Pierside Where Danger Lurks 8

Ergonomics Tool Backpack Saves Time, Improves Repair Process 12

Innovation Safety on the Cloud 14

Cover Story

Unexploded Ordnance

If you didn’t drop it, don’t pick it up

INAUGURAL ISSUE I SPRING 2012
CONT ENT S

NAVAL SAFETY CENTER 

TECHNICAL ADVISORS

The Communications and Marketing Department and 

Decisions magazine staff wish to thank the advisors, 

photographers, correspondents, contributors, and 

reviewers from the Naval Safety Center and the fleet for their 

assistance in creating this inaugural issue.

There is more to read on the back side of this inaugural 

issue. After page 17, flip the magazine to read about off-duty 

and recreation stories submitted by Sailors, Marines and 

civilians from all walks of life. 

ON THE COVER 

Explosive Ordnance Technician 

1st Class Ben Jones, assigned 

to Explosive Ordnance 

Disposal Mobile Unit One, 

gathers unexploded ordnance 

for disposal. (MC2 Joan E. 

Kretschmer/USN)

BACK COVER 

Eric Land carefully hikes the 

Canyon Trail above Lake Jenny 

at Grand Teton National Park 

in Jackson, Wyoming during 

an early summer hike. (Photo by 

John Land)

COVER STORY

If You Didn’t Drop It, Don’t Pick It Up 6

A mishap analyst can’t emphasize enough that curiosity is not 

part of the training when it comes to handling weapons and 

ammunition.

features

Pierside: Where Danger Lurks 8

An unassuming Navy pier presents elusive dangers that are 

easy to miss but can be anticipated with a well-managed safety 

program.

Tool Backpack Saves Time, 

Improves Repair Process 12

Ergonomics play a big part in the creation of a “boat bag” that 

saves time, tailors repair process and organizes tools for Puget 

Sound Naval Shipyard mechanics.

Safety on the Cloud 14

TRAINING AND LEARNING IN REAL TIME. Go beyond the 

traditional setting with innovative delivery through distance 

learning.

departments

From Commander, Naval Safety Center 3

RADM Brian Prindle welcomes our readers and endorses TCRM 

as one of the best resources for making the right choices.

Safety Matters 5

An injection of knowledge helps treat the safety allergy.

Best Practice 16

CNIC captures lessons learned and shares them for better 

strategies and improved shore readiness.

in every issue

On the Web Now 1 

Editor’s Notes 4

Occupational Health & Industrial Safety Programs

Steven Geiger, CSP Safety and Occupational Health Manager

steven.geiger@navy.mil

Installations and Industrial Safety Group Ring Ext. 7845

shore/ground Safety Programs

Training Safety division

LCDR Aubrey Hamlett Training Safety Division Head

aubrey.hamlett@navy.mil

Bobby Blackwell Training Safety, USMC

bobby.blackwell@navy.mil

Training Safety Division Group Ring Ext. 7841

traffic and recreation , off-duty Safety (RODS) division

Michael Borkowski Traffic/RODS Specialist (AAA/EVOC)

michael.borkowski@navy.mil

Lisa Johnson Traffic/RODS Specialist (Motorcycle)

lisa.l.johnson3@navy.mil

Traffic and RODS Division Group Ring Ext. 7842

weapons systems safety division

Boyzie Hayes Weapons Analyst (Shore)

boyzie.hayes@navy.mil 

GYSGT Amber Allison Explosives and Weapons Analyst (Ground/USMC)

amber.allison@navy.mil

Weapons Systems Safety Division Group Ring Ext. 7843

tactical systems safety division

GYSGT Joshua Holcomb Motor Transport OPS Chief

joshua.j.holcomb@navy.mil 

Casey Tweedell CMC Safety Division Liaison

casey.tweedell@usmc.mil

Tactical Systems Safety Investigations Group Ring Ext. 7844

DJRS/Jump Group Ring Ext. 7744

To contact a safety analyst by phone, call the main number, 757-444-3520 and dial the 

extension at any time during the greeting. 
DECISIONS

Commander, Naval Safety Center

RADM Brian C. Prindle

Deputy Commander

COL Mark W. Erb, USMC

Director, Shore and Ground Safety Programs

CAPT Len Friddle, USN

Director, Occupational Health & Industrial Safety Programs

James Culpepper

Director, Communications and Marketing

John Mahoney

Editorial Staff

Media Division Head

Derek Nelson

Editor

Evelyn Odango 

Design and Graphics

Allan Amen 

John W. Williams

Web Design and Management

Darlene Savage

editorial office

Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Attn: Decisions

375 A Street 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

757-444-3520, ext. 7220 (DSN 564-3520) 

Fax: 757-444-6791

Editor’s email: evelyn.odango@navy.mil 

General email: safe-decisions@navy.mil

Shore and Ground Safety Programs Directorate

Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Attn: Code 40 

375 A Street 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Shore Mishap Line: 444-3520, ext. 7840/7145

Fax: DSN 564-6044 

Shore safety email (USN): safe-code40@navy.mil 

Shore safety email (USMC): safe-ground@navy.mil

SUBMISSIONS 

Submit your stories or news items to: safe-decisions@navy.mil. Send letters to the editor to: evelyn.

odango@navy.mil or write directly to: Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Decisions, 375 A Street, 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399. Please refer to our “Writer Guidelines and Photo Requirements” available at 

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/documents/media/magazines/writer-photo_guidelines.pdf.

Contents and opinions expressed are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

Navy, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Photos and artwork are for illustrative 

purposes only, unless otherwise noted. Reference to commercial products or links to non-DoD 

resources do not imply Department of the Navy endorsement. Unless otherwise stated, material in this 

publication may be reprinted without permission; please credit the magazine and author. We reserve 

the right to edit all submissions for clarity and applicability.

subscription Services

U.S. MARINE CORPS: To subscribe, change address, or check on your subscription status, have your 

unit publications clerk access MCPDS. Decisions magazine’s PCN is 74000001900. U.S. COAST 

GUARD: Send address changes or changes to subscription to Commandant, USCG, CG-113, U.S. 

Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 2nd St., S.W., Washington, DC 20593.

Decisions magazine is published quarterly (print and online) and distributed to target audiences 

located at shore-based commands, deployed with aircraft squadrons and carrier groups, and DoD 

agencies. Decisions is published by Commander, Naval Safety Center, at 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 

23511-4399. Periodical postage paid at Norfolk, Va. 

Postmaster: Send address changes to Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Decisions, 375 A

Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399. 

Publisher and Owner: United States Navy 

Editor: Evelyn Odango 

Publication Office: Commander, Naval Safety Center, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Date of Publication: 1 May 2012 

Title of Publication: Decisions

ISSN: 2167-2431

ISSN: 2167-244X 

Frequency: Quarterly 

Issue Date: Spring 2012

No. of Copies Printed: 8,774

No. of Copies Distributed: 8,433 

No. of Copies Not Distributed: 341 

Total Copies Distributed/Not Distributed: 8,774

The Naval Safety Center Magazine for Shore, Ground & Industrial Operations

Inaugural Issue / Spring 2012 / Vo. 1, No. 1 On the Web Now

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

Safety Gouge

Naval Safety Center Blog

Derek Nelson, writer of the “Friday Funnies,” takes us into the 

world of needless mishaps and painless prevention in his new 

blog: “Beyond the Friday Funnies.” Check out weekly posts 

and links to popular sites like the “Photo of the Week” and 

humorous presentations.

www.twitter.com/NSC_Updates

www.youtube.com/navalsafetycenter

www.facebook.com/NavalSafetyCenter

Safety and occupational health 

training resources for safety petty 

officers and division officers. Safety 

Gouge will help you meet your 

bi-monthly training requirements, by 

providing short, to-the-point guides.

Visit the Naval Safety Center home 

page and click on “Safety Gouge.”

Decisions Online

Social Media Community

As always, you can connect with us in your social media 

community through these networks:

You can now take Decisions magazine 

with you as a PDF. Scan the code with 

your smartphone to download the full issue 

(data rates may apply). You must have the 

PDF reader app for this to work. For more 

information visit the Adobe website at www.

adobe.com/products/reader-mobile.html. 

You can also visit the Decisions home page 

at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/

media/decisions/index.aspx to download the 

magazine from your computer. Send us your 

comments and feedback at safe-decisions@

navy.mil and let us know how you like this 

new feature.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 1
 2 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
hen our team 

of safety 

experts at the 

Naval Safety 

Center and leaders in the 

Department of the Navy 

decided to create this 

new magazine, we knew calling it “Decisions” was 

fitting. This magazine’s mission is to make Sailors, 

Marines and civilians aware of the hazards they 

face every day — both at home and at work. This 

magazine is about combining the best information 

and resources to enable people to make the best 

possible risk decisions.

As the inaugural issue of this magazine comes 

out this spring, it will coincide with the rapid 

pace of activities at base installations or off-duty 

recreation centers. Whether people are lifting pallets 

at pierside, shooting targets at the range, or hiking 

the Appalachian Trail, I am certain their focus is on 

the job and not on making a mistake and hurting 

someone. During a typical work day, tasks are laid 

out and resources are made available to personnel to 

minimize risks. That sounds pretty simple, doesn’t 

it? It actually is.

We all know that our decision-making ability 

starts the minute the brain wakes up in the morning. 

We train ourselves to recall a set of actions from 

the moment we climb out of bed to the time we 

leave the house. In our Navy and Marine Corps 

organizations, we are trained to practice operational 

risk management to successfully ensure readiness 

and accomplish the mission. A key component of 

this is time-critical risk management, or TCRM, a 

process that an individual or a crew needs to use to 

respond appropriately in a constrained timeframe.

