• Can't I Just Call 9-1-1?

• Intramural Sports

• Hunting Safety
page 8

page 20

page 22

page 6

Front cover: Digital illustration by Felicia M. Hall

Back cover: Digital illustration by Mauricio Chavez

GEN. NORTON A. SCHWARTZ

Chief of Staff, USAF

MAJ. GEN. WENDELL L. GRIFFIN

Chief of Safety, USAF

JOHN PHILLIPS

Chief of Ground Safety, USAF

MICHAEL E. ECKERT

Ground Safety Technical Adviser

DSN 246-0790

GWENDOLYN F. DOOLEY

Chief, Media, Education & Force Development Div.

Editor-In-Chief

DSN 246-4082

JOHN COCHRAN

Managing Editor

DSN 246-0983

FELICIA M. HALL

Electronic Design Director

DSN 246-5655

SHERYL OPEKA

Executive Assistant

DSN 246-1983

Commercial Prefix (505) 846-XXXX

Wingman is online at http://afsafety.af.mil

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

CHIEF OF SAFETY, USAF

PURPOSE—The Air Force Safety Center publishes 

Wingman quarterly, as part of the program to prevent 

ground mishaps. Contents are not directive unless 

so stated. REPRINTS—Air Force units may reprint 

Wingman articles without further authorization. Other 

organizations must advise the editor of the intended 

use before reprinting. This coordination will ensure 

that articles are accurate and contain the most current information. The appearance of specific commercial products, commodities or services is for information purposes only and does not imply Air Force 

endorsement. Some individuals in this publication 

are not Air Force members, and may not conform to 

Air Force appearance standards. DISTRIBUTION—One 

copy for each five Air Force members. To establish 

or change requirements, Air Force units must contact

afsc.semm@kirtland.af.mil, Voice—DSN 246-1983; Fax—

DSN 246-0931 or by mail: 

 

 Wingman

 HQ Air Force Safety Center

 9700 G Avenue SE, Ste 283

 Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5670
Air Force Recurring Publication 91-2

Statement of Ownership, Management

and Circulation

The United States Postal Service requires all 

publications to publish a statement of ownership, 

management and circulation.

Title of Publication—Wingman

USPS Publication No.—10557725

Frequency of Issue—Quarterly

Location of Office of Publication— 

HQ AFSC/SEMM 

9700 G Avenue SE 

Building 24499 

Suite 286 

Kirtland AFB, N.M. 87117-5670

Publisher—U.S. Air Force

Editor—Ms. Gwendolyn F. Dooley

Total Number of Copies Printed—23,895

Number of Copies Distributed—23,745

Number of Copies Not Distributed—150

Total Copies Distributed and Not Distributed—23,895

Features

Departments

Gone in Seven-Tenths of a Second

Can't I Just Call 9-1-1?

High-Risk Environment

Partnering with Safety for Mission

Success

Intramural Sports — All Fun and

Games?

PMV Task Force Report

Hunting Safety

Avoiding Fatigue Risks While

Behind The Wheel

Call for Articles and Imagery 

Thanksgiving Day Food Safety Tips

4

6

8

12

18

20

22

24

27

28

POSTAL INFORMATION—Wingman (ISSN 1055-7725) 

is published quarterly by HQ AFSC/SEMM, 9700 G 

Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5670. Periodicals 

postage paid at Albuquerque, NM, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 

Wingman, Attn: Executive Assistant, HQ AFSC/SEMM, 

9700 G Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5670.

CONTRIBUTIONS & FEEDBACK—Wingman welcomes 

reader contributions, comments and constructive criticism. The editor may revise contributed material to 

improve clarity, without altering the author’s intended 

meaning. 

To discuss your story idea, contact the managing editor by telephone, e-mail or fax.

