblivious to the drama that had 

unfolded.

Ashore, the attention of the bystanders focused on 

the man who had lost control. But I was more worried 

about the instructor, who was starting to get lightheaded; he attributed it to the extreme workout he had 

just endured. As we were cleaning up, his efforts became 

uncharacteristically disorganized. Within minutes, 

the instructor developed a strong headache and was 

losing his balance. I suggested that he got checked out 

by a diving medical officer. He wanted to drive to the 

hospital while others wanted to dial 9-1-1. The nearest 

fire department was well over 30 minutes away and the 

hospital was farther.

By this time my fishing buddy, who was a Coast 

Guard commander, had arrived and pointed out that 

his boat would reduce transport time by at least an 

hour. As we left shore, he alerted the local USCG 

unit that we were inbound and in need of immediate 

medical attention. Meanwhile, I called the Aviation 

Survival Training Center in Pensacola hoping to use 

the hyperbaric chamber (an enclosed unit used in the 

recovery of decompression sickness). I wasn’t sure if 

we could get in because it was a weekend. The officer in 

charge of the Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI) 

was available and coordinated an emergency access to 

the chamber. 

We reached the USCG station where ambulance 

and police arrived shortly. The emergency technicians 

(EMTs) began assessing the dive master, who was 

experiencing a right-side headache, spinning vision and 

confusion. The EMTs stated that protocol required them 

to transport the patient to the local hospital, which had 

no chamber facility. 

The dive master’s condition was critical and 

any more delays would have caused him permanent 

damage or killed him. I intervened and introduced 

myself as an aerospace physiologist. I informed them 

that I had talked with the NSTI staff about using the 

hyperbaric chamber where an emergency team was 

waiting. I insisted that if we didn’t get the instructor 

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Ebyabe

8 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
into the chamber immediately, he could die. The 

EMTs conceded and in three minutes, we were in the 

ambulance. 

The dive medical officer’s initial neurological 

assessments showed the victim had suffered from an 

arterial gas embolism (AGE) and conditions were 

getting worse. They proceeded with the treatment where 

the staff pressurized the chamber. The instructor would 

breathe pressurized oxygen and other atmospheric 

gases, such as nitrogen, at greater than atmospheric 

pressure.

During the treatment, the inside tender (a diver 

who closely monitored his condition) reported that at 

30 feet, the instructor’s room had stopped spinning and 

his headache had decreased from a 4 to a 1 on a scale of 

1 to 10. The chamber nurse and his staff proceeded to a 

depth of 55 feet, which resolved all the AGE symptoms. 

He stayed on 100 percent oxygen for four hours and was 

released to his wife later. 

Back at home that night, my family and I talked 

about the day’s remarkable event. I was so relieved that 

everything worked out for the dive instructor. The day’s 

incident was a prime example of how risk management 

can benefit everyone in a stressful situation. My years 

of experience and Navy ORM training make me able to 

take correct and decisive actions. I also saw this in my 

daughter’s ability to remain calm. She told me later that 

the diver who panicked had kicked off her mask and 

regulator. She had focused on her training and knew 

what to do and how to react. 

I now live a bit more prepared. I keep a diving 

medical officer’s number on my cell phone. I dive with 

enriched air and use the buddy system, both in the water 

and out. I also have increased my life insurance. As for 

my daughter, she didn’t mind me being in the water 

during her remaining dives. The incident also gave her a 

new level of confidence. 

There are no shortcuts to becoming a certified scuba 

diver, but once learned, the skill can go a long way.

Lt. Cmdr. Cooke is an aeromedical safety officer with Training Air 

Wing Five at NAS Whiting Field, Fla.

An arterial gas embolism (AGE) is a serious health emergency that is a major 

cause of death following a dive. Common causes include voluntary breath 

holding during ascent from a dive or a closure of an airway due to diseases, 

such as a chest cold. The inhaled air leaks directly into an artery too suddenly 

to be dissolved in the blood. When the diver surfaces the inhaled air forms 

bubbles in the bloodstream. The bubbles block the blood supply to the heart, 

brain or other parts of the body, cutting that part of the body off from oxygen 

and energy. Symptoms may include bloody foam from the mouth or nose, 

disorientation, chest pain, weakness, dizziness, or convulsions. Treatment 

involves submersion in a hyperbaric dive chamber, a pressure vessel designed 

for treating dive-related health conditions. 

Sources: Naval Safety Center, National Association of Rescue Divers

ND1 Mike Barnett, left, and ND1 Chad Christensen test built-in 

breathing masks inside a recompression chamber located in the 

dive locker at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport, Wash. The 

recompression chamber is used to treat diving-related disorders and 

other medical conditions with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. 

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Andrew Breese

Photo courtesy of National Park Service

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 9
Combat and the operations that support it often capture the 

headlines when talking about psychological stress in Sailors. But 

even apart from combat, the surface, sub and air communities 

have experienced an arduous, high-operational tempo for many years. 

Longer periods at sea are coupled with maintaining warfare, training and 

inspections requirements, as well as equally demanding periods in home 

port. One much-deployed ship knows it all too well. 

OPERATIONAL STRESS CONTROL

Special from the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control

10 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
“Bold and Daring” reads the banner on USS Decatur

(DDG 73), a ballistic missile defense (BMD) destroyer 

homeported in San Diego. The phrase describes 

the ship's namesake — the great 19th century naval 

warfighter Stephen Decatur — and it’s an equally apt 

description of the ship’s 21st century mission and the 

attitude of her Sailors.

But the bold and the daring are not impervious to 

stress. USS Decatur has deployed four times in four years 

as part of an effort to deter aggression from potential 

enemies in the Persian Gulf.

“With limited BMD ships in the fleet, we end 

up away more than we’re home,” said HMC (SW) 

Shawn Brooks, the ship’s senior medical department 

representative. “This doesn't hit home with the young 

Sailors until after we leave port, and then it kind of 

snowballs for them.”

Being away from home and family is difficult, and 

the stressors attached to the job are often immediate 

and relentless. Sailors on ships like Decatur have taken 

the brunt of budget cuts over the last few years.

“We’re doing the same job with 10 Sailors today 

that 30 Sailors were doing just six or seven years ago,” 

said Brooks. “The work hasn’t changed. The gear hasn’t 

changed. We’re just working our Sailors harder.”

Brooks added that positive leadership, a clear sense 

of mission and awareness of stress management are 

key to helping the Sailors find balance. Still, there are 

challenges.

“Once we’re at sea, little issues from home creep 

up. Like hearing how a dishwasher is breaking or a 

child getting in trouble or the spouse getting a parking 

ticket — it all starts to add up and eventually, some 

people crack.”

While there has not been time to do structured 

training in Operational Stress Control aboard the ship, 

Brooks said officers and chiefs know the importance of 

reminding Sailors to take care of themselves and one 

another. Much emphasis is placed on suicide awareness.

“We reinforce looking out for each other and we 

keep an eye on everyone,” Brooks said. “If we think 

someone is at risk, we’ll shadow them to make sure 

they’re OK.”

Cmdr. Shanti Sethi, [former] commanding officer 

of Decatur, emphasized the importance of supporting 

those who ask for help — whether it’s pressure from 

work or home.

“We encourage divisional leadership to 

communicate our plans and schedules so that the entire 

crew understands what’s coming next,” said Sethi.

Editor’s Note: This article was previously published 

in Mindlines, Spring 2012. Reprinted with permission 

by the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress 

Control Strategic Communications.

Photo illustration by Allan Amen

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 11
By EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

How many times have 

you stood watch or 

conducted an evolution 

and have been completely 

drained halfway through it? Did 

you count the minutes until you 

were relieved? How aware of 

your surroundings were you at 

that time? 