Just like the process people use from waking 

up to leaving the house, to getting in the car to 

driving to work or somewhere else, they maintain 

their situational awareness because they want to 

accomplish the task. Because conditions can change 

with little or no warning and impact our lives 

significantly, we must be ready and alert at all times.

Every one of us is responsible for minimizing 

the potential for error that will likely cause a threat 

FROM COMMANDER, NAVAL SAFETY CENTER

to a team, mission or task. We have to assess the 

threats, anticipate that they will pop up when we 

least expect it, and ensure we know what to do so 

we can make good time-critical decisions. We have 

the ability and resources to do the right thing for 

our friends, families and shipmates. All of us — not 

just senior leaders — understand the value of our 

irreplaceable human resources: Sailors, Marines and 

civilian workers. 

The Department of Defense is making 

significant advances in technology to help us better 

manage our material and human resources, but there 

is still much that can be done to keep our mishap 

numbers down. Decisions magazine is your vehicle 

to report mishaps, share information, tell stories, 

ask questions, or announce innovations. When 

people decide to not communicate, that’s when they 

fail at their task or jeopardize their mission. Poor 

communication increases the potential for human 

error to occur. In contrast, open communication and 

free sharing of lessons learned allows a large number 

of people to benefit from the experience of a few. 

Help make Decisions magazine your source 

for practical and actionable solutions; lessons 

learned and best practices; safety programs that 

protect and serve; and articles that target key 

issues and initiatives. Life’s hard lessons are worth 

telling and can become good teachers. Decisions

magazine will publish your first-hand stories and 

close-call anecdotes for the purpose of continuous 

improvement. 

Our organization is constantly changing, and we 

must be able to respond at all times, as individuals 

and as a team. Your stories will remind us that we 

possess a unique set of skills — the ability to make 

intelligent decisions — which must be practiced 

consistently to make a difference. We want to hear 

from you and look forward to reading your stories in 

future online and printed editions. Inform others, be 

informed–make good decisions!

RADM Brian”BC” Prindle

The Best Resources

for the Right Choices

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 3
EDITOR’S NOTES

Mishap Prevention Is Personal

By Evelyn Odango Mishaps are worse for the victims. Knowing that we didn’t do 

our part to prevent a mishap can be agonizing, as well.

ur business is risky and dangerous. From 

FY05-11, 1,199 Sailors and Marines died 

in mishaps, and 61,977 were injured. The 

Naval Safety Center staff constantly sifts 

through class A, B, C or D reports, looking for ways 

to improve our mishap-prevention efforts. We do 

this because the Navy is entrusted with the safe 

employment of our nation’s most vital, capable and 

promising resource: the young men and women of 

our Navy and Marine Corps.

When we entered into a covenant relationship with 

them, we assumed a moral obligation to respond to 

their needs. We promised to provide them resources 

so they may manage risk on and off duty. But how safe 

are we keeping them? What do their futures hold? 

Many of our long-term mishap rates are 

decreasing. Nevertheless, preventable mishaps exact 

unacceptable costs in personnel and equipment. 

Personal motor vehicle crashes remain a leading 

cause of mishap deaths, accounting for 65 percent 

(778 deaths) from FY05-11. Right behind PMV as 

the leading cause of death is recreation and off-duty 

mishaps at 15 percent (184 deaths). 

The publication of this new magazine couldn’t 

have come at a better time. Decisions magazine is your 

newest medium to provide information and resources 

to try to stem the tide of these losses. The articles 

in this inaugural issue offer you a chance to become 

involved and make managing safety a personal issue.

 The cover story by Gunnery Sgt. Amber Allison 

focuses on making mishap prevention a personal 

goal by sticking to what training teaches us. Mass 

Communication Specialist 1st Class Monique Hilley 

and Patrick Foughty tell you how to anticipate risk 

and manage a safety program in their story about 

pierside dangers. Safety officers can now access 

training online through an innovative distance 

learning system, reports Alfred Melcher from the 

Naval Safety and Environmental Training Center.

Some of you look for ways to improve processes to 

save not only time, but also improve personal safety 

and health, as Trevor Krick writes from PSNS&IMF 

Bangor, Wash. You can also read about an eyewitness 

account of something unusual going on outside a local 

base by Information Technology 1st Class (SW/EXW) 

Richard Hoeppner. What would you have done if you 

had witnessed this unusual event? 

The articles and stories in this magazine have 

been written because someone didn’t pay attention or 

a procedure was not in place. This is your magazine. 

Use it to tell everyone about the good decisions 

you’ve made or how you may have saved a life, why 

your best practice could work for someone else, or 

who might learn from a lesson you’ve learned from a 

bad choice you made. 

Thank you for helping us create this inaugural 

edition. Let us know how we can improve Decisions

magazine’s future printed and online issues. 

US Navy Photo

 4 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
By Doug York

ome people seem allergic to safety. They don’t 

follow precautions. They are in too much of a 

hurry. They don’t know the procedures, or if 

they know them, they take shortcuts or don’t 

follow them at all. If they are supervisors, they don’t 

seem interested in risk management.

The results of safety allergies are obvious: 

bandages, crutches, limps, bruises, light-duty chits, 

and knee braces. Sufferers often miss days of work. 

They ask someone to repeat every other word in a 

conversation. These people have already learned the 

hard way. However, there are ways to avoid all this.

Identifying the Risk

The first step in the ORM process tells us that 

we must identify the hazards. You can’t prevent 

safety allergies if you don’t identify the possible 

causes of mishaps. Many of the risks in your jobs 

have been engineered out or administratively 

controlled, but there are other risks that you have to 

identify and control. Don’t rely on someone else to 

do it for you. Next, continue the ORM process. Once 

you have assessed the hazards, make sure you have 

the resources you need — personnel and equipment. 

Decide on risk controls. Monitor those procedures 

and make sure they are working. If you detect new 

problems, flex. Continuously observe and review the 

process; make changes or corrections as necessary.

Setting Up an Allergy-Free Work Environment

Even though it may be workers who are having 

the mishaps, supervisors are critical. For starters, 

they have to provide complete, timely and accurate 

training. They have to set an example. They also 

have to be willing to stop any unsafe work, resisting 

the pressure to get a job done at any cost. If 

workers detect that they haven’t been fully trained, 

they need to speak up. They need to keep an eye 

on their habits and make sure they aren’t getting 

sloppy. When new or unrecognized risks crop up, 

workers need to communicate with their coworkers 

and supervisor to figure out how to keep it from 

derailing the task.

Regular allergies are easy to spot when they 

cause sneezing, runny noses and red eyes. A 

classic safety allergy — complacency — is harder 

to spot, but it continues to be lethal. Just because 

you haven’t had a mishap recently doesn’t mean 

everything is fine. Check the checklist. Pay 

attention. Take a few minutes to run through some 

“what if” scenarios. Take action to monitor for 

change. The result: missions accomplished, resources 

preserved, personnel protected. 

Mr. York, a retired Navy aviation ordnanceman, is an 

occupational safety and health specialist in the NAS 

Norfolk Sewells Point Safety Office Training Department.

Treating the

Step one in avoiding safety allergies is to get the big picture on the rules, procedures, 

risks and hazards. Although OPNAV instructions aren’t the most fascinating reading in 

the world, they are absolutely necessary, because they set the foundation on which 

local safety programs are built. You may need to be familiar with the following series:

OPNAVINST 5100.23 (Ashore)

OPNAVINST 5100.19 (Afloat)

29 CFR 1910 (OSHA)

OPNAVINST 5100.12 (Navy traffic safety)

OPNAVINST 5100.25 (Recreational home safety)

OPNAVINST 3500.39 (ORM)

Industrial Hygiene Survey

SAFETY MATTERS

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 5
By GYSGT Amber Allison

ne of my duties at the Naval Safety Center 

is to analyze mishaps. Sometimes, all I can 

do is shake my head and wonder what was 

going through a service member’s head 

when he knowingly did something he knew was 

wrong.

Here’s an example involving unexploded 

ordnance (UXO):

While alone during land-navigation training, I 

found a green-star cluster flare in some woods. 

I hadn’t had a chance to use this flare or to see 

it work. I picked it up and angled it down, so 

that when it went off I wouldn’t get in trouble. 

I hit the flare as hard as I could but it would 

not go off. I started banging it against a tree. 

Whooossshhh! The green stars went shooting 

straight through the trees. The main part of the 

flare landed near a small stream which enabled 

me to put out the small fire that had started.

Other people aren’t so lucky. Another Marine 

picked up an odd-looking bundle on a remote part 

of a base in Iraq. It was wrapped in several layers of 

cloth and medical tape. Why not unwrap it and find 

out what is inside? Here’s why: It exploded as he 

held it, burning and cutting his face and hands.

Even worse is when someone unwittingly injures 

someone else. A common phrase during range 

sweeps is, “If it doesn’t grow, it goes.” That’s what 

one Marine did, picking up everything he could 

find and putting it in ammo cans. Weeks (maybe 

months) later, another Marine was sorting dunnage 

from range sweeps and came across one of those 

cans. He was alone in a warehouse, removing lids 

and certifying that the cans were empty, so they 

Don’t Pick It Up

If You Didn’t Drop It,

could be turned in to the Defense Reutilization and 

Marketing Office.

The can contained an artillery simulator 

that appeared to be unused. Certified to handle 

ammunition, he picked it up and turned it over to 

inspect it. Too late, he realized that the safety cap was 

missing, and that the simulator was a dud picked up on 

range sweep. It exploded in his hand, inflicting secondand third-degree burns to his face and hand. Disfigured 

and needing skin grafts, he was taken by medevac to a 

burn center, where he spent the next month recovering.