 Commercial telephone: (505) 846-0983

 DSN 246-0983

 E-Mail—afsc.semm@kirtland.af.mil

 24-hour fax: DSN 246-0931

Safety Puzzle

SafetyLit

Poster

Snapshot On Safety

11

14

16

30

 

Wingman l Fall 2008 3
4 Wingman l Fall 2008 Digital illustration by Felicia M. Hall
Every day you see drivers exceeding the 

posted speed limit or driving too fast for 

conditions. If the speed limit is 35 mph, 

they’ll want to go 55 mph. You know the 

type — you’re doing the speed limit and they’re 

right on your bumper and first chance they get – 

Zoom! – they speed past you and most likely cut 

back into your lane after passing. How about the 

driver who speeds past the line of bumper-to-bumper 

traffic, then tries to cut into the head of the line at 

the last second? At times like that, most of us tend to 

wonder, “Where’s a cop when you need one?” Have 

you ever found yourself speeding up a bit to prevent 

someone from cutting in line? Have you ever found 

yourself stuck behind some slowpoke doing the speed 

limit when you’re in a hurry? For all the speeding 

and line-cutting and motorcyclists lane-splitting, you 

only save a few minutes.

While we can’t control the behavior of other drivers, 

we can control our own. How much control we 

exercise depends on our perception of acceptable 

risk. That perception is determined by what we 

think is the worst thing that can happen. Most see a 

traffic ticket or a minor fender-bender as the worst 

thing. After all, they weren’t going that fast. Their 

perception of the chance for a fatal mishap is small. 

Perhaps you’d agree with them and if so, consider 

this: speeding is a factor in one third of motor vehicle 

fatalities. Residential streets, where speed limits are 

generally below 55 mph, account for 23 percent of 

the total speeding fatal mishaps. 

It’s a sobering thought to know that you don’t have 

to be the one speeding to be involved in a fatal 

mishap. How much more sobering is it to know that 

your speeding could have caused the fatal mishap? 

It’s worth your consideration, but if you need more 

proof, then consider this: it takes seven-tenths of a 

second to kill a person in a vehicle crash. Studies at 

Yale and Cornell Universities provided a dramatic 

split-second chronology of what happens when a car 

rams into a tree at 55 mph. 

Seven-tenths of a second:

At one-tenth of a second, the front bumper and grill 

collapse.

At two-tenths of a second, the hood crumbles, rises 

and smashes into the windshield, while the grill 

disintegrates.

At three-tenths of a second, the driver is sprung 

upright from the seat, his knees break from being 

jammed under the dashboard, and the steering wheel 

bends and twists under his grip.

At four-tenths of a second, the front of the car is 

destroyed and dead still, but the rear of the vehicle is 

still traveling at 55 mph. The half-ton motor strikes 

the tree.

At five-tenths of a second, his fear-frozen hands bend 

the steering column into an almost vertical position 

as he’s impaled on the steering wheel shaft. Jagged 

steel punctures his lungs and arteries.

At six-tenths of a second, the impact rips the shoes 

off his feet. The vehicle chassis bends in the middle, 

and his head slams into the windshield. The vehicle's 

rear end begins its downward fall as its spinning tires 

churn into the ground.

At seven-tenths of a second, the car’s entire body 

is twisted grotesquely out of shape. In one final 

agonizing convulsion, the front seat rams forward, 

pinning the driver against what used to be the 

steering wheel shaft and dashboard. Blood pours 

from his mouth, the result of massive internal 

injuries. His face is torn into horrible lacerations 

from smashing through the windshield and almost 

every bone in his young body is broken. Shock has 

frozen his heart, but he doesn’t mind, because he’s 

already dead.

Winston Churchill once said, “Man will occasionally 

stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will 

pick himself up and continue.” Being a creature of 

habit, man will see or hear the truth, but will go 

right back to doing what he was doing before the 

truth popped up. Most of the time there’s little ill 

effect, but over time, doing the same thing repeatedly 

will result in a number of near misses, and at least 

one mishap up, including fatal results. 

Speed limits exist for a very good reason. Ignoring 

the reason can be far too costly. There will always be 

times when it may appear never to be fast enough, 

but those are the times you need to ask yourself, “Is 

it worth the risk?” n

FRANK L. KELLEY

Air Force Safety Center

Kirtland AFB, N.M.

Wingman l Fall 2008 5
L

iving overseas is often one of the greatest 

opportunities the military offers. The 

experience of living and learning in a 

different culture is a chance many people 

never have. Yet, with all the benefits of such 

an assignment comes a good amount of adjustment. 

The language, transportation, living conditions and 

everyday routines are usually very different from what 

we know. As a result, we must put some extra thought 

and planning in preparation for many situations that we 

may have taken for granted back home — a lesson that 

took a frightful night for me to learn. 