As leaders we manage our Sailors, both personally 

and professionally. We tell our Sailors about the dangers 

of drinking and driving. We counsel them on getting 

plenty of rest prior to taking a long trip. But

are we taking the time to ensure our Sailors are getting 

adequate rest prior to taking the watch, operating multimillion dollar pieces of equipment or navigating ships? 

We all know that undisturbed sleep is hard to come 

by while at sea. If a watchstander averages four to five 

hours of undisturbed sleep a day for three consecutive 

days, that person’s effectiveness is down to 70 percent 

by the end of the third day. This also takes into account 

that the Sailor has the same sleep start time each night. 

If the Sailor does not sleep at the same time each night, 

and the sleep is of a lower quality, the watchstander’s 

effectiveness continues to decline. 

Sleep deprivation can have a similar effect on 

attentiveness as consuming alcohol. By the end of the 

third day the same watchstander would have a similar 

mental awareness of someone that had a blood alcohol 

concentration of more than 0.08. This is legally drunk! 

Lt. Elizabeth DeVault, 

right, and GM3 John P. 

Bransom stand watch 

on the bridge aboard 

the aircraft carrier USS 

George H.W. Bush 

(CVN 77). 

Is OPTEMPO Driving Us to Fall 

Asleep at the Wheel?

U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Kasey Krall

12 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
We would not let them get behind the wheel of a car. If 

we thought a watchstander was drunk, we would not let 

them take the watch. If we knew their mental awareness 

was diminished, I am sure they would not be allowed to 

take the watch. 

With the demanding operational tempo 

(OPTEMPO) of the military, adequate sleep is a 

valuable — and sometimes rare — commodity. We face 

a culture today to tough it out, work long hours and then 

take the watch, as to not put a burden on anyone else. 

This behavior can put others at risk. 

Supervisors have to take on some of the 

responsibilities to minimize risk. Are you taking the 

time to verify Sailors are getting adequate rest, and 

balancing workloads and watchstanding? Verifying 

adequate time to rest should be part of every 

supervisor’s operational risk management plan. This will 

ensure that a safe watchbill is written and that risks are 

managed for scheduled work. 

We charge our personnel with significant 

responsibilities, and part of that is getting enough rest. 

Don’t just assume that your personnel will tell you when 

they are tired or have worked too long. Be proactive. 

Make sure fatigue does not lead to mistakes.

EMCM Valdepeña is a submarine analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Programs Directorate.

Fatigue is a subjective feeling of 

tiredness which is distinct from 

weakness and has a gradual onset. 

Unlike weakness, fatigue can be 

alleviated by periods of rest. The 

onset of mental fatigue during 

any cognitive activity is gradual 

and depends upon an individual’s 

cognitive ability, and also upon 

other factors, such as sleep 

deprivation and overall health. 

Source: Wikipedia

An operations watchstander, of Amphibious 

Squadron 11, analyzes 

ship movements of a 

“synthetic” battle group 

during a Fleet Synthetic 

Training exercise held 

aboard amphibious 

assault ship USS Essex

(LHD 2).

ONLINE RESOURCES

“Sleep Impacts Reaction Time as Much as Alcohol,” by Mitch Leslie, Stanford Report, September 29, 1999

http://news.stanford.edu/news/1999/september29/sleep-929.html 

Sleep Deprivation: Impact on Cognitive Performance, National Institutes of Health 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/ 

U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Adam R. Cole

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 13
BEST PRACTICE

The Real Value of 

$3 Safety Glasses

Closely following precautions is key to getting through an 

availability period mishap-free. I learned this firsthand 

while aboard USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) during her 

extended development selective repair availability in 2012. 

The CO had mandated the wearing of hard hats and 

safety glasses at all times. This new requirement wasn’t 

something easy to transition to, especially when I had 

just broken in my command ball cap.

One day, while on duty as the inactive equipment 

maintenance (IEM) watchstander, I was conducting 

a routine tour through the engineering spaces. I was 

wearing the prescribed hard hat, safety glasses, and 

hearing protection. It had gotten to the point that my 

ship had been in the yards for more days than I cared to 

count. These safety measures became as common to me 

as lacing up my steel-toed boots every morning.

As I was patrolling through the bowels of the ship 

that night, a piece of equipment broke. Relying on years 

of training from my LDO, CPO and DIVO, I rushed to 

the side of the area from where I heard the commotion. 

A piece of equipment was gushing water. I immediately 

reported it to the Central Control Station, telling them 

that I was on scene.

I realized that it was no minor piece of machinery 

— it was a critical fire pump. The fire pumps onboard 

are primed at 150 psi. If leaks aren’t quickly contained, 

spaces can readily flood. In this case, the water spewing 

out the top of the pump was not at full pressure; I knew 

how to contain and fix it. 

As I focused on the job at hand, with water soaking 

my coveralls and covering my safety glasses, the stem 

of the pump burst. The pipe flew right at my face. I did 

not have enough time to react when the pipe struck my 

safety glasses dead-on before clanging into the cramped 

space. I could not stop thinking about how lucky I was 

that the pipe didn’t knock the glasses off. Water was still 

coming out of the pump. It took several more minutes 

before I fixed the pump and was able to take stock of 

what had just happened.

I searched the space and found the metal pipe. I 

took off my glasses to survey what the thick piece of 

metal did to them. I noticed a small crack on the nose 

bridge. The impact-resistant safety glasses had 

saved me from a potential broken nose 

and averted the likelihood of blindness. I 

was in shock. That $3-pair of glasses I had 

been wearing for months had just saved 

me from a potential life-altering injury. All 

this time they were nothing more to me than 

a check in the box everyday: boots, socks, 

coveralls, belt, hard hat, hearing protection, and 

safety glasses.

It wasn’t luck that prevented this possible 

injury; it was properly worn protective personnel 

equipment.

GSE3 Adewole was attached to USS Chancellorsville.

By GSE3 (SW) Kayode Adewole

14 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
The fire pumps 

onboard are 

primed at 150 

psi. If leaks 

aren’t quickly 

contained, 

spaces can 

readily flood.

U.S. Navy photos by MC2 Jeffrey R. Militzer (left) and MC2 Gary B. Granger Jr.

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 15
O

On the evening of April 10, 1963, veterans gathered 

in Philadelphia aboard the decommissioned submarine 

USS Hake (SS 256). They came to honor 3,500 

comrades lost during World War II — many without 

a trace. But even as a next-of-kin tossed a memorial 

wreath into the Delaware River, in the deep Atlantic 

waters 220 miles east of Cape Cod, some 100 more men 

had joined the ranks of the dead.

That same morning, USS Thresher (SSN 593), the first 

of a class of swift, deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines 

designed to attack both surface ships and other submarines, 

was lost at a depth of 8,400 feet. The final human toll 

would be 129 — 108 crewmen and 21 military and civilian 

specialists. It was the Navy’s first nuclear submarine disaster 

— and its worst submarine tragedy ever.

First in the Class

Thresher had been commissioned in August 1961 at 

the government-operated Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 

in New Hampshire. In July 1962, after passing initial sea 

trials which included tests of her ability to withstand 

underwater explosions, Thresher returned to Portsmouth 

for a “post-shakedown” and “reliability” overhaul.