The saddest case I’ve had to investigate 

involves two war-hardened EOD techs who were 

inerting some UXO brought to them by foreign 

nationals. Instead of detonating it in place, they 

decided to inert it to get in some “valuable” 

MC2 Joan E. Kretchmer/USN

cover story

 6 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
“It exploded in his hand, inflicting second-and-third 

degree burns to his face and hand.”

training. While using a handsaw to make some 

cuts on the ordnance, one of them made a bad 

choice by using a battery-powered saw. The two 

techs weren’t wearing the PPE for the job. The 

UXO exploded, killing one, severely wounding 

another, and giving minor injuries to a bystander.

UXO is dangerous; it can injure or indiscriminately 

kill, regardless of your professional qualifications. 

Recognize the hazard and follow the rules.

DEALING WITH UXO

 After identifying potential UXO, don’t move 

closer to it. Some types of ordnance have magnetic 

or motion-sensitive proximity fuzing that may 

detonate when they sense a target. Others may have 

built-in self-destruct timers.

 Don’t transmit on a radio in the vicinity of 

suspected UXO. Signals transmitted from walkietalkies, short-wave radios, citizens’ band (CB) radios, 

or other communication and navigation devices may 

detonate the UXO.

 Don’t try to remove any object on, attached to, 

or near UXO. Some fuzes are motion-sensitive.

 Don’t move or disturb UXO; the motion could 

activate the fuze.

 Mark the area near the UXO with the 

standard marker or with materials such as engineer 

tape, colored cloth, or colored ribbon. Attach the 

marker to an object so that it is about three feet off 

the ground and visible from all approaches. Place 

the marker no closer than the point where you first 

recognized the UXO hazard.

 Leave the UXO hazard area.

 Report the UXO to the EOD authorities.

 Stay away from areas of known or suspected 

UXO.

Gunnery Sgt. Allison is an explosives and weapons analyst 

at the Naval Safety Center.

Simulator, projectile ground burst M115A2 (DODIC L594)

Visit the Summary of Mishaps archives to read 

more not-so-great decisions made by our Sailors 

and Marines, and learn from their mistakes.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/

funnies/funnies.aspx

This Just In

One Bad Decision Burns Marine’s Face

While conducting a land navigation course, an SNM 

found and intentionally lit the flash powder from an 

artillery simulator, resulting in burns to his face. SNM 

was aware of, and had been briefed on, the dangers 

of unexploded ordnance. He, however, disregarded 

these safety briefings and proceeded to perform an 

unsafe act. 

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 7
By MC1 (SW/AW) Monique K. Hilley and 

Patrick Foughty

Photographs by John Land

Pierside:

Where Danger Lurks

ith a quick show of credentials 

or military identification, one 

can access one of the most 

dangerous environments in the Navy. 

It’s a place where misfortune lurks 

behind every corner, where the slightest 

misstep can result in tragedy. While it 

may seem docile, a Navy industrial pier 

can present any number of hazards. In 

many cases, those working or visiting 

them may be unaware of just how 

dangerous a pier can be.

Stopping for a moment as you pass through the gate and 

onto the pier, it’s easy to notice the many moving pieces all 

around. Ships are being moored as lines are tied to bollards. 

Cranes lift pallets onto ships preparing for departure. 

Forklifts and tractors whiz by. Open fuel and collection, 

holding and transfer (CHT) stations buzz in operation. 

Personnel hustle on the pier, oblivious to what else is going 

 8 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
on around them. On a rainy or windy day this tempo 

changes dramatically. Danger increases as the pier 

and brows to the ship become more slippery by the 

hour, and as objects being lifted begin to sway. 

In the past, the Navy has taught its Sailors 

to be mindful of potential dangers and to always 

keep their heads on a swivel. Aviators might say 

you need to maintain good SA, or “situational 

awareness,” when working in any industrial 

environment. But often those safety lessons are 

associated with operations on flight decks or 

during underway replenishments (UNREPs) and 

other at-sea evolutions. And while a pier might not 

seem to have the danger level of at-sea evolutions, 

the dangers it does present can be more elusive 

and easy to miss, making one’s SA on the pier all 

the more important. 

This is where Commander, Navy Installations 

Command (CNIC) comes in. CNIC has designed 

a safety program that addresses concerns and 

incorporates safety at all levels of the chain of 

command. The concept of CNIC’s deck plate 

safety program is to identify and focus on the core 

components necessary to reach every person in the 

organization. 

CNIC Director of Operations Capt. Frank 

Martin encourages Sailors to look first to prevention 

awareness of their surroundings. He and his team 

of safety experts ensure that CNIC has a program 

in place that can be used at all levels, can address 

specific pier safety issues and can provide steps to be 

taken if an incident occurs.

The program covers much more than just pier 

safety, mandating that each installation have at least 

the following:

 established policy

 safety rules

 training

 emergency action

 checklist if unsafe/unhealthful conditions exist

 reporting procedures

 incident investigation

 safety committee 

T

he overall program is rooted in OPNAV 

Instruction 5100.23G, which requires each 

region and installation to establish a safety and 

occupational health policy. 

“Some precautions are based on lessons learned 

from prior incidents and near-misses,” said Richard 

Maiello, CNIC’s deputy safety program director. 

“Controls have been put in place because mooring 

lines snapped while tying a ship to the pier or pallets 

fell while being loaded onto ships. These are not 

worst-case scenarios made up by overly prudent 

safety officers,” Maiello said. “Rather, they are 

dangerous realities of the environment in which 

Sailors work. Knowing the rules associated with the 

pier you’re working on is vital to your safety.”

Regular, specific training makes a major 

difference. A variety of safety training topics 

are available through the CNIC safety program, 

including general awareness, refresher, and job 

specific training that can be provided through 

computer based training, in the classroom, or on the 

job. Each person working on the pier is responsible 

for knowing the precautions and standards in order 

to avoid accidents.

Personnel must also know how to deal with 

emergency situations, including first aid, fire, 

natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. The deck 

plate safety program at each installation addresses 

specific procedures for emergency actions at each 

workplace, practicing what to do in the event of 

any emergency. 

Risk management is everyone’s responsibility. 

With that in mind, an effective safety program 

Opposite page and above photos: Crane and barge operations in 

Norfolk, Va.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 9
allows personnel to participate at all levels of the 

organization. At a minimum, all personnel must 

understand how to communicate identified unsafe 

or unhealthful conditions in the workplace. The 

new program allows for specific procedures to be 

put in place at each installation for employees to 

report unsafe/unhealthful conditions as well as make 

informal safety suggestions. If there is something that 

doesn’t seem safe in the work environment, report it. 

Prevention is the key to a good safety program.

When prevention fails and consequently 

leads to accidents, timely and accurate reporting is 

important to ensure proper investigation. Identifying 

factors — human or mechanical — will prevent 

future occurrences. Deck plate safety programs must 

outline specific procedures for employees to report 

all near-misses, incidents and mishaps. 

Safety rules and procedures are approved and 

issued by senior leadership, but they are generated by 

the local safety committee. This group is designated 

by the commanding officer to develop policy that 

ensures all those working in hazardous environments 

know the precautions needed to work safely. The 

committee usually consists of a combination of 

supervisory, non-supervisory and support staff 

members and can include both military and civilian 

personnel of any pay grade. They meet at least 

quarterly to develop safety rules and procedures. 

They also recommend policy changes based on 

mishap, near-miss incidents, patterns and trends. 

The committee also reviews mishaps and near-miss 

incidents, recommends improvements to the safety 

program and identifies corrective measures needed to 

eliminate or control hazards. 

When on any Navy pier, no work task should 

ever be performed without taking precautions and 

managing risk. Safety rules ensure that all military 

and civilian personnel know about the hazards that 

are present, and understand the control measures. 

By knowing the rules and being aware of the 

environment around them, personnel can help the 

Navy stay safe and, quite possibly, save a life. 

MC1 Hilley and Mr. Foughty are with Commander, Navy 

Installations Command Public Affairs Office. Mr. Land 

is with Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 

Mid-Atlantic.

An MV-22 Osprey being hoisted by a crane onto a flight deck.

 10 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
OSHA estimates that approximately 100 employees die and 95,000 

employees are injured every year while operating powered industrial 

trucks. Forklifts that turn over account for a significant number of 

these fatalities. All precautions and operator requirements regarding the safe operation of equipment must be applied and strictly 

enforced. 

General Precautions: 

• Wear the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), such as 

hard hats, safety shoes, eye and ear protection.

• Do not stand on or pass under the elevated portion of any materials handling equipment (MHE), whether the MHE is loaded or 

empty.

• Make sure that there is enough headroom to operate the MHE

under beams, lights, pipes, sprinkler systems and other overhead 

items.

• Don’t put your arms or legs between the uprights of a mast.

• Don’t engage in stunt driving or horseplay. Don’t spin the wheels 

or race an engine.

• Never permit riders on the MHE or a load.

• If the MHE is equipped with seatbelts or other restraints, don’t 

remove them. Keep them in repair. Wear them for all operations 

with the exception of shipboard and pierside operations; in that 

case, it is at the discretion of the CO/OIC following an operational 

assessment.

• Never leave the driver’s seat while the MHE is in motion or when 

the forks are elevated above the ground or deck.

HANDLIN G SAFETY

Take the following precautions during all handling operations:

• Check the load before fully lifting the forks or moving the MHE. 

• Each of the adjustable forks should always be spaced an equal 

distance from the centerline of the MHE.

• Do not exceed the safe working load (SWL).