My wife and I enjoyed living in our off-base apartment 

during our last overseas assignment. While we didn’t 

have all the amenities and conveniences of back home, 

we liked living among the local culture. Having lived 

there about 10 months, we were quite comfortable with 

our surroundings and figured we knew as much as we 

needed to go about our daily lives. That’s at least what I 

thought until one January night. 

The night started well with my wife and me joining 

some squadron friends downtown at one of the local 

restaurants for dinner. After the meal, we returned 

home and went to bed, with only one more workday 

remaining before going on leave. While I slept soundly, 

my wife woke up several times with an upset stomach. 

Each time she ventured to the guest bathroom at the 

far end of the apartment so that she wouldn’t wake me 

up. Sometime around 2 a.m., she fainted leaving the 

bathroom, most likely from dehydration. The first I 

knew of this was a faint cry of my name coming from 

the other end of the apartment. 

I approached the guest bathroom to a sight I hope to 

never see again. My wife was sitting up with matted 

blood woven throughout her hair and pooled up beside 

her. Thankfully she wasn’t bleeding heavily at this 

point, and while in much pain, she was still fully 

conscious. Fearing that I would make the wound worse 

by moving her hair and starting the bleeding once 

again, I decided not to try finding the cut on her head. 

I wrapped a towel around her head and ran to get her 

more covering for the winter night, knowing the only 

help I could get her was 10 minutes away on base. As 

I ran back with the keys, our IDs, and our cell phone, I 

thought of how in the States I could easily call 911 — 

but what could I do now? 

Without really thinking through the implications, I 

tried dialing the local equivalent of 911, hoping that 

they would speak English. However, since I had never 

considered how to dial that from our pre-pay cell phone 

in an already complicated phone number system, I 

wasn’t too surprised when the call didn’t go through. 

My only chance for help was to get her on base myself. 

CAPT. JEFF MONTGOMERY

510th Fighter Squadron

Aviano AB, Italy

6 Wingman l Fall 2008
I also realized we’d be passing a local fire rescue 

station on the way, yet one thought of my inability to 

explain anything in another language kept me driving 

toward the base. 

The next obstacle arose after Security Forces let us 

quickly through the gate. The dense fog common during 

the winter mornings had already arrived. Thankfully 

for us, at 3 a.m., the roads were quiet. The fog was so 

dense I missed the hospital emergency room entrance 

twice before finally pulling up next to the ambulances 

and running inside. Finally, my wife was in the hands 

of the ER professionals. Thanks to some great care, we 

returned home about three hours later with my wife 

having four staples and a big headache to show for an 

accident that could have been much worse. 

What did I learn from this incident? First, I should 

have written down specific phone numbers for dialing 

the base emergency room from an off-base cell phone. 

I also should have known how to dial the local offbase emergency services number in case the situation 

warranted immediate care, which leads to the second 

lesson learned. I failed to remember what the local 

restrictions were for emergency care off-base according 

to the Status of Forces Agreement. The ER staff 

informed me that even if I had called, they couldn’t 

have responded off-base. The best they could have done 

under the SOFA was to meet us at the gate. Therefore, 

if my wife’s injuries had been worse, perhaps by her 

being unconscious or a suspected spinal injury where 

I couldn’t move her, I would have had to initially rely 

on the local off-base emergency services. Third, given 

the limited access to U.S. emergency services off-base, 

I should have had a substantial first aid kit ready at 

our apartment in order to make sure we had at least 

some capability for care before making the trip on 

base. 

The first two lessons were factors I never had to 

think about during our previous stateside assignments. 

As for the third lesson, we always had first aid items in 

our stateside homes, but I failed to consider the need 

for more extensive supplies with emergency care being 

less accessible overseas. Therefore, if you find yourself 

overseas and living off-base, make sure you understand 

the limits of the care the base can provide, and check 

into the capabilities of the local emergency services. I’m 

thankful that my lack of preparation didn’t cause any 

more harm that winter night. My job now is to make 

sure we’re ready if the need ever arises again. n

Digital illustration by Felicia M. Hall

Wingman l Fall 2008 7
Maj. Gen. Larry D. New, left, Deputy Director for Force Protection, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment 

Directorate, Joint Staff, and then-Maj. Gen. Philip K. Breedlove, then-Vice Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint 

Staff, took part in the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in Washington, D.C. May 25, 2008.