Her nine-month stay was unusually long but not 

surprising: Thresher was the first of a new submarine 

class with many new systems. Finally, though, on the 

morning of April 9, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. John 

W. Harvey, a new but experienced skipper, the boat 

departed Portsmouth for two days of post-overhaul 

trials. Two hours later, east of Boston, Thresher

rendezvoused with USS Skylark (ASR 20), a submarine 

rescue ship equipped with diving and sonar gear. On 

the first day, Thresher conducted a shallow dive test, 

communicating with Skylark via UQC, an underwater 

acoustic radio communications device.

As planned the two ships met up again early the next 

morning, this time in deep waters. At 7:47 a.m., Thresher

informed Skylark that she was beginning to submerge 

to her “test depth,” the 1,300-foot limit at which she 

was designed to operate. Five minutes later, Thresher

reported herself 400 feet deep, checking for leaks. UQC 

THRESHER:Cold War Casualty

By David Sears

transmissions resumed as Thresher continued down. For 

secrecy purposes, reports were stated as relative to testdepth rather than actual feet.

After 9 a.m., Thresher’s UQC transmissions became 

garbled. According to Skylark’s official log, sometime 

after 9:12 a.m. Thresher reported difficulty. “Have 

position up angle ... Attempting to blow up,” the Skylark

log recorded, indicating Thresher’s crew was trying to 

surface, using compressed air to empty ballast tanks.

Her last words were cluttered with static, 

indecipherable except for what sounded, to Skylark

navigator Lt.j.g. James D. Watson, like “... test depth.” 

These words became Thresher’s epitaph.

Attempts at Rescue

Having lost communication, Skylark’s skipper Lt. 

Cmdr. Stanley W. Hecker carefully marked his ship’s 

position and began patrolling the area, all the while 

transmitting to Thresher and listening for any response. 

At 10:58 a.m., Skylark began dropping grenades into the 

water, a pre-arranged signal for a submarine to surface if 

communication had been lost. At the same time, Skylark

alerted sub headquarters in New London, Conn.

More extensive search efforts soon got under 

way. The Navy dispatched a search aircraft and three 

vessels — nuclear submarine Sea Owl (SS 405) and 

rescue ship Sunbird (ASR 15). As concern mounted, 

more resources joined, including additional aircraft 

— a third rescue ship, a destroyer and two frigates. 

Hope that the incident was a simple communications 

glitch faded with the passing hours. Searchers found 

inconclusive yet distressing remnants on the surface: 

oil slicks and pieces of cork and plastic.

Notifications of next-of-kin began at 7 p.m. in advance 

of a planned 8 p.m. press announcement. Thresher was 

deemed “overdue and presumed missing” — the same 

wording used for wartime submarine losses. The following 

morning, even as the on-scene flotilla expanded, Chief 

of Naval Operations George W. Anderson announced to 

the Washington press “with great regret and sadness” his 

conclusion “that this ship with 129 fine souls aboard is lost.”

The month of April marks the 50th anniversary of the loss of 129 men aboard the 

submarine Thresher on April 10, 1963, far off Cape Cod, Mass. The complete 

cause of the sinking may never be known, but the memory of those who died 

must never be forgotten.

SAFETY IN HISTORY

16 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
Court of Inquiry Convenes

Anderson simultaneously announced the convening 

of a court of inquiry, headed by Vice Adm. Bernard L. 

Austin, president of the Naval War College. Organized 

in New London, the five-member court soon moved to 

Portsmouth. It eventually heard from 120 witnesses and 

compiled 1,700 pages of evidence during eight weeks of 

testimony, much of it behind closed doors. The parade 

of witnesses included Navy brass, veteran submarines, 

shipyard managers, forensic experts and even crew 

family members.

Perhaps most telling were the statements of two 

of the four crewmembers, who, for different reasons, 

had missed the ill-starred voyage. Both Lt. Raymond 

McCoole, the boat’s reactor control officer, and Chief 

Machinist’s Mate Frank DeStefano reported problems 

with Thresher’s main seawater valve. McCoole also 

described persistent malfunctions in the compressed air 

systems vital to the operation of the ballast tanks.

In all, witnesses pointed to many possible factors: faulty 

hull and interior pipe construction; inadequate deballasting 

technology; frequent, disruptive changes in shipboard 

personnel; insufficient shipboard emergency training; and 

lagging appreciation for the dangers posed by the nuclear 

submarine’s faster and deeper operational environment.

The court issued its still-inconclusive public findings 

in a June 10 announcement by Secretary of the Navy 

Fred Korth. The April 10 sinking, Korth said, was “most 

likely” caused by a failure in a piping system which in 

turn caused sea water to flood Thresher’s engine room. 

In “all probability” the “violent spray of water” damaged 

electrical circuits and cut off power. Thresher slowed 

and began to sink. Within moments she exceeded her 

collapse depth, totally flooded, and then imploded 

before eventually settling on the ocean floor.

It was not until Aug. 28 that substantial remains 

of Thresher were finally found. The Navy bathyscaphe 

Trieste, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Donald Keach, identified 

remains at a spot the Navy labeled Point Delta, at 41 

degrees, 45 minutes N.Lat., 65 degrees W. Long. Using 

Trieste’s remote control pickup arm, Keach snagged a 

section of copper pipe. Job and serial numbers were 

etched in the pipe as was the designation “593 boat.” 

The 10-pound, 57-inch long piece of pipe was found 

in an area of ocean floor Keach described as “like an 

automobile junkyard.”

Reappraising the Tragedy

As months and years passed, reappraisal of the 

tragedy persisted. Much of it centered on the inability 

of the Navy inquiry court to attribute the disaster 

to the “intent, fault, negligence, or inefficiency” of 

anyone involved.

In April 1964, testimony before a House 

congressional subcommittee, for example, Vice Adm. 

Hyman G. Rickover, head of the Navy’s nuclear 

propulsion program, implied that Thresher’s loss 

demonstrated a “lack of individual responsibility within 

the Navy in the management of technical projects.”

Much later, in a 1993 newspaper interview, 

Raymond McCoole also called the Navy to task for 

its personnel rotation practices: “They had almost 

a complete change of crew [before Thresher sailed], 

and the captain, although, an experienced nuclear 

submariner, [had] been aboard [only] for months.”

Despite the indeterminate soul searching, the 

Navy did make fundamental changes. Within months, 

a Submarine Safety Center was established in Groton, 

Conn. Meanwhile designers and engineers devised 

technical fixes: a centralized control room system to 

quickly shut off all piping valves and emergency ballast 

blow system for use in deep waters. Even ironclad 

nuclear program procedures were modified to speed 

recovery from a “scram” — the total loss of main power 

due to a reactor shutdown.

A Fortunate Crewman

Garron S. Weitzel, another of the four lucky crewmen 

who sidestepped the disaster, reflected on the loss of 

Thresher. “I heard about the sinking while I was in the Dam 

Neck mess hall,” he said. “Everyone knew I was assigned to 

Thresher, so at first I thought it was a joke. Then I was just 

shocked. She was a good ship with good men.”

Although Weitzel was never called to testify before 

the inquiry, he was interviewed by personnel at Dam 

Neck, Va. He said of the underwater explosion tests: “I 

still think those blasts somehow damaged a pipe and the 

damage was never detected and fixed.”

The truth of what actually happened to Thresher

rests with the souls of those who perished. Their 

sacrifice sobered everyone in the sub community and 

inspired major improvements in nuclear-powered 

boat construction and operation. Their 129 lost lives 

doubtless saved untold others.

Editor’s Note: The Submarine Safety Program (SUBSAFE) 

was created as a direct result of Thresher’s loss. Mr. Sears’ 

article appeared in the April 2013 issue of VFW magazine. 

Reprinted with permission. (Naval Historical Center photo)

Mr. Sears is an author, historian and former naval officer. His most 

recent book is Pacific Air. His Web site is http://www.dlsearsbooks.com. 