• Never lift more than one pallet or container unless it is strapped 

together as a unit 

• Never lift loosely stacked loads that extend above the backrest on 

the fork.

• For optimum stability, forks should be adjusted to the maximum 

width the load will accept.

• Place the load as close to the mast as possible. Then slowly raise 

the load slightly and carefully tilt mast backward to stabilize the 

load

• Use extreme care when tilting the load forward or backward, 

particularly when high-tiering.

PREC AUTI ONS DURIN G MOVEMENT S

Prior to any movement operation, take the following precautions: 

• Check floors, decks, dockplates and ramps for breaks, cracks, or 

other indications of structural weaknesses. 

• All portable dockplates and ramps must be properly secured to 

prevent any movement during MHE operations.

• Make sure trailers and railcars are chocked (railcars on piers don’t 

require chocking).

• Keep one hand on the steering wheel. MHE will not automatically 

return to straight forward or reverse travel direction. 

• Cell phones and other distractions are prohibited while MHE is in 

motion or the forks are elevated.

• Obey all traffic and fire regulations, including speed limits.

• Under all travel conditions, operate the MHE at a speed that will 

allow you to safely stop.

• Keep a clear view in the direction of travel.

• Travel with the load as close to floor or deck as practical. 

• Make all starts, stops, turns, or directional reversals in a smooth 

manner so as not to shift the load or overturn the MHE.

• Keep a safe distance from the edge of elevated docks, ramps, 

platforms, freight cars and safety nets. 

• Slow down when approaching danger points such as downgrades, 

curves, narrow travel areas, wet or oiled floors, wet or slippery 

railroad tracks, and rough surfaces.

• Do not jam on brakes.

• Driving MHE downgrades with the forks or forklift attachments 

facing downhill may make the MHE unstable and may make you 

lose control.

• Ascend or descend grades slowly.

• Don’t turn on an incline.

• Don’t try to enter a building through partly opened doors. The 

doors must be fully open and secured before proceeding.

• Before driving over a dockboard or bridgeplate, be sure it is 

secured from lateral movement. 

• Drive carefully and slowly across dockboards or bridgeplates.

Steps to Forklift Safety

References: These precautions were taken from NAVSUP Publication 538, Management 

of Materials Handling Equipment (0530-LP-642-6711, Fifth Revision), and Shipboard 

Mobile Support Equipment, Chapter 5 (Operational Safety Requirements). Please refer 

to these publications for in-depth explanations of precautions for operating MHE.

Labels and markings that should be present on MHE

Visit the Decisions magazine home page for links to the MHE

Inspection Form and the Inspection Criteria.

Reviewed by Steve Geiger, CSP 

Safety and Occupational Health Manager, Naval Safety Center

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 11
hen tool bags no longer do their job 

the way they are supposed to, it’s time 

to trade up. That’s what the hydraulics 

shop mechanics at the Puget Sound 

Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance 

Facility (PSNS & IMF), Bangor did. They had 

two good reasons: to save their backs and to keep 

their tools together.

The hydraulics shop (Shop 31F) mechanics 

do a lot of back shop work (work not performed 

shipboard), but they also have an important role 

aboard boats in supporting unrestricted operations 

testing, also dubbed as URO-16. While they are very 

good at what they do, an evaluation of their current 

processes, along with a brainstorming session, 

revealed an opportunity for improvement. The team 

discovered the tool bag used for boat work slowed 

them down and caused unnecessary churn. 

The “boat bag” was far from standard. While 

the URO-16 discrepancies accounted for most of 

the shop’s onboard workload, the bag was tooled for 

troubleshooting nearly all hydraulic issues. When a 

job was assigned, a mechanic would grab the generic 

assortment of common tools, special tools, fittings and 

software, all of which were haphazardly thrown into 

the various pockets of the tool bag. A bag inventory, 

if conducted, was based on the mechanic’s memory 

of tools required for the job; required items might be 

forgotten. So, after minutes of treasure hunting in a 

disorganized bag, a missing tool would result in a trip 

off the boat to the Delta Pier (where submarines are 

maintained.) tool room, or even back to the main shop 

building miles away. 

The bag was anything but ergonomic. With one 

strap, the boat bag would hang off the shoulder, 

placing an uneven load on the body. Navigating 

ladders and tight spaces was a problem. The 31F 

hydraulics mechanics knew what characteristics they 

wanted in the new bag. That’s where the PSNS & 

IMF “Moonshine Lab” came in.

Saves Time, Improves Repair Process

Tool Backpack

By Trevor Krick

Adapted from Salute newsletter, Nov. 23, 2011

ERGONOMICS

Before

After

 12 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
MM2 Dean Frescura, from the PSNS & 

IMF, Bangor repair division’s hydraulic 

branch, models the proper wear of 

the new backpack “boat bag.” The 

slim size of the backpack provides not 

only hands-free carrying, but ease of 

navigation in tight spaces. (Photos 

courtesy of Salute.)

The Moonshine Lab is a small group that 

specializes in rapid prototyping of concepts 

brought to them from the work force. Lean 

Six Sigma Black Belt Tim Deverin, who works 

in the repair division, is the link between 

Shop 31F and the Moonshine Lab. From a 

description of the bag’s function, Leo Cooper of 

the Moonshine Lab redesigned and customized 

a new boat bag. After several rounds of beta 

testing, a final product was developed.

The Shop 31F mechanics have realized a 

substantial return on their investment of time 

and effort spent on the project. What once was 

just a bag with tools is now a backpack that 

completely unzips, hangs virtually anywhere 

and allows process-specific point-of-use 

tooling. The mechanics found it has impacted 

nearly every step of their process, from tooling 

up for a job to performing the actual work. 

They calculate that using this backpack will 

reduce time spent searching for tools by 91 

man-hours per year. 

More importantly, when a mechanic arrives 

on the boat to do a job, he has every tool he 

needs, packed ergonomically. No more trips to 

the tool room. No more lost hours traveling back 

to the shop. No more tool-related churn. 

Mr. Krick is an embedded Lean Six Sigma Black 

Belt in the hydraulics shop of Puget Sound Naval 

Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, 

Bangor, Wash. 

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 13
Training and Learning in Real Time

Safety Cloud on the

By Alfred Melcher

afety specialists, technicians, and 

collateral-duty safety personnel 

assigned to shore installations 

can now take advantage of a 

technology-advanced learning system 

offered by the Naval Safety and 

Environmental Training Center. It is a 

blended online version of the Introduction 

to Navy Occupational Safety and Health 

Ashore (INA) course.

innovation

 14 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
This course is a critical requirement for 

these personnel, who are the Navy’s front line in 

implementing, maintaining and managing safety 

programs ashore.

The INA course covers key subject areas, including:

 safety, environmental and occupational health 

programs

 mishap causes, and

 recognizing, evaluating and controlling hazards.

Until recently, students had to attend a four-day 

course in Norfolk or take the training at one of the 

few video tele-training (VTT) facilities operated 

by Naval Education Training Command. In either 

case, students had to travel to the location where 

the training was offered, which was expensive and 

time-consuming. Naval Safety and Environmental 

Training Center partnered with the Naval 

Postgraduate School to use their hosted Sakai*

environment. Sakai is an open-source, collaborative 

learning environment that provides tools for creating 

courses and shared-project sites in a web-portal 

environment. 

Distance Learning on the Cloud

Course architecture includes the real-time 

conferencing capability of Adobe Connect,** through 

Defense Connect Online (DCO). Students can 

complete individual research and assignments and 

attend live group sessions with the instructor, all 

from the same web portal.

Since Sakai and DCO are Java- and Flashbased applications that reside on the server cloud, 

students and instructors connect via their web 

browser. This allows access from practically any 

computer with a broadband internet connection. 

Students have connected from ships, offices, home 

and even internet cafés.

“Providing flexible access to distance-learning 

environments is critical for our fleet customers 

around the globe,” said NAVSAFENVTRACEN 

Commanding Officer Cmdr. Greg Cook. “It helps 

lower costs and increases training compliance across 

the force.”

Context Is King

The INA course on Sakai contains 32 

curriculum hours, the same as the resident and 

VTT versions. However, with Sakai, students 

play the role of a new safety specialist within a 

naval station environment, complete with industry 

trappings like aircraft repair hangars, ammo 

storage sites, ship repair facilities and a variety of 

office settings. This rich environment is overlaid 

with scenarios and timelines that challenge 

students with events that require real-world 

problem solving, using OPNAV instructions and 

best practices.

“The course immerses the student in reallife situations where they have to solve actual 

safety-related problems. This provides a context 

beyond what can often be done in the traditional 

classroom environment,” said Ray Maxwell, a 

NAVSAFENVTRACEN course manager.

As students work through the scenarios, they 

must answer thought-provoking questions, requiring 

research, analysis and decision-making that will 

better prepare them for actual jobs. The scenario 

work is complemented by a number of short, live, 

virtual-classroom sessions with the instructor, using 

Adobe Connect. 

NAVSAFENVTRACEN provides safety and 

environmental training across the Navy and Marine Corps. 

In FY11, the command trained more than 9,200 students at 

more than 40 locations worldwide, using resident, videoteletraining and blended-distance learning.

*Sakai is an open-source educational software platform distributed 

under the Educational Community License.

**Defense Connect Online uses Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro, which is 

a product and trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Mr. Melcher is a standards learning officer at 

NAVSAFENVTRACEN

Providing flexible access to distance-learning 

environments is critical for our fleet customers 

around the globe. — Cmdr. Greg Cook

 Commanding Officer, NAV SAFENVTRACEN

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 15
Navy personnel and civilians are valuable sources of knowledge, 

information and expertise. Their ideas can produce benefits, save 

costs, improve safety, and increase productivity.