When Maj. Gen. Larry New climbs 

onto his Harley-Davidson or into the 

cockpit of an Air Force fighter jet, 

he’s prepared with an array of tools. 

Operational Risk Management. 

Defensive maneuvering. Knowledge 

of previous mishaps. For this officer, 

it’s not enough to have basic skills, 

because whether in the air or on the 

road, he’s facing a

MASTER SGT. ADAM M. STUMP

Joint Staff Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

When Maj. Gen. Larry New climbs 

onto his Harley-Davidson or into the 

cockpit of an Air Force fighter jet, 

he’s prepared with an array of tools. 

Operational Risk Management. 

Defensive maneuvering. Knowledge 

of previous mishaps. For this officer, 

it’s not enough to have basic skills, 

because whether in the air or on the 

road, he’s facing a

“You’re in a high-risk environment where you could be 

seconds away from a fatal event.”

When Maj. Gen. Larry New uttered those words, it 

would be easy to think the general was talking about 

flying high-performance fighters. After all, he is a 

command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours in 

the F-15 and F-16. But the dangerous scenario New 

spoke about was an activity that proved fatal for 18 

Airmen in Fiscal Year 2007: motorcycle riding. 

The two-star general knows about the dangers of 

riding. When he isn’t serving as the Joint Staff 

deputy director for Force Protection in the Force 

Structure, Resources and Assessment Directorate at 

the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., New often rides 

his silver 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King on day 

trips around Maryland, Virginia and the District of 

Columbia. 

He said part of the reason for his relatively brief 

four-year riding background is because of his respect 

for motorcycling and safety, adding that he probably 

wasn’t mature enough to ride when he was younger.

New is a stickler for protective gear. He said both 

his jackets have bright colors and reflective material, 

meeting military requirements. One is made of flowthrough mesh material that he uses in hot weather. The 

general said if he’s not wearing a reflective jacket, he 

wears a vest with reflective tape from the Motorcycle 

Safety Foundation.

8 Wingman l Fall 2008 U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump
Goggles are another of New’s essential pieces of 

safety hardware. He swears by his Wylie X set, with 

interchangeable lenses for day or night use.

He adds an optional item to his selection of riding 

safety gear – earplugs. As a fighter pilot, New is used 

to wearing them in the cockpit to protect his hearing. 

He takes the same precaution for motorcycle riding.

Fortunately, New hasn’t had to test his protective 

equipment in a major mishap. He credits this success 

to using safety principles taught to every Airman.

“I attribute that to applying the same Operational 

Risk Management principles to motorcycle riding that 

we use to manage risk in our Air Force activities,” 

the general said. “We know in relation to the other 

vehicles on the road that a motorcycle has more 

risk, both in likelihood and severity of a mishap. 

Therefore, I need to manage that risk to an acceptable 

level.”

The general said he uses multiple methods of 

managing risk. One is to study mishap statistics and 

learn from them.

“For example, a large percentage of motorcycle 

mishaps occur at intersections,” New said. “I try to 

pick a route with fewer intersections if there's an 

alternate route available.”

The Road King rider also said making sure there’s 

an “out” is important because riders should always 

assume other vehicles don’t see the motorcycle.

“If there are multiple lanes, I'll pick an interior one 

with the least conflict from other vehicles turning 

into the intersection,” New said. “In an interior lane, I 

shield myself with other vehicles in the outer lanes. I 

make sure to avoid camping in their blind zones.”

New said another tactic he always uses is something 

taught to every vehicle operator: defensive driving.

"Constantly play the “what if” drill. Be ready to react 

and leave yourself an out," he said. 

New said riders should always be asking themselves 

questions like, "What if that car turns into me?"; 

"What if that car behind me doesn't stop at the 

intersection?"; and "What if that car runs a stop sign 

or red light?" 

Beyond having tools he can use in any situation, 

New said it’s also important to know the local 

surroundings. For example, riding where wildlife are 

Maj. Gen. Larry New's goggles have pop-out lenses he can 

change depending on the riding conditions.

Maj. Gen. Larry New puts on gloves during the Rolling 

Thunder motorcycle rally in Washington, D.C., May 25, 2008.