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 17
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

By Gunnery Sgt. Amber Allison

I

adjusted the fork tilt, pulled up under the pallet 

with ease and lifted it off the ground a few inches. 

As I drove the short distance to the ammunitionladen vehicle ahead, I slowly started lifting the pallet a 

little higher. I stopped short of the truck by about the 

distance of a pallet-and-a-half and placed the forklift in 

park. I began lifting the pallet when it suddenly felt as 

if the forklift were tilting forward. When I realized that 

the back wheels were actually coming off the ground my 

mind started racing.

How much does the pallet weigh? I didn’t do the 

math and obviously neither did the package crew. As I 

realized I was about to lose this pallet, it fell off the forks 

and landed on its side. I stared at the pallet bottom, all I 

could think of was “This is going to hurt”! 

I immediately thought of my fork-lift operation 

training to stay upright. I then held both hands tight 

on the steering wheel, pulled my knees together and 

braced for impact. I surely did not think that tilting 

How Much

Does

Weigh?

It

Operating a forklift is tricky; lifting heavy objects with a forklift 

is even more challenging – shipboard or dock side. This proved 

to be even more so for a Marine sergeant who learned a gravitydefying lesson on weights and balances.

back flat at about 3.5 to 4 feet would knock the wind 

out of me. But as the back end of the forklift hit 

the ground and bounced a little, I couldn’t breathe. 

My hard hat fell off. It reminded me of the time my 

brother jumped off the seesaw, bouncing me in the air 

before hitting the ground breathless. After regaining 

my composure, I released the seat belt, got off the 

forks and lay on the ground with my arms spread 

above my head. 

When I caught my breath, I unleashed a whirlwind 

of fury and butt-chewing upon the package crew (all 

the while feeling like a hypocrite because I knew I 

was just as much to blame). Thankfully the axle on 

the forklift didn’t bust. The hydraulics for the forks 

still worked fine, and the ammo was only small arms 

and not something that could have exploded. I got off 

light with this minor mishap. The moral of the story is 

you can never get complacent in any job, whether it is 

ashore or shipboard.

18 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
Forklift Refresher Rules

Below are some rules to live by for those who 

operate forklifts. See if you can identify the ones I 

violated and which ones you have violated in your past:

● Do not operate a forklift unless you have been 

trained and licensed. 

● Use seat belts if they are available. 

● Report to your supervisor or maintenance 

department any damage to or problems with a forklift 

during your shift. 

● Do not jump from an overturning, sit-down 

type forklift. Stay with the truck, holding on firmly and 

leaning in the opposite direction of the overturn. 

● Exit from a stand-up type forklift with rear-entry 

access by stepping backward if a lateral tip over occurs. 

● Use extreme caution on grades or ramps. 

● On grades, tilt the load back and raise it only as 

far as needed to clear the road surface. 

According to Naval Safety Center data from 2005 to 

2013, 224 mishaps have occurred; 18 percent of which 

happened aboard ship.

Service Class A* Class B** Class C***

 Navy 2 8 164

 Marine 1 0 49

Type of Incident % Total Victims

 Forklift overturns 22

 Worker on foot struck by forklift 20

 Victim crushed by forklift 16

 Fall from forklift 9

In a study by the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) from 1980 to 1994, forklift accidents 

involved the death of 1,021 workers:

 U.S. Navy photo by JO3 Kat Smith

CDC data source: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2001-109/

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 19
● Do not raise or lower the forks while the forklift 

is moving. 

● Do not handle loads that are heavier than the 

weight capacity of the forklift. 

● Operate the forklift at a speed that will permit it to 

be stopped safely. 

● Slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and 

other locations where vision is obstructed. 

● Look toward the travel path and keep a clear 

view of it. 

● Do not allow passengers to ride on forklift trucks 

unless a seat is provided. 

● When dismounting from a forklift: set the parking 

brake, lower the forks or lifting carriage, and neutralize 

the controls. 

● Do not drive up to anyone standing in front of a 

bench or other fixed object. 

● Do not use a forklift to elevate workers who are 

standing on the forks. 

● Elevate a worker on a platform only when the 

vehicle is directly below the work area. 

● Whenever a truck is used to elevate personnel, 

secure the elevating platform to the lifting carriage or 

forks of the forklift. 

● Use a restraining means such as rails, chains, or a 

body belt with a lanyard or deceleration device for the 

worker(s) on the platform. 

● Do not drive to another location with the work 

platform elevated. 

● Use a ground guide at all times.

Mishap Definitions

*Class A mishap. The resulting total cost of damages 

to government and other property is $2 million or 

more, a DoD aircraft is destroyed (excluding unmanned 

aircraft system groups 1, 2, or 3), or an injury or 

occupational illness results in a fatality or permanent 

total disability.

**Class B mishap. The resulting total cost of damages 

to government and other property is $500,000 or more, 

but less than $2 million. An injury or occupational 

illness results in permanent partial disability, or when 

three or more personnel are hospitalized for inpatient 

care (which, for mishap reporting purposes only, does 

not include just observation or diagnostic care) as a 

result of a single mishap.

***Class C mishap. The resulting total cost of 

property damages to government and other property is 

$50,000 or more, but less than $500,000; or a nonfatal 

injury or illness that results in 1 or more days away from 

work, not including the day of the injury. 

Gunnery Sgt. Allison is a weapons analyst in the Shore/Ground 

Safety Programs Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

CDC and Naval Operations Forklift Mishaps

A 43-year-old man was killed when the forklift he was operating overturned and pinned his head and neck to the 

concrete driveway. He was driving a sit-down type forklift to unload steel tubing from a flatbed trailer. The man drove the 

forklift about 5 miles per hour beside the trailer on a concrete driveway with a 3-percent grade. The man turned the forklift 

behind the trailer, and the forklift began to tip over on its side. He jumped from the operator’s seat to the driveway under 

the falling-object protective structure (overhead guard). 

A young Marine died from severe head trauma after being thrown from his seat and pinned under the 2-ton forklift he 

was operating. The Marine was driving at high speed and was not wearing a seat belt. He missed the turn to his entrance 

point, slammed the brakes, and overcorrected the turn causing the rear end to fishtail. 

A 61-year-old died after falling 7 feet from a safety platform that had been elevated by a forklift. He had been raised in 

a steel-framed, cage-type safety platform that had not been secured to the forklift. The victim removed a fluorescent light 

bulb from its fixture and stepped to one side of the platform. When the victim shifted his weight from the center to the outer 

edge, the platform toppled off the forks. The victim fell about 7 feet, struck his head on a concrete floor, and was subsequently struck by the steel safety platform.

While underway a Sailor was crushed to death when trying to board the side of a forklift while the operator was driving 

in reverse. The driver did not know he had a passenger and pinned the Sailor between the bulkhead and the forklift. 

20 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
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Playbook ORMMANAGE RISK. ENSURE SUCCESS. COMPLETE THE MISSION.

Firearms, PersonalResponsibility

Thousands of people die or get injured each year 

from accidental shootings while cleaning or handling 

personal firearms. The National Center for Injury 

Prevention and Control reports that 14,675 people 

were wounded in 2011 in an unintentional shooting but 

survived. In 2010, 606 people in the U.S. died from an 

unintentional shooting. If you own or are planning to 

buy a weapon and not very familiar with guns, here are a 

few basic safety rules.

•	 Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

•	 Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.

•	 Keep weapon on safe and finger off the trigger until 

ready to shoot.

•	 Always know the target and what’s behind the target.