Sharing Lessons Learned

By Alonzo Branch

fter-action reports following real-world 

events and exercises are an excellent way 

to leverage the professional knowledge 

and experience of Commander, Navy 

Installation Command’s Sailors, civilians and 

contractors. These reports are critical to analysis 

and development of corrective action plans and 

mitigation strategies.

One of the “best practices” for the Training and 

Readiness Shore Response Plan Branch (CNIC N72) 

is the Shore Lessons Learned Program (SLLP), 

which shares information and learning across the 

CNIC shore enterprise. The program provides a way 

to review commandwide issues, ensuring they are 

tracked, resolved, and verified. 

“The SLLP’s vision is to ensure knowledge gained 

through this process is shared with all stakeholders,” 

said Bill Clark, training and readiness shore response 

plans branch head of CNIC N72. Clark added that by 

sharing, it enables implementation as best practices 

and formulation of doctrine, organization, training, 

material, leadership and education, personnel, and 

facilities (DOTMLPF) solutions to enhance overall 

shore readiness. 

SLLP connects existing lessons-learned 

initiatives. It provides a series of tools that make it 

easier to transfer learning and information, involving 

a broad network of individuals and contributors.

SLLP is more than a single system or process. 

It is a multifaceted initiative that uses information 

technologies to link site lessons-learned programs, 

rapidly transfer time-critical lessons learned, 

share information to key points of contact, report 

upcoming events such as conferences and workshops, 

and provide access to pertinent information available 

outside of the CNIC community.

Smart Repository

CNIC observations and recommendations 

(O&Rs) reside within the Joint Lessons Learned 

Repository (JLLR), giving regions and installations 

access to all shared information maintained within 

the repository. Knowledge gained from previous 

O&Rs enables commanders and organizations to 

improve situations, techniques and processes to 

better perform assigned tasks and missions. The 

overall quality of information within the JLLR is 

directly linked to the quality of submissions received 

via after-action reports (AARs).

The Joint Lessons Learned Information System 

(JLLIS) was designed to be used as a DoDwide 

system to enable the collection, analysis and 

distribution of O&Rs and best practices across the 

full spectrum of DoD operations worldwide. 

JLLIS is the tool used in the database that 

contains more than 10,000 O&Rs. JLLIS is the 

Navy’s system of record for observations, lessons 

Lessons Learned Process Overview

BEST PRACTICE

 16 DECISIONS Inaugural Issue
LESSONS LEARNED WEBSITES

Navy Lessons Learned  https://www.jllis.mil/navy

Joint Lessons Learned NIPR  https://www.jllis.mil

Joint Lessons Learned SIPR  http://www.jllis.navy.smil.mil

Department of Homeland Security Lessons Learned  https://www.llis.dhs.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency Lessons Learned  https://www.llis.dhs.gov/index.do

Center for Army Lessons Learned  http://usacac.army.mil

Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned  https://www.mccll.usmc.mil

Air Force University Lessons Learned  http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/awc-lesn.htm#writing

Naval Operational Medical Lessons Learned Center  https://www.jllis.mil/nomi/

and AARs and is available via SIPRnet and 

NIPRnet. Any Navy member, military or civilian, 

can input their observations into JLLIS. Insights 

added to JLLIS by CNIC personnel can improve 

(DOTMLPF) as a whole. Since JLLIS is a joint 

database, these lessons learned can also be shared 

with the rest of the Navy and other services.

“If there is a better way to do business, that’s 

what we want to know,” said Randy Morgan, CNIC 

N7’s training and readiness program director. 

This tool can point to a requirement and give 

commanders the justification to adjust their budgets 

and manpower to meet that requirement.” 

Capturing Lessons Learned

The Navy Lessons Learned Center gives 

all commands a comprehensive tool to continue 

to improve support provided to fleet and 

shore commands. The Naval Lesson Learned 

Information System, a component of the U. S. 

Navy, was established in 2004 at the direction of 

the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCSM 

3150.25) to provide a central repository of past 

experiences and solutions related to every aspect 

of operations. One of its most important roles is to 

ensure that after-action reports, O&Rs, and inputs 

to surveys are passed on to those involved in the 

decision-making process. O&Rs are also compiled 

into reports and briefs routinely distributed to 

leaders who evaluate future requirements and work 

to affect DOTMLPF solutions.

“It is important that Navy personnel continue 

to provide their observations and recommendations, 

lessons learned and AARs so we can ensure that 

follow-on Navy personnel have the benefit of hardearned experience prior to crossing the line of 

departure,” said George Young, CNIC N724’s shore 

response scheduler. 

Mr. Branch is the lessons learned analyst at CNIC N7 

Training and Readiness Shore Response Plan Branch.

EODMU6 participates in Exercise Solid 

Curtain-Citadel Shield. (MC2 Gary Granger 

Jr./USN)

Commander, Amphibious Forces, U.S. 7th 

Fleet community support during Operation 

Tomodachi. (MC2 Eva-Marie Ramsaran/USN)

Base clean up after Hurricane Irene at Joint 

Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, 

Va. (Spencer R. Layne/USN)

Visit the CNIC Lessons Learned website 

at https://g2.cnic.navy.mil/public/n7ex/lessons_

learned/default.aspx. This site is accessible by 

authorized government computer systems only. 

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 17


MSR Dashboard Playbook

coming to a representative near you!

2012 Special Issue

coming this spring

DECISIONS OFF DUTY CONTENTS

ORM PLAYBOOK

Relying on Memory Not a Good Plan 1

PERSONAL FIREARMS SAFETY

I Didn’t Mean to Shoot ... Really 3

pmv, mot Orcycle, at v trainin g

Surviving the Traffic Combat 6

EYEWITNESS (WHAT WOULD YOU DO?)

As It Seems To Me 9 

Motorcycle ppe & situational awareness

Sir Jed and the Possum 10

driving risk fa ctors

Looking in the Rearview Mirror 12

recreation

The Great Outdoor Adventure: Plan. Enjoy. Return. 14 

Smart Ride is a special-issue 

magazine published annually. 

It provides information 

for riders of all ages and 

experience levels.

Each issue features 

resources, information and 

entertaining articles on:

- motorcycle training

- risk management

- rider PPE

- sport bike training

- personal experiences 
ORM PLAYBOOK

Relying on

Memory

Not a

Good Plan

aving completed a squadron training 

detachment to Yuma, Ariz., I began my 

three-hour drive to get back home to 

San Diego.

During this commute, I made some phone 

calls but stayed mindful of the traffic and road 

conditions. I finished my calls right before 

pulling into my driveway.

By MAJ B. J. “Chaps” Butler, USMC

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 1
Let’s play back to when I first purchased the 

rack. I knew that it could hit the garage door, but I 

didn’t pay much attention to this hazard. I figured 

that I could rely on my own memory to keep me 

from making such a stupid mistake. Unfortunately, 

when you look at the three methods for mitigating 

risks through operational risk management 

(engineering, administrative and PPE), “relying on 

memory” isn’t one of them – and for a good reason. 

I had become complacent over the three-hour drive 

home from Yuma. That complacency — combined 

with the split-second distraction of noticing that my 

garage lights had been left on — was just enough to 

cause this crash.

This was a textbook breakdown of the ORM 

process. I had completed the first step: identify the 

hazard. I remember thinking, “I hope I never try to 

drive my car into the garage with the bike on top.”

I’d even completed the second step: assess the 

hazard. I realized that the results of that would be 

pretty bad, most likely resulting in the bike frame 

being destroyed as it got ripped from the rack, not to 

mention the possible damage to the rack and car.

Then the breakdown in the ORM process 

began. I did a poor job of making risk decisions 

on how I would mitigate or eliminate the risk: I 

relied on my own memory. Adequate controls were 

never implemented, and thus, no “supervision” was 

necessary. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until after this 

accident with my bike that I completed the ORM 

process. Here’s what I would do the next time I 

used my bike rack: I would take a recycling bin 

from my garage and put it in front of my car. This 

would keep me from pulling into the garage without 

getting out of the car first and moving the bin, hence 

noticing the bike rack. This solution would cost 

absolutely nothing and would only take about five 

seconds to move the bin. In turn, hundreds, maybe 

thousands, of dollars of damage to bike, rack, garage, 

and car could be prevented.

As I thought more about my mistake, I realized 

how many times as professional aviators we look at 

a situation and say, “It would really be bad if that 

happened.” But we often fail to follow through with 

the ORM process by finding a way to keep it from 

happening. A parallel can be easily drawn between 

the long drive and a long flight. How many times 

have you been distracted for a split-second during a 

critical moment in flight?

Luckily the bike, rack and car only suffered 

minor cosmetic damage. It was a relatively 

inexpensive way for me to gain new appreciation for 

the ORM process and apply it to my daily actions 

as an aviator. So the next time you see something 

and say to yourself, “It would really be bad if that 

happened,” take the time to finish the rest of the 

ORM process to ensure it doesn’t. 

Maj. Butler is a UH-1Y instructor pilot and the director 

of safety and standardization for Marine Light Attack 

Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 

Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

I remember thinking, “I hope I never try to drive 

my car into the garage with the bike on top.”

 2 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue
I Didn’t Mean to 

Shoot ... Really

By GYSGT Amber Allison

uring boot camp and beyond, there are four 

weapons safety rules that are crammed 

down your throat so much so that some 

people mimic the Tower NCO at the range 

announcing those rules to everyone. However, many 

people don’t heed those safety rules when they go 

off duty. 