Maj. Gen. Larry New's 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King 

has a signature element on the primary engine cover: his 

commander's coin when he was in charge of the 325th 

Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

U.S. Air Force photos by Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump Wingman l Fall 2008 9
on the road presents a significant threat.

“I've lived in two locations with significant deer 

populations,” he said. “In many cases, the deer pose 

your highest risk. I try to avoid riding at dawn or dusk, 

when more deer strikes occur. I ride slower to decrease 

my braking distance. I constantly scan the roadside 

for deer motion. Though I've seen deer dart to and fro 

when on the run, I've never observed them completely 

reversing course. Therefore, my strategy is to steer 

toward their tail as an initial reaction.”

New, a graduate of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s 

Basic Rider Course, said he also periodically self-trains 

with motorcycle-handling drills to increase his riding 

confidence and become more familiar with maneuvering 

the 700-pound vehicle. He credits the training and 

tactics with enabling him to ride accident-free.

“I can honestly say, using these techniques and several 

others, that I have avoided mishaps.”

The general said riding should always be approached 

from a very serious perspective because most accidents 

he’s seen could have been avoided. 

“What concerns me most is that too many of our 

motorcycle mishaps are preventable,” New said. 

“Every Airman is valuable to our mission. When we 

lose an Airman, either temporarily or permanently, 

it impacts not only the rider’s family and fellow 

Airmen, but also the mission.”

New said there are parallels between flying an 

airplane and operating a motorcycle.

“In low-level, high-speed flying, we're in a similar 

situation where we're seconds away from a fatal 

event,” the general said. “There's a saying that if you 

find yourself comfortable, you're doing it wrong. The 

same is true on a motorcycle. If you find yourself 

comfortable, you're not paying enough attention to 

the looming threats around you.” n

10 Wingman l Fall 2008 U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump
ACROSS

1. Mock

4. High, rocky hill

7. Pub order; incompatible with 26 ACROSS

10. Policeman

11. Broad Japanese sash with kimono

12. Item to capture butterflies

13. ____ breaker; important home safety device

15. US spy org.

16. Secure

18. Comes close

21. Sudden great disturbance

24. Fishhook

25. Region

26. Cars

28. Plus

29. Prisoner

31. FedEx competitor

33. Flightless bird

37. Dead or Red

38. Mil. duty status

39. Murmur or talk fondly or amorously

40. ___ Diego

41. Sense organ plugged for safety

42. Female sheep

DOWN

1. USAF MAJCOM

2. Hawaiian dish

3. USAF eval for E1 - E9

4. Solicit customers or votes, especially in a brazen way

5. Notice of someone’s death; usually includes a short bio, in short

6. Actresses Hayworth and Wilson

7. _____ Aweigh; USN’s official song

8. Hawaiian gift

9. Seventh Greek letter

14. ____ monoxide detector; important home safety item

17. Drink of a milder beverage taken after a drink of liquor

18. LeBron’s org.

19. ____ Claire

20. Craftsperson

22. Average grade, phonetically

23. Kit ___ chocolate bar

27. ____ detector; important home safety device

28. Essential oil obtained from flowers or petals

30. Continent home to Osan AB

31. Start of American warships

32. Pod denizen

34. Slippery substance to walk on

35. Frighten with threats or a show of force

36. Gardening tool

CAPT. TONY WICKMAN

United States Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs

Ramstein AB, Germany

answers on page 15 Wingman l Fall 2008 11
When a friend from the Safety Center 

asked me to contribute an article for 

Wingman, I was flattered and honored. 

I asked him if it was because of my 

expert command of the English language, or maybe my 

unique ability to organize thoughts on paper. He told 

me no, it was because I was older than dirt and maybe 

I could pass on some of the stupid things I’ve done to 

help others avoid the same mistakes. Oh. Then I asked 

him if I could write about loading AIM-9Ps on F-4Es 

in the PI, and he said that since very few readers knew 

what any of those things were, maybe I’d better stick 

to safety topics.

For this issue, I’ll cover a couple of areas that frequently 

fly under the safety radar: tool/equipment purchases and 

facility modifications. I’ll also address some problems 

I’ve seen as a result of not getting appropriate safety 

reviews, my thoughts on why safety is often excluded, 

and how we can right the ship for the future.