Note that plenty of victims are shooters who were 

very familiar with guns — so familiar that they got 

sloppy or complacent.

HANDLING

Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know 

its basic parts. Learn how to safely open and close 

the action. A gun’s mechanical safety device is never 

foolproof. Remove any ammunition from the gun or 

magazine. Most shooting ranges hold safe weaponshandling classes with live-fire instruction. Never use 

alcohol, over-the-counter prescriptions or other drugs 

before or while handling or shooting.

STORAGE

Many factors must be considered when deciding 

where and how to store guns. Store firearms where they 

are not accessible to children or unauthorized persons. 

Also consider individuals with mental problems or who 

are on prescription drugs. These conditions can affect 

their ability to make good decisions. A variety of gun 

storage devices are available such as gun safes or cable 

locks that go through the barrel and trigger locks. Note 

that mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical 

safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used 

as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance 

of all safety rules.

CLEANING

Clean the gun regularly to ensure it operates 

correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also 

maintain its value and extend its life. Before cleaning 

your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded 

and in operable condition. The gun’s action should be 

open during the cleaning process. Make sure that no 

ammunition is present in the cleaning area. Inspect for 

cracks, burrs and defective parts. If concerned about 

a gun’s ability to function properly, a knowledgeable 

gunsmith should look at it.

TRAINING

The Navy E-Learning now offers the Personal 

Firearm Safety training course (Catalog number/

Course ID: CSF-PFS-010). Training is optional at this 

time but recommended for firearm owners. Mandated 

training will be directed when the next revision to 

the Navy Recreation and Off-Duty Safety Program 

(OPNAVINST 5100.25B) instruction is finalized. 

Log in to Navy Knowledge Online at https://wwwa.

nko.navy.mil/portal/home/ or go to the Naval Safety 

Center Web site for more information at http://www.

public.navy.mil/navsafecen/Pages/ashore/explosives/

PersonalFirearms.aspx.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Rifle Association

By GMC (SW) Barry Cramer, Weapons Analyst, Naval Safety Center

ONLINE RESOURCES

State Laws on Handguns

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 

September 14, 2012

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6106.pdf

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 21
B2BPMS is your basic guide on how not to fall a victim of complacency. It is a 

common-sense approach to keeping your ship on the right course. Have you ever 

taken a shortcut to save time, but instead, cost you and your ship time, resources 

or people? Share your short story with our readers so they might learn from your 

experience. Submit your article to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

By GSCS (SW) Noah Lopez 

Our shipboard surveys are showing a frequent 

occurrence of exhaust leaks from exhaust ducts on gas 

turbine modules and gas turbine generators. Ship’s force 

personnel often are aware of the discrepancy but aren’t 

fixing the problem.

The Joint Fleet Maintenance Manual (Rev. C/Vol. 

IV of COMUSFLTFORCOMINST 4790.3) specifies 

that marine gas turbine inspectors must consider this 

discrepancy as a “Repair Before Operating” (RBO) 

situation. Any existing condition categorized as RBO, if 

left unattended, would be hazardous to personnel and 

shipboard safety.

Stack gases from exhaust leaks significantly reduce 

the stay time in a heat-stress environment. Many 

shipboard spaces contain environments of high heat 

and humidity, including engineering spaces, galleys, 

sculleries, and laundry rooms. Personnel can remain 

Check Exhaust Ducts for Hazardous Gas Leaks

only 66 percent of the time working in these areas. Leaks 

can severely burn personnel and could lead to a main 

space fire if left unattended. To help ensure an exhaust 

stack’s integrity, inspect the lagging. Burnt lagging 

and severe carbon build-up are the most common 

indications of exhaust leaks. While conducting 

routine PMS according to the Maintenance Index 

Page 2591 instructions, pay special attention to 

the exhaust ducting to identify this discrepancy. If 

there’s a leak, ship’s force personnel shall submit 

repair jobs in time to meet planning milestones. This 

is critical in allowing personnel to perform work 

during continuous maintenance availabilities, prevent 

scheduling conflict and increase engine readiness.

GSCS Lopez is a main propulsion analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Programs Directorate.

EVIDENCE 

OF EXHAUST 

LEAKS

 Upper level of 

NR 3 GTG exhaust 

stack

 Upper level MER 

2 GTM 2B exhaust 

stack

 Lower level 

MER 1 NR 1 GTG 

inspection cover

 Upper level MER 

2 NR GTG exhaust 

stack

 

 

Naval Safety Center File Photos

22 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
•	Ready-use calcium hypochlorite issued to

the medical and engineering departments 

must be stored in a locked box mounted on a 

bulkhead.

•	Don’t store more than 48, six-ounce bottles

in a locker.

•	Use a metal box, such as a first-aid locker

(Navy Stock Number 1H 2090-00-368-

4792). Make sure that you have enough 

lockers to store the amount of calcium 

hypochlorite you are required to have. Drill at 

least three 1/4-inch vent holes in the bottom 

of the box to allow release of any chlorine 

products. Paint the boxes gray.

•	Label all calcium-hypochlorite storage

spaces, lockers and cabinets with red letters 

on a white background.

•	Don’t use commercial lockers intended for

flammable liquids or corrosives to store 

calcium hypochlorite.

•	Keep calcium hypochlorite lockers away

from oil lines and other potential sources of 

combustible material. Keep the lockers at 

least 5 feet from any source or surface which 

may exceed 51.7°C (125°F).

Here are a few more important points about 

storage:

•	Store calcium hypochlorite in well-ventilated

areas. 

•	Don’t store in machinery spaces, storerooms,

flammable-liquid or compressedbottle stowage areas, hazardous-waste 

minimization centers, berthing spaces, or 

oil- and water-test laboratory areas

•	Don’t store in areas used for stowing

greases, oils, paints or other combustible 

materials.

•	Storage areas must not be subject to

condensation or water accumulation. To 

help reduce off-gassing of chlorine gas, 

individual six-ounce bottles may be put in a 

plastic bag and sealed (zipped) shut. 

Storing Disinfectants BASIC REQUIREMENTS

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl Benson

Recent safety surveys have revealed major problems 

with the storage of calcium hypochlorite. Calcium 

hypochlorite is a disinfectant agent used on ships for 

the emergency purification of potable water and the 

decontamination of biological and chemical agents. One 

of the major problems we find on safety surveys is that 

PMS is either not being done or is being done wrong. 

It is an extremely strong oxidizer and will react with 

rags, fabrics, antifreeze, ammonia, paints, oils, greases, 

detergents, acids and alkalis. When heated, calcium 

hypochlorite decomposes to chlorine gas, phosgene, 

and other toxic and corrosive gases. Accidental contact 

with moisture causes formation of toxic chlorine gas. 

Refer to the Naval Ships’ Technical Manual (NSTM) 

470, “Shipboard Biological Warfare/Chemical Warfare 

Defense and Countermeasures” and NSTM 533, 

“Potable Water Systems,” for additional handling and 

use practices. Ensure you conduct PMS as outlined in 

the Maintenance Index Page (MIP) 6521/601.

HMC Benson is the medical/independent duty corpsman analyst in 

the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Directorate.

An example of an improperly maintained hypochlorite locker.

Naval Safety Center File Photo

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 23
QUESTIONS, MYSTERIES AND UNCLEAR ISSUES ANSWERED BY NAVAL SAFETY CENTER ANALYSTS

Send your questions to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

By EMCM (SW) Matthew Kerridge

S

ince joining the survey team at the Naval Safety 

Center, I have seen some amazing and creative 

things when it comes to shipboard Sailors and 

their electronics. Some Sailors make their own rules 

when describing the equipment (mobile, portable and 

personal) that they operate onboard and figuring out 

how to check it.