The Naval Safety Center received 86* reports 

involving personal firearms incidents from FY05 to 

FY11. Eight of these negligent discharges killed 

someone, and 78 produced injuries.

Keep in mind that these were only the few 

reported off-duty mishaps. Numbers would be 

higher if all incidents were reported. More importantly, all of these mishaps could have been avoided. 

The general guidelines below will help you be a 

safer gun owner if you follow them closely.

Handling

Treat every weapon as if it were 

loaded. This rule is sometimes 

misleading. Some people 

believe that every weapon should 

be loaded. This rule means that 

no matter what condition you believe 

the firearm is in, always act as if it were 

loaded. It is generally not possible to tell 

just by looking if a weapon is loaded.

Never point a weapon at anything 

you do not intend to shoot. A firearm is 

a tool; and like any tool it has a purpose: 

to punch deadly holes in threatening 

targets. You would never use a saw on 

something you did not want to cut. It is the 

same with a firearm: if you don’t want to kill 

your target, don’t point a firearm at it.

It isn’t that hard to be 

safe around firearms. 

Yet Sailors and Marines 

accidentally shoot 

themselves or others all 

too often.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 3
Keep your finger straight and off the trigger 

until you intend to fire. Placing your finger in the 

trigger housing and on the trigger is the last step 

before firing the weapon. The hands react to a flinch 

response when startled. If your finger is on the 

trigger while you are walking with a firearm and you 

trip, fall, or hear a loud noise, you will instinctively 

pull the trigger. With your finger outside the trigger 

guard and held straight alongside the frame of the 

weapon, this will not happen. When in firing mode, 

immediately take your finger off the trigger as soon 

as you are done shooting and hold it straight along 

the frame of the firearm. 

Keep your weapon’s safety on until you are ready 

to fire. If your firearm is equipped with an external 

safety device, never disengage it until you are ready 

for your firearm to discharge a bullet. If placing the 

firearm in a holster, ensure that the safety is on. 

There is nothing more embarrassing and painful 

than shooting yourself in the leg or foot due to your 

own negligence.

Only handle firearms when you are sober. Never 

engage in horseplay while handling a weapon. Yes, 

you read that correctly, “sober” and “no horseplay” 

are supposed to be no-brainers, but many of the 

reported incidents involved one or both. Never 

use alcohol or over-the-counter prescription or 

other drugs before or while shooting as they affect 

judgment and impair reflexes. Hunters must be alert 

at all times. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages or 

taking drugs that impair you before and during trips 

to the range, hunting or weapons handling.

Storage

Unload firearms before storing or when not in use. 

Remove the magazine and any remaining rounds in 

the chamber immediately after use. Store the weapon 

and ammunition in separate locked locations. Place a 

trigger lock on the weapon after each use.

Store your weapons and ammunition in a way that 

prevents access by children. Place a trigger lock on 

your weapon and then put the weapon in a locked 

location, and carry the key with you at all times. 

Storage is only half the battle. Teaching children to 

be safe around firearms is the other half. Even if no 

one in your family owns a firearm, chances are that 

someone you know does. Your child could get hold of 

a firearm at a neighbor’s house or when playing with 

friends. Tell your children that if they come across a 

firearm, leave it alone and tell an adult. The Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention found that more 

than 1.7 million** children live in homes with loaded, 

unlocked guns.

Use

Don’t alter or modify your gun. Firearms are 

arguably as dangerous as electricity. If you are not 

a certified electrician, you would not modify your 

home’s circuit breaker, would you? Be sure only a 

certified armorer services and modifies your weapon. 

 4 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue
1

2

3

4

Before cleaning your weapon, make absolutely sure 

that it is unloaded and no ammunition is in the 

chamber. Regular cleaning is important in order 

for your firearm to operate correctly and safely. 

Taking proper care of it will extend its life. Clean 

your firearm after each use in accordance with the 

manufacturer’s guidelines.

Ensure the barrel is clear of obstructions before 

shooting, and inspect your weapon prior to use. 

If you are hunting there is a greater likelihood of 

getting debris inside your muzzle. In addition, be 

sure the ammunition you are using is the proper 

ammo for your weapon. This will help prevent the 

improper projectile from getting lodged in the barrel.

Be sure of your target and what is behind it. 

When shooting, whether for target practice or 

hunting, ensure that no part of your target will cause 

a ricochet. Always wear eye and ear protection when 

on any shooting range. Learn the mechanical and 

handling characteristics of the firearm you are using. 

If your gun doesn’t fire when you pull the trigger, 

handle it with care. Every weapon has a different 

action when trying to clear it.

the law

Other considerations of being a responsible gun 

owner are to ensure the legality of your firearm. 

Is your firearm registered? If you live on base, 

make sure your firearm is registered at the Provost 

Marshal’s Office or Naval Base Security Office. 

When you are transporting your weapon, are 

you doing it in a legal manner according to the 

state and military base regulations? Do you have 

a concealed weapons permit and are you aware of 

the restrictions? What can you be charged with in 

violating any of these rules?

Answers to these questions will vary from state to 

state. However, regardless of location, Articles 92 and 

134 can also be charged to service members that fail 

to properly handle their personal firearms. You might 

find some helpful answers regarding state laws at www.

handgunlaw.us/. However, you should always validate 

the information you find with local law enforcement. 

All active-duty firearms owners should complete the 

NKO Personal Firearms Safety Course annually. It 

will become an annual requirement after revision of 

the Navy Recreation and Off-duty Safety Program 

(OPNAVINST 5100.25B). People who don’t own guns 

are encouraged to take the course, as well. 

Gunnery Sgt. Allison is an explosives and weapons analyst 

in the Shore/Ground Safety Programs Directorate at the 

Naval Safety Center. (Photos courtesy of the author.)

Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

Always keep the weapon unloaded until ready to use it.

Always keep the weapon on safe and your finger off the 

trigger until ready to fire.

Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.

The Four Personal Firearms Safety Rules

* 13 of the 86 incidents involved alcohol or drugs; 4 of the 13 incidents 

involving alcohol or drugs ended with a negligent discharge resulting in a 

death; meaning 50 percent of the overall accidental deaths involved alcohol 

impairment.

** More than 500 children die annually from accidental gunshots. Some 

shoot themselves, but most kill friends or siblings, often after discovering a 

gun and becoming curious.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 5
By Robert N. Dobarzynski and Blaine P. Bromwell

uring the last five years, traffic fatalities in the Marine Corps have 

declined from 64 in FY06 to 41 in FY11, a 36 percent reduction. 

We have been successful primarily due to a layered approach that 

combines awareness and attitudinal, hands-on, skill-based training, 

along with individual risk management enhanced by risk management tools.

SURVIVIN

Naval Safety Center Photo. Modified.

 6 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue
G THE TRAFFIC COMBAT

Photo by Mikey Perez

As part of an overarching plan, the U.S. 

Marine Corps has given Marine Corps Installation 

West (MCIWEST) a regional charter to provide 

traffic safety training and support to all units and 

activities west of the Mississippi River. This charter 

has paid dividends in reducing traffic injuries and 

losses by empowering the most important person in 

traffic safety management: the individual who is on 

the road alone when risk or danger strikes. This is 

the person who must decisively act upon a plan of 

action to avoid danger.

The basic principles of operational risk 

management (ORM) call for an informed 

decision made at the appropriate level to allow 

implementation of risk-control measures. These 

decisions are critical, especially when traveling 

on highways like the West Coast interstates or 

the congested Southern California traffic. From 

San Diego to Los Angeles, more than eight million 

people travel and compete for a spot on the road. 

These roadways are laden with risks and hazards 

including weather, mechanical problems (your 

vehicle or eight million others), bad drivers, fatigue, 

and distractions. As motorists, our personnel must 

apply ORM to their travels while at work and when 

off duty if they are to survive the traffic combat and 

return to work each day.

MCIWEST and the Marine Corps also train and 

license personnel who operate government vehicles 

at work. The command provides ORM training 

and layered awareness training about the risks and 

hazards so that our drivers can perform ORM while 

operating these vehicles. We also provide layers of 

awareness training designed for or aimed at our most 

at-risk personnel: Marines under the age of 26. 

Marines, Sailors and civilian employees can 

take advantage of all the layers of this awareness 

training. It starts with the National Safety Council’s 

Driver Improvement Course, using the “Alive at 

25” training and remedial driver training using the 

Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving training. Additional 

awareness training events include the use of two 

Kramer International Programs: the Save a Life Tour 

(an interactive driving simulation that shows how 

alcohol impairs driving skills) and the Distracted 

Driving Tour (a program that features high-impact, 

anti-texting presentations).

MCIWEST and the Marine Corps also provide 

hands-on training in some targeted higher risk areas 

at no cost to our personnel. This training includes 

street motorcycles, dirt bikes, and all-terrain vehicles 

(ATVs). There is basic and advanced training for 

both cruiser and sport-style motorcycle riders, as well 

as advanced motorcycle mentor training (for formal 

and informal leaders). MCIWEST provides basic and 

Rider receives feedback during Advanced Skills Clinic 

during the Military Dirt Days at Pala Raceway, Calif.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 7
Motorcycle Training

Level 1 – Motorcycle Safety Foundation Initial Basic Rider Course or Dirt Bike Course: Focuses on skill based training and discusses some decision making in the classroom. 

Level 2 – Military Sport Bike Riders Course, Advanced Rider Course or any other intermediate or mid-level rider 

training approved by CMC Safety Division: This is the building block of hands-on skill-based related training. The follow-on 

training must target the type of motorcycle the Marine rides. 