Since any good call to action requires some “thou shalt” 

references from an AFI, here are a couple of nuggets 

I found under “safety staff responsibilities” in AFI 

91-202, USAF Mishap Prevention Program:

8.2.8. Establish procedures to ensure that local purchase 

requests for equipment meet safety requirements.

1.6.11.15. Establish a proactive mishap prevention 

program, which ensures plans, procedures, facility 

and equipment modifications/acquisitions, hardware, 

software, and operations receive a safety review and 

incorporate reasonable risk management and hazard 

elimination and reduction features.

In my travels as a wing, base and NAF safety manager, 

I’ve seen numerous injuries and thousands of dollars 

wasted by not getting safety involved in these processes. 

12 Wingman l Fall 2008 Digital illustration by Felicia M. Hall

GARY COLE

75th Air Base Wing

Hill AFB, Utah
Everything from non-UL-approved tools and space 

heaters to machinery lacking required guards, and 

expensive equipment purchased only to find out the 

things aren’t compatible with the facility or operation 

that they were purchased for. In one case, a machine 

was bought for tens of thousands of dollars, and on 

delivery day, the would-be users suddenly discovered 

that it wouldn’t fit through the doors or even in the 

room it was destined for.

Facility modifications can be even more critical. 

Self-help projects often turn into self-hurt projects, 

as well-intended people bite off more than their skills 

and qualifications can chew. Either that or the result of 

some swell improvement project creates life/fire safety 

code violations (blocked aisles, overloaded circuits, 

etc.). Another problem beginning to raise its ugly 

head are facility modifications for Lean initiatives. 

I’m a big fan of Lean and have seen huge successes 

in this area. I’ve also seen cases where machinery has 

been crowded together to “do more with less,” but 

unfortunately violates machine layout requirements 

that allow safe flow and handling of materials 

(AFOSH Std. 91-501, paragraph 7.3.1.1.1). In another 

situation, a mezzanine was built in a maintenance 

bay to relocate a machine shop. As the supervisors 

stood around patting themselves on the back for their 

accomplishments, it was discovered that the machines 

violated floor load ratings for the structure. Back to the 

drawing board!

I could go on, and many of you have your own 

stories, but why do we do this to ourselves? I think 

it’s partly because many supervisors are not aware 

of the requirement to involve safety in such matters. 

Another problem, if I may be so bold, is with the safety 

professionals. Many of us don’t get out enough to keep 

our finger on the pulse of our units, and when we do get 

out and happen upon an unsafe situation, our approach 

creates more problems. I’ve seen my fair share of safety 

geeks who approach a new piece of equipment, facility 

modification, or operation with the mindset of shutting 

them down, rather than looking for ways to meet the 

mission. As a result, supervisors turn into “stealth 

ground pilots,” trying to sneak everything they do past 

the safety office.

The solutions to this dilemma are simple. If your 

organization’s people aren’t aware of the requirement 

for safety reviews of nearly everything they do, 

you can launch an aggressive education campaign 

and establish a well-defined program to meet the 

requirements. Supervisors, please remember there 

are very strict guidelines for using GPC cards to 

purchase local equipment, and there should be built-in 

procedures obtaining safety approval. Also, as hard as 

it is sometimes, get away from the desk and “get out 

among ‘em’” more often. It’ll be much easier to spot 

new equipment or changes to the facilities, before they 

turn hazardous. As you visit with your shops, look for 

ways to support the mission using risk-management 

principles. You’ll find that the rapport you build with 

your organization will pay huge dividends in the 

long run, as commanders and supervisors at all levels 

increase their reliance on your partnership. That can 

only benefit everyone.

I hope this article has helped supervisors and safety 

professionals understand the need for safety reviews 

of equipment purchases and facility modifications, the 

problems that can occur by not following this guidance, 

and some benefits to establishing better coordination 

between safety and the work force.

Who knows? Maybe if this article goes to print, they’ll 

let me tell a war story next time, about the days of 

’Nam, when I used to fly Dash-60s out of Korat! n

Wingman l Fall 2008 13
Safety Research Update

The following information is courtesy 

of SafetyLit, a service of the San Diego 

State University Graduate School of Public 

Health. Information about