The Naval Ships’ Technical Manual (NSTM) 300 and 

Maintenance Index Page (MIP) 3000 are the governing 

documents for standardizing the use of electrical/

electonic equipment. Most Sailors are improperly using 

the MIP 3000 when doing electrical safety checks. It is 

important that you know the true difference between 

various kinds of devices.

Mobile and Portable

Electrician’s mates and electronics technicians must 

take the time to read each line item for mobile and portable equipment. The major contributor to the dilemma 

is the MIP 3000, which contains these definitions: 

► Portable Equipment: These can be used in multiple locations. Think hand-held devices. MIP 3000/001 

Q-1R (2-prong), Q-2R (3-prong). This also applies to 

all battery chargers for hand-held devices, referencing 

Scheduling Aid 10.

► Mobile Equipment: Normally stationary but 

can be moved. Check during initial installation and 

again when moving. MIP 3000/001 R-5 (3-prong), R-6 

(2-prong) 

► Surge Suppressors: Must be metal-cased. MIP 

3000/001 A-4R NOTE 2 describes the proper suppressor that is required onboard. NSTM 300-2.7.3.5.d is 

even more descriptive and gives a great explanation as to 

why we use them.

Big-Ticket Items

► Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs): The actual 

reference is MIP 6641/006 A-11, which has a note to 

conduct the MIP 3000 R-8 if idle longer than 30 days. 

Check your ESPs, remove MIP 3000 A-3, as the A-3 is 

for hardwired units. Read the check and be familiar with 

your systems. 

► Jackstaff or Flagstaff: Do not use the MIP 3000 

R-2, which is solely for dress ship or waterline security. 

Check using R-5 or R-6, which is specific to mobile 

equipment.

Personal Equipment

Let’s talk about personal electrical equipment that 

the electrical officer has allowed onboard. If you are 

using MIP 3000 to safety check these items, you are 

wrong. Read Scheduling Aid 5 closely and you will 

discover that NSTM 300 is the governing document 

for personal gear. Also, using the self-adhering sticker is 

authorized but commands may use a color-coded label. 

Electrical safety is not just the job of those in the 

electrical and electronic ratings. Everyone needs to be 

smarter about managing their electrical safety programs. 

Reading — and truly understanding — our governing documents and instructions is the first step toward 

success stories. Remember, you can always add to the 

standard but you can never take away from it. 

EMCM Kerridge is the fleet electrical analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Programs Directorate.

Mobile, Portable or Personal: 

Do You Know the Difference?

24 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
WATER SAFETY

By Wanda M. Walters

I

remember stretching out on a poolside chaise 

lounge and thinking, “This is the only way to 

study.” My son, a 3-year-old at the time, was playing 

happily in an adjoining kiddie pool. A friend stopped to 

ask how graduate school was going. While chatting with 

her, I glanced toward the pool. My son had disappeared!

I quickly scanned the area just in time to see him 

jumping in the deep end (8-feet) of the Olympic-sized 

adult pool. He only had limited dog-paddling abilities; 

I quickly ran and dove in after him. When I reached 

my son, he was having a great time and oblivious to 

the danger he was just in. He thought it was cool his 

mommy was also in the pool.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 

reminds pool owners that there are steps they can take 

to avoid these tragedies. Physical barriers designed 

to limit access to pools provide an important layer of 

security. Effective barriers include fences or walls and 

motor-powered safety covers over pools. Fences and 

walls should be at least 4-feet high, and they should 

be installed completely around the pool. Fence gates 

should be self-closing and self-latching. Put the latch out 

of small children’s reach, and then periodically test their 

skills to ensure they haven’t figured out how to open the 

latch.

If your house forms one side of a pool’s barrier, 

protect the doors leading from the house to the pool 

with alarms that produce an audible sound when 

the doors open. A motor-powered safety cover is an 

alternative to door alarms. For an above-ground pool, 

secure steps and ladders or remove them when no one is 

using the pool. 

Never substitute flotation devices as substitutes for 

supervision. Realize that just because children know 

how to swim doesn’t make them drown-proof. Watch 

them closely while they’re in the pool; if one is missing, 

check the water first. Seconds count.

Keep rescue equipment and a phone by the pool, 

along with emergency numbers. Parents and other 

caregivers — such as grandparents, babysitters, and 

older siblings — who know CPR can greatly improve a 

drowning victim’s chances for survival. 

Ms. Walters was assigned to NAS Sigonella, Sicily.

Seconds Count in Preventing Poolside Tragedies

ONLINE RESOURCES

Safety Barrier Guidelines for Home Pools

http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/16575/pool.pdf 

Swimming and Water Safety

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/

swimming#learn-to-swim

Water Safety Guide

http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-guide/watersafety-guide/

In less than 10 seconds, with his mother less than 

20 feet away, my son had become a potential drowning 

victim. Now, years later and after his many swimming 

lessons, I worry less.

This personal experience highlights the fact that, 

according to the National Safety Council, drowning 

ranks as the seventh leading cause of injury deaths for all 

ages and the second leading cause of death in children 

ages 1-14. More than 3,300 people drowned in the U.S. 

in 2001, according to the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention. That figure doesn’t include drownings 

related to boating accidents. Statistics show that most 

drowning accidents occur in residential pools — at the 

victim’s own home. About 75 percent of the youngsters 

under age 5 who drown were not expected to be at or 

even near a pool; more than half of them were thought 

to be safely inside the house. Many times, they drown 

quickly and silently, without any splashing or screaming.

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 25
OFF-ROAD RIDING

We all have those special places that have unique meaning, 

evoke our best memories, and take us back to another time in our 

lives every time we visit them. For me, one of those special places 

is a part of the Mojave Desert, north of Castaic, Calif. It is a small 

town right out of the pages of the Old West: Trona.

MUSINGS OF A VETERAN RIDER

By Mario di Prete

T

he majority of my years were spent riding various 

styles of street bikes, from high-revving 2-strokes of 

the ’70s, to the modern superbikes like my Ducati 

1098. Intermingled were an eclectic collection of dirt 

and dual sport motorcycles, an obsessive hobby that 

delivered some of my most memorable experiences 

from my adolescence to present. 

My latest off-road trip to the desert had the classic 

underpinnings of a mid-life crisis: an older motorcyclist 

yearning to recapture some of his youth. I was searching 

for dusty isolated back roads that our forefathers may 

have taken when southwestern and central California 

was considered part of the Republic of Mexico. I found 

them last November through the BMW Off-Road 

Riding Academy located just off of I-5 in Castaic. I 

took a two-day, off-road training course on a R1200GS, 

followed by a two-day ride into the Mojave.

Training at the academy began after a hearty 

breakfast with cups of steaming hot coffee, punctuated 

with good conversation from riders who eagerly 

anticipated the day’s itinerary. After obligatory 

introductions, range orientation and safety brief, 

we were ushered to our awaiting bikes for the day’s 

exercises. The course covers everything from clutch/

throttle control, to negotiating deep sand washes, 

all on a 200-acre ranch discretely tucked away from 

civilization. These big off-road bikes command a lot 

of respect. It has been 33 years since BMW Motorrad 

founded the segment of large touring Enduro 

motorcycles. The “G” in GS stands for “Gelande” 

(terrain), the “S” stands for “Strasse” (road). The GS 

models earned victories in the Paris-Dakar races of 

the 1980s and quickly became the mount of choice 

for world adventure riders. These are heavy bikes with 

shorter travel suspension and expensive parts, compared 

to the spirited pace that’s possible on lighter bikes. 