Level 3 – Any advanced rider training that is approved by CMC Safety Division: California Super Bike School, 

Advance Motorcycle Operator School, Advance Rider Track Day Courses, Total Control, and American Super Camp. This 

training provides motorcycle riders with lessons that improve skills by providing practice at realistic speeds with street cornering 

scenarios, and that simultaneously challenges the rider’s abilities in a controlled environment. 

All Marines who plan to purchase or operate a motorcycle are required to successfully complete a Level I rider safety course 

approved by CMC Safety Division. All Marine motorcycle riders will attend mandatory Level II motorcycle training within 120 days of 

completion of Level I training. Riders will receive refresher training/continuing education (Level II or III) every three years.

Driver Education

Driver Improvement Course – All Marines under the age of 26 will complete a course in traffic safety designed to establish and reinforce positive behaviors toward driving. This course also reviews and addresses local information, including local 

area traffic patterns, local hazards and related safety concerns.

Remedial Driver Training – This remedial course identifies high-risk individuals and reinforces positive driving behaviors. 

The course covers classroom instruction in military requirements, driver attitudes, excessive speed, fatigue, driver impairment, 

distracted driving and other irresponsible driving habits. Instruction includes discussions covering the reason why the driver is 

attending the class.

Driver education is currently classroom-based only. A completed beta test incorporates skill-based training with classroom instruction. 

Risk Management – These are some of the individual risk management tools used in the Marine Corps: 

TRiPS https://crcapps2.crc.army.mil/TRiPS/marines/login.aspx

HARP www.marines.mil/unit/safety/Documents/HARP.doc

Leave Pledge www.marines.mil/unit/safety/Documents/Leave_Pledge.doc

Pre-Trip PMV Inspection Checklist www.marines.mil/unit/safety/Documents/NAVSAFCEN_PMV.doc

advanced training for off-road enthusiasts who ride 

dirt bikes and ATVs. 

MCIWEST is currently focusing on off-road 

training events such as the recent “Military Dirt 

Days” held at Pala Raceway in Calif. and various 

Marine Corps-sponsored “Semper Ride” events. 

These awareness courses and hands-on training 

give Marines, Sailors and civilians both the thought 

process and the skills they need when reacting to 

split-second emergencies while on the road or off 

road. 

MCIWEST and the Marine Corps provide 

opportunities as an alternative to riding alone 

or with untrained groups. These events include 

group training and motorcycle rides, motorcycle 

track days at raceways, and group off-road events 

(where they can enjoy their dirt bikes and ATVs). 

These alternative events allow riders to experience 

what “right” looks like. They practice doing things 

correctly, enjoy the activity and survive! 

Mr. Dobarzynski, deputy director of safety and 

standardization; Mr. Bromwell, traffic safety manager, 

and Mr. Perez, explosives safety officer, are with Marine 

Corps Installation West.

U.S. Marine Corps Traffic Safety Training

 8 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue
By IT1 (SW/EXW) Richard Hoeppner

he passenger of the pick-up truck exits the 

vehicle, carrying what seems to be a small 

propane tank or saline bottle. He steps up to 

the curb by the intersection and throws the 

bottle onto the grass, then drives off. It looks suspicious.

Meanwhile, the civilian who had been driving 

behind the pick-up pulls her truck off to the side of the 

road, grabs her cell phone and stands outside her vehicle 

to examine the object on the side of the road. I find out 

later that she called base law enforcement to 

report what she had just witnessed.

The Mysterious Bottle

As I pull around her truck and glance in 

the direction she’s looking, something seems 

out of place. I’m afraid the tank could be a 

threat to her and others driving by. Parking 

about a hundred feet from the tank, I walk 

over to the civilian and caution her to stay 

away from the object. I notice that something 

is leaking from the bottle. Common sense 

would tell you that anything leaking could be 

harmful to people or to the environment.

Looking at the bottle much more closely, 

I realize it’s not a propane tank; it contains 

nitrogen. Nitrogen can be used to manufacture 

ammonia by combining it with hydrogen. It 

is also an ingredient of some explosives and 

fertilizers. By this time, base law enforcement 

arrives and takes the civilian’s statement about 

the two Sailors and their license plate information.

A commercial truck carrying hazmat gas cylinder 

bottles drives by with the driver persistently honking 

his horn. He points at the bottle and yells that it 

was his. He wants it back. 

During early morning rush hour just outside of Joint Expeditionary 

Base Little Creek-Fort Story (West) in Virginia Beach, Va., a civilian 

sees two people in a pickup truck do something unexpected at an 

intersection. What most would find disturbing becomes even more 

so since they were wearing Navy uniforms. 

As It Seems to Me

A Few Minutes Earlier

Apparently what the civilian saw was only half the 

story. The truck driver who came back had lost the 

bottle out of the back of his truck. The two Sailors 

picked it up and raced to catch up with him to tell 

him that he lost a bottle of nitrogen a couple of 

miles back. When they realized that nitrogen was 

leaking, they got out of their vehicle, threw it on 

the side of the road, and caught up to tell him what 

had happened. That is why the truck came 

back and claimed it. 

Lesson of the Story

So what originally was seen at 8:45 a.m. 

wasn’t in fact someone littering or creating 

a hazard. It was two people being good 

Samaritans and helping out a local business 

recover a serialized item that, if it had fallen 

in the wrong hands, could be extremely 

dangerous to others. It was about a civilian 

who saw the same danger and reported it 

to local authorities. My role as a bystander 

was to secure the area to make sure 

nobody in the close proximity of this item 

was injured. 

What you see is what you understand 

to be the truth. What would you do if you 

saw something that seems out of place or 

someone who can’t seem to concentrate 

on work? What if you didn’t do anything 

and it led to something more harmful? Acting on 

a hunch to keep something bad from happening is 

better than doing nothing. 

IT1 Hoeppner is with Fleet Cyber Command, U.S. 10th Fleet.

E Y E W I T N E S S ( W h a t W o u l d Y o u D o ? )

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 9
Photo Illustration by John Williams

 10 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue

By HT1 Ivan Garret and John Mapp

he victim of the mishap I’m about to describe 

was an experienced rider. He had all the proper 

training and licenses and was wearing the correct 

PPE. These three factors by themselves set our 

hero — whom we will dub Sir Jed —apart from roughly 

half of the usual motorcycle-related mishaps.

He had donned his battle gear like a knight of 

old preparing to slay a dragon. Sturdy leather jacket, 

gloves, boots, and helmet adorning his mighty frame, 

the stalwart knight mounted his trusty steed (a 

2003 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600) and set out on his usual 

journey to work at Norfolk Naval Station.

It was a clear, brisk morning in May. The sun was 

not yet up (at 5:30 a.m.), but the route was familiar 

and fun to drive. Our hero urged his steed to a hearty 

trot in order to get to the base on time.

The road had four or five curves that force drivers 

to reduce speed to 35 or 40 mph. Our hero, being 

familiar with the road, slowed down and leaned into 

a turn. Alas, another feature of the road’s landscaping 

came into play. The road was bordered by woods, and 

a fair number of cute-and-furry woodland critters were 

wont to traipse across the road when most sane people 

were snug in their beds (such as the last hours of 

darkness before dawn).

The villain of our tale appeared, a sinister creature 

of pure evil for our hero to meet in mortal combat: a 

possum. It must have been watching those TV ads 

where squirrels cause a car to swerve off the road. 

The possum took the lessons from the commercials to 

heart and was dutifully crossing the road in the middle 

of one of these sharp curves.
staggered to his feet and stumbled over to check out the 

status of his noble steed. He was dazed, but he could 

still make out the sinister chuckling of the malevolent 

marsupial as it scuttled off into the undergrowth across 

the road, its wicked deed accomplished.

Some helpful civilians stopped by and drove 

our hero home, where he waited for the ambulance. 

Doctors discovered that he had dislocated his left elbow 

and right shoulder, lacerated his cheeks and gums, and 

broken his left thumb. He spent several days in a sling, 

two weeks in a cast, and ten days on light duty.

Since he had no control over the actions of the local 

critters, and little control over the time of departure, Sir 

Jed should have done a quick risk-assessment before he 

left. He might have been able to avoid this mishap by 

slowing down in an area known for its transient critter 

population, or by choosing to drive a four-wheeled 

vehicle in lieu of his Kawasaki. Choosing a route less 

likely to be shared by local wildlife might also have 

been a good idea. Seemingly-minor risk management 

decisions made in advance could have resulted in 

avoiding the painful experience entirely. As it was, our 

hero made the best of a bad situation under pressure 

and in the split-second available to him. His training 

and quick decisions reduced the severity of what could 

have been a fatal mishap.

Like all good tales, ours has a happy ending. Sir 

Jed recovered from his injuries and still sallies forth to 

fight the good fight. His trusty steed also recovered 

and bore him into battle for many moons thereafter. 

The only lasting injury from his frightful encounter 

with the possum was actually inflicted by Sir Jed’s 

shipmates, who have referred to him ever since the 

incident as “Possum-hunter.” 

HT1 Garrett was assigned to the Norfolk Shore Intermediate 

Maintenance Activity/Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance 

Center Safety Office at the time of writing. Mr. Mapp is 

a safety specialist at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and a 

regular contributor to Naval Safety Center publications.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 11

Sir Jed was enjoying his morning ride, right up 

to the point where he saw the villainous varmint 

scuttling across the road in the middle of the curve. 

Time slowed as Sir Jed realized his predicament.

If he continued through the curve on his current 

track, he would almost certainly hit the possum. 

Hitting anything with the front tire of a motorcycle 

deep in a curve would result in a spectacular crash. 