Riding the “heavies” is a different kind of riding, like 

training with a medicine ball. The idea is not to smash 

into things so much as to roll steadily over or through 

them. This is no easy feat for a 500-plus pounds of 

motorcycle, capable of velocities well above posted 

speed limits. 

In keeping with the spirit of adventure, we 

pushed our bikes and ourselves under the watchful 

26 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
eyes of our coaches. 

During one downhill 

exercise, I punctured 

a tire while running 

a little wide in a turn 

and through some 

thorny vegetation. 

The coaches took 

advantage of my 

misfortune and turned 

it into a teachable 

moment by gathering 

riders around my 

crippled bike. They 

taught Tubeless Tire 

Repair 101 while I did 

the steps in sequence. 

This would turn out to be 

time well spent since I was 

not the only one who would 

experience this minor setback 

during the next few days. 

With the tire plugged and filled 

with air, I was back in the game 

learning how to negotiate my GS over 

loose, uneven terrain, all with increasing 

confidence. 

The following morning began with stuffing the 

pockets in my off-road riding jacket with trail snacks, 

journal, camera, sunscreen and other items that I might 

need for the two-day ride into the desert. With 3-liter 

CamelBak straps snugly fastened to my shoulders, I 

headed out to the staging area with 20 other likeminded 

adventure riders on similar bikes: mostly BMWs, a few 

Triumph Tigers and a Kawasaki KLR. While running 

through my pre-ride checklist searching for mechanical 

gremlins, I was also preparing mentally, keeping in mind 

that I have a wife, kids, and a job. Planning to end the 

day successfully and getting up the next morning ready 

to ride again was at the forefront of my mind. This is an 

actual visualization that I do while putting on the gloves 

These are heavy bikes with 

shorter travel suspension and 

expensive parts, compared to 

the spirited pace that’s possible 

on lighter bikes. 

Photo courtesy of the author

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 27
and helmet and the other ritualistic things that go along 

with getting my head wired on straight to go riding. As I 

mounted up, I was thinking about other ways to mitigate 

the risk so I could fully enjoy the ride deep into the desert.

The pace was steady, with regular rest breaks to 

drink much-needed water and take scenic photos. 

Surrounding the arid desert is a wide range of geological 

attractions, dramatic vistas, and historic curiosities. The 

Mojave is a welcoming base for exploring the region on 

adventure bikes. Small towns like Jawbone dot desolate 

stretches of two-lane, black-top back roads; we use these 

roads to connect some of the dirt trails together. These 

isolated towns seem to draw subsistence income from 

visiting off-road motorcyclists and motorists alike. It 

reminds one of what it must have been like during the 

early days of travel on Route 66.

Off-road, you won’t be skipping any whoops 

or flying high over jumps with these heavies. That’s 

where the training and experience come in. Patiently 

conquering an obstacle is the best course of action; 

consistency and predictability are more important than 

speed.

Given the harsh desert conditions and long 

distances between destinations, the ideal adventure 

motorcycle for exploring the area is capable of 65 mph 

or more on the empty two-lane highways. It must be 

willing to tackle sand and rock-strewn single-track trails.

The ride was great. No traffic, no thoughts of the 

daily grind of life, just the mechanical symphony of 

moving engine parts coming together in harmonic 

conversion on the black top. The taste of Mother Earth 

as you ride through dust plumes left by the rider in 

front of you, searching for the best line on the trails. 

The satisfaction that you were able to do all this with 

acquired skills and confidence is pure enjoyment!

Out in the Mojave, the sky provides half of the 

scenery. It’s a dazzling cobalt blue with a few cumulus 

puffs here and there. You see their shadows on the 

valley below. I can feel the warm breeze and I am greatly 

satisfied by the earthy smell. Right here, right now is 

when I succumb fully to relaxation and sit next to my 

motorcycle gazing upward into the brilliant blue sky. 

I have found my special place with unique meaning 

once more and will soon file it with my other motomemories.

Ride well.

Mr. di Prete is a safety specialist in the Base Safety Directorate, 

Marine Corps Base Hawaii. His previous article, “For the Love of Riding,” appeared in the fall-winter 2012 issue of Decisions magazine.

Off-road, you won’t be skipping 

any whoops or flying high 

over jumps with these 

heavies. That’s where 

the training and 

experience come in. 

Patiently conquering 

an obstacle is the 

best course of action; 

consistency and 

predictability are 

more important 

than speed.

Photo courtesy of BMW.com

28 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
The Navy’s new campaign called “Keep What 

You’ve Earned,” is designed to encourage 

responsible drinking among Sailors by focusing 

on the accomplishments in their Navy careers. 

“Being an advocate for responsible drinking is not 

only a leadership responsibility, it is a responsibility of 

every Sailor in the fleet,” said Chief of Naval Personnel 

and Total Force Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer April 

Beldo. “Together we have reduced the number of 

alcohol-related incidents and DUIs by almost half over 

the last five years. By drinking responsibly, you can 

continue to help bring these numbers down and make a 

difference in fleet readiness.”

According to Dorice Favorite, director of the 

Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (NADAP) 

program, Sailors drink primarily because of stress 

related to the workplace, their families and life changes 

— from boot camp to advancement exams, job training 

and deployments. “The ‘Keep What You’ve Earned’ 

campaign recognizes these challenges and encourages 

Sailors to drink responsibly to maintain their successful 

careers,” said Favorite. 

To address alcohol use from all angles, the new 

campaign actively engages alcohol-abuse prevention 

personnel, Navy leaders, local communities and Sailors 

as advocates for responsible drinking.

“Our Sailors are excited about this campaign’s 

launch because they were a part of its development,” 

said Cmdr. Jay Clark, commanding officer of the guidedmissile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80). 

Sailors from Roosevelt participated in a photo shoot 

to be used in posters and other print materials, then 

in an informal review of the products to see if they 

resonated with the core audience of young Sailors.

“We talk about responsible alcohol use constantly 

aboard Roosevelt, but it was nice to have the Navy 

include our Sailors in the development of something 

that affects them and their careers,” said Clark. 

“The safety and well-being of our Sailors is our top 

priority,” said Beldo. “Sailors endure many challenges 

during their first few years of enlistment and this should 

be recognized. It should not be treated as an excuse to 

drink. We all work together to create and maintain a 

responsible drinking environment, remind Sailors of 

their accomplishments and encourage positive decisions 

regarding alcohol.” 

NADAP facilitators encourage all units to discuss 

the importance of drinking responsibly. To facilitate 

these discussions, the campaign offers leadership talking 

points, posters, fact sheets and social media messages. 

These are available on the NADAP website, http://

www.nadap.navy.mil, under “What’s New.”

Navy Launches New Campaign 

Promoting Responsible Drinking

TIPS FOR SAILORS: EARN RANK – NOT A REPUTATION

You’ve worked hard for your career as a Sailor. Only one-third of 17 to 24 year olds in the United States are even eligible for 

Navy service, and even fewer are capable of enduring the physical and emotional challenges of being a Sailor. From boot 

camp to advancement exams, job training and deployments, you have conquered them all through hard work, sacrifice and 

dedication. 

Making responsible drinking choices is an extension of that dedication. Just one bad decision while drinking alcohol can jeopardize everything you’ve earned. Sailors involved in alcohol-related incidents face serious consequences, including:

•	 Loss of rank, rate or pay 

•	Separation from the Navy 

•	Civilian consequences, such as fines and jail time

Irresponsible drinking not only threatens your health and career, it threatens the Navy’s ability to be mission-ready.

FROM NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 29
DISTRACTED DRIVING

S

he struggles with her seat belt as she tries to 

comprehend what had just happened. The last 

thing she remembers was that she was driving 

60 mph when she got a text message on her cell 

phone. Thinking she had plenty of room between her 

and the vehicle ahead, she quickly glanced at the text 

message. The result: a six-car pile-up on the interstate 

that afternoon.

Reality dawns on her. Oh, my God. Did I kill anyone? 

Her thoughts are racing, heart pounding and fear 

settling in. She manages to get out of her car and looks 

around. For what seems like miles of mangled metal 

and broken glass, she sees cars at a standstill and people 

In the Blink of an Eye

The driver's car before the crash looked similar to the one shown here. (Photo courtesy of motortrend.com)

The driver’s car sustained irreparable damages (opposite page). (Photos courtesy of the author)

By Evelyn Odango

A 50-year-old woman drives her brand-new car along a busy highway in Northern 

Virginia. She drives with confidence; after all, she’s been driving for 30 years. In the blink 

of an eye, her life and five others hang in balance between reality and the unknown.

running toward the scene. Her car’s front-end is now 

smashed and unrecognizable. Despite the commotion 

before her and sirens blaring from a distance, she tries 

to answer questions from bystanders offering assistance. 

Miraculously she has no visible injuries. She now 

worries about the others. 

The emergency doctors at the hospital treat her for 

spinal sprain and minor contusions. She’s afraid to ask if 

anyone died in the accident, but the nurse tells her that 

all of the other drivers survived the crash. The driver 

of the car she hit has sustained non-critical soft-tissue 

injuries and will stay in the hospital. She and the others 

will be released that night. Although relieved, what she 

30 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
has to face next does not bode well. The authorities will 

make her account for her actions. 

A ticket for multiple counts of reckless driving looms 

over her like a dark cloud. In all her years of driving, she 

has not received any tickets, much less injured anyone. 

Reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia, 

punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to 

$2,500. The thought of prison is agonizing.

She soon afterward becomes embattled with 

insurance claims and legal proceedings. Although 

instrumental in keeping her out of jail, her lawyer costs 

her thousands of dollars. The inconvenience of totaling 

her new car has nothing on the nearly half-million 

dollars of compensation that her insurance company 

pays to the other drivers. 

One year has passed since that unforgettable crash. 

The effects, though, are still as real as the second she 

took her eyes off the road. Feelings of shame, fear, 

paranoia, and anger constantly reside within her. She 

frequently asks herself: How could I have been so stupid 

and irresponsible? Having to take the bus to go to 

work and not being able to attend out-of town family 

gatherings are insignificant outcomes. The thought that 

she or someone else could have been killed still makes 

her cringe. The thought that her daughter might have 

been orphaned that day makes her cry.

At her age, she didn’t think it could happen to her. She 

always has been the careful one, with years of experience. 

But she’s learned the hard way that the dangers of 

distracted driving don’t discriminate against age or 

gender. She may not have been the one texting, but the 

temptation to check who was sending the text has caused 

her a lot of angst and inconveniences for others. The quick 

second she thought she had that day has changed her life 

and five others in many ways.

As she talks about her experience, this mom — my 

sister — hopes for young and adult drivers to learn from 

her mistake. She emphasizes the value of not abusing 

and taking for granted our privilege to drive. She is more 

cautious now. She turns off the phone before driving and 

pulls over if texting is absolutely necessary. As she regains 

some normalcy in her life, I am grateful that she’s here 

today to share the lesson she has learned. I am grateful no 

one was badly injured or died that day. 

Head-on view of the car.

View of the front from the driver's side.

View of the front from the passenger's side.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Official U.S. Government Website for Distracted Driving – http://www.distraction.gov/ 

Cell Phone and Texting Laws – http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html 

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 31
Photo courtesy of Naval Research Lab

Disasters and emergencies 

strike quickly and without 

warning. They can happen 

anywhere, anytime. Whether 

you’re at home, at work, or at sea, 

preparedness is vital to rescue 

and survival.

Emergency 

Preparedness

This checklist features many recommendations 

from the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. 

Fleet Forces Command. Use it to build a comprehensive emergency kit that will help get you through 

most situations.

Should an event take place while you’re at a 

military installation, follow guidance from your 

security and safety managers. Make sure to update and 

verify your personal information in the Navy Family 

Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS). 

All Navy military and civilian personnel (including 

dependents and contractors) are required to update 

their information twice a year. NFAAS is the system 

used by the Navy to account for personnel and their 

families during widespread natural or man-made 

disasters. Hurricane Katrina, 2005 (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Jon Hyde)

EF5 Tornado, 2011 (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Ryan Sullivan)

32 SPRING-SUMMER 2013 SEA COMPASS 
Food and Water

q	One gallon of water per person, per day and canned 

or nonperishable food (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)

q	Special food items for elderly members and infants

q	Iodine tablets for water (available at sporting goods 

stores)

q	Manual can opener

q	Camp stove with fuel

q	Plastic utensils, plates and bowls

q	Cooking pots and pans

Medicine and First Aid

q	Prescription medications for each family member. 

Make a list with information for dosage, frequency 

and administration. 

q Pain relievers for both adults and children

q Anti-diarrheal and cough medicines; aspirin

q Insect repellent

q	Compression stockings to prevent blood clots (especially in situations where people sit or stand for 

extended periods)

q	First-aid kit with bandages in various sizes, sterile 

gauze pads, tweezers, antibacterial ointment, instant cold compress, oral thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass), non-latex gloves, scissors, antiseptic wipe packets, and first-aid instruction booklet 

Personal Hygiene and Sanitation

q Toothbrush, toothpaste and soap

q Contact lenses and lens cleaner 

q Antibacterial hand sanitizer 

q Toilet paper

q Baby supplies (diapers, bottles, wet wipes)

q Breathing masks (for areas where air quality is 

poor)

Communication Needs

q Flashlight (helpful for sending signals)

q Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA 

Weather Radio, if possible)

q Extra batteries (radio, flashlight and cell phone)

q Cell phone and charger (ideally one that works in 

the car)

q	Two-way radios

q	List of family members and contact information 

(include out-of-area relatives, work and personnel 

accountability roster – if you are a supervisor, include work and home numbers)

q	Whistle

Boating and Water Survival

q	U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person

q	Communication devices (flares, flag or smoke signals, flashlight, bell, whistle and horn/siren, cell 

phone, emergency contacts)

q Fire extinguisher

q Life raft or dinghy

q Ring buoys or reaching pole

q Personal locator beacon

q Food and water supplies

q Foul-weather gear

q First aid kit (onboard a vessel or near a pool)

Clothing and Protective Gear

q Emergency blankets or sleeping bags

q Towels

q Rain gear

q Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes

q Plastic sheeting or tarp

q Work gloves 

Other Basics

q Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)

q Copies of personal documents (proof of address, 

deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, 

insurance policies)

q Extra cash

q Map(s) of the area

q Extra set of car keys and house keys

q Duct tape, rope, string or bungee cord (to secure 

tarp or loose items)

q Plastic garbage bags

q Chlorine bleach (to use as a disinfectant)

q Matches in waterproof containers

q Utility knife

ONLINE RESOURCES

U.S. Coast Guard Boating Emergency Guide – http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/float_planning.aspx

American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Library – http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster-safety-library

Disaster Preparedness Plans from U.S. Fleet Forces Command – http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/pages/disaster_preparedness.aspx

Plan, Prepare and Mitigate – http://www.fema.gov/plan-prepare-mitigate

Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System – https://navyfamily.navy.mil

Checklist

SEA COMPASS SPRING-SUMMER 2013 33