Cutting in front of the possum would force Jed to lean 

the bike over even farther, resulting in a “low-side” 

crash. These options would likely result in a great deal 

of damage to Sir Jed’s shiny steed (not to mention his 

one and only tender skin, armor notwithstanding). The 

only remaining choice was to try a swerve behind the 

scuttling marsupial. This had its own risks but seemed 

to be the best choice out of the few options.

Tension mounting, our hero tugged on his mount’s 

reins. It seemed to be working! But the edge of the 

roadway was getting closer and closer.

Too close, in fact. At the last instant, Sir Jed 

decided that he’d rather end up in the ditch than 

wrapped around the trees across the ditch. He 

straightened his bike and tromped on the rear brake. 

The rear hooves — I mean, wheel — slipped on the 

road, but Sir Jed managed to control his mount just 

enough to turn a catastrophic motorcycle crash into 

merely a bad one.

The ditch was two feet deep and a foot wide, with 

a broad “V” shaped top around three feet wide. In 

short, almost perfectly designed to catch a motorcycle. 

The Kawasaki dropped in and slowed it down quickly. 

The resulting $4,300 of damage was far less than 

the total loss that would have resulted from the bike 

tumbling end-over-end into the trees.

Sir Jed was bucked out of the saddle, ending up 

about 35 feet away. Like his mount, our hero was 

battered and bloody, but still mobile (more-or-less). He 

couldn’t raise either arm. Blood was oozing down his 

chin from where his teeth had lacerated the inside of his 

mouth. His legs worked and he was still breathing. He 
By Michael Borkowski

hile last fiscal year was a banner year 

for Navy four-wheel traffic fatalities, I 

am still amazed by the things I see on 

the road locally or while traveling. Too 

many drivers aren’t concentrating on the task at hand, 

and this isn’t just a local or regional problem. We all 

need to step back and re-evaluate our driving habits. 

Are we safe drivers? When teaching the American 

Automobile Association Driver Improvement Program 

(AAA-DIP) course, we start by asking drivers to rate 

themselves on a scale of 1-10. Most individuals rate 

themselves “above average,” meaning they’re better 

than most of the other drivers on the road. Men are 

much more likely to rate themselves as above average 

compared to their female counterparts.

Statistically, however, some of the very same 

drivers who rate themselves as highly skilled are also 

more likely to get into crashes, receive tickets, and 

engage in risky behaviors behind the wheel. 

In a briefing to the Chief of Naval Operations 

(CNO), Commander, Naval Safety Center, Rear 

Adm. Brian Prindle, used the acronym S.A.F.E. to 

identify the top four risk factors: Speed, Alcohol, 

Fatigue, Ejection.

SPEED. Often the mishap reports that come to 

the Naval Safety Center avoid the word, but when you 

get down to the root cause of many crashes, the cause 

factor was speed. That’s what caused the “vehicle to 

leave the roadway” or “the driver to lose control.” I’m 

not saying that I haven’t pushed the speed limit a time 

or two. At the same time, when it’s raining cats and 

dogs, I’m not going 65 mph just because that is the 

posted speed limit. We’ve all seen drivers recklessly 

(and when I use that term, I’m not talking about the 

5-10 mph over the limit, but the ones more than 15-20 

mph over the posted limit) flying down the highway.

ALCOHOL. Recently, PBS did a series on 

“Prohibition in America” and how this massive social 

reform failed miserably. Lots of people drink. But 

alcohol and driving still don’t mix. By now those of 

you that partake in some form of drinking should 

know what your palate, or in some cases your stomach, 

likes or dislikes and what quantities you can consume 

before one of the senses tells you you’ve had too 

much. If you’re not sure what that limit is yet, don’t 

drink then get behind the wheel. Lesson two, if you 

do plan on having a drink (and you know no one just 

has one), have a plan. Know your limit, or better yet 

have a designated driver. Just because you aren’t at 

0.08 doesn’t mean you’re fine.

 12 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue
FATIGUE. This continues to be a large 

factor in many crashes, but it is a hard metric to 

capture. Unlike alcohol, which can be assessed 

in a measured quantity called blood alcohol 

content (BAC), fatigue has a cumulative 

effect and can catch up to us at the most 

inopportune time. The body is a unique, 

well-oiled machine but just like anything 

else, it needs preventive maintenance; for 

humans, that means sleep. You should all 

know by now in a 24-hour cycle our body 

wants to get rest twice in that period. I’m 

not going to get wrapped around the axle 

(there’s another one of those automobile 

terms) on what times this occurs, but most 

experts in the field and even the common 

folk like us know that this occurs in the early 

afternoon (right after lunch) and then again late at 

night. For you night owls, that means put away the 

phone, get off the web, shut off the PS3 or Xbox and 

get some shut eye.

EJECTION.

The primary function 

of a seat belt is to 

keep you in the 

vehicle. It can only 

do this under two 

conditions: 1) you’re 

wearing it and 2) it’s 

properly worn. Not 

wearing your seat 

belt is stupid. Safety 

belts can keep the 

driver or passenger 

alive in about half of 

all fatal crashes. If 

you know this and 

are still not wearing 

a safety belt, you 

need to examine your 

thought process.

“Properly worn” 

means with both straps snugly fitted to transfer the 

impact of the crash to the parts of your body that can 

take it: your hipbones and shoulder bones. With just 

the shoulder strap on, you can still slide out from 

under it and be seriously injured, while a lap belt 

alone doesn’t necessarily keep your face from hitting 

the steering wheel or windshield.

At the end of the AAA-DIP course, we ask drivers 

to look at their original rating for themselves. We ask 

where they rate themselves now. Most of the drivers 

drop their self-rating by at least two digits. 

Making sure that you arrive safely at your 

destination should be your top priority. After all, 

you’ve got loved ones counting on you to come home. 

The vast majority of traffic crashes are preventable, 

and each of us has a great deal of control over what 

happens on the road. When it comes to driving, 

we’re all in this together. So, would you say you’re a 

S.A.F.E. driver? 

Mr. Borkowski, a traffic and recreation safety specialist at 

the Naval Safety Center, previously served in the Norfolk 

Police Department/Traffic Unit.

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 13
the

great

outdoor

adventure

plan. e

Whether it’s the Cascade Mountains that include 

such famous peaks as Mount Rainier and Mount Saint 

Helens, or the hundreds of pristine lakes and rivers, 

there’s plenty out there to see. Hiking can provide 

hours or days of enjoyment, but only if you consider 

the dangers the outdoors can present.

To help maximize your enjoyment of the outdoors, 

prepare so that small hiccups in your trip don’t turn 

into bigger events. A step to both keep yourself safer 

and make your trip more enjoyable is to always travel 

with a partner. When unexpected events occur, people 

in pairs are less likely to panic. Also, in the event you 

reach a steep grade, your partner can help you up. 

The benefit of having a hiking partner in first aid 

situations is immeasurable.

Another important step is to know where you’re 

going. A little route study goes a long way when in an 

unknown area. There are numerous tools you can use 

to help prepare such as online maps or a hiking GPS 

unit. It’s also not a bad idea to ask an experienced 

person who has previously hiked the same path. Trail 

and route study can also tell you how long the hike 

should take, how strenuous it will be, and how much 

water and food to bring.

When hiking, everything you bring in will be 

carried, so it is possible to bring too much. But some 

items don’t weigh much and will pay dividends in 

unplanned situations. Even on a short hike, bring along 

a lighter or waterproof matches for times that you 

spend longer than expected on (or off) the trail. Also 

plan on bringing a good-quality utility knife that has 

recently been sharpened. A small first-aid kit is a must 

and should include gauze, bandages, and a first aid 

cream. A few other items like aspirin, bug repellent, 

and sun screen can be just as useful. Bring along a 

flashlight with fresh batteries if you are planning on 

hiking for more than an hour or if hiking anywhere 

near sunset.

Living in 

Washington state, 

you quickly learn 

that there is a lot less 

of the state that’s 

inhabited than isn’t. 

For us lucky residents, 

it means that there’s a 

lot of land to explore. 

 14 DECISIONS OFF DUTY Inaugural Issue

By LT Stephen “Buttons”Murphy
njoy. return.

Bringing along water or a sport drink is a 

no-brainer, yet an important preparation often 

forgotten by folks going for a short hike. Your body can 

lose a lot of fluid in just an hour or two. Dehydration 

can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can 

be life threatening. Remember when bringing fluids 

that water weighs roughly eight pounds for a single 

gallon. Don’t take more than you need, but have 

enough for the hike.

Unless you are in an emergency situation, avoid 

drinking untreated water from streams and lakes. 

Natural water sources are normally loaded with 

bacteria that will leave you regretting the decision for 

days after drinking the water. There are numerous 

types of water cleansing pills if you elect to use water 

from streams; they are a must if you are looking to 

eliminate some weight on a longer hike.

Remember to bring along enough food to support 

you for the length of your planned hike. About one 

pound of food per day is average for a medium-sized 

male. You can last much longer without food than 

water, so it is reasonable to trade off one for the other 

if you find yourself carrying too much weight. Even on 

a short hike, it is always smart to bring a small amount 

of trail mix or some other easily transportable, nonspoiling snack.

Hiking in general is an amazing experience, and 

you can almost guarantee you’ll see something new 

every time you go. With a few easy preparations 

and some forethought you can get the most out of 

your experience without taking out any of the fun. 

Thinking and planning ahead gives you the tools to 

create a trip that gets you there and then back again 

safely so that you can continue to enjoy nature time 

after time. 

Lt. Murphy is with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135, 

the “World Famous Black Ravens.”

Photo by John Williams

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/decisions/index.aspx SPRING 2012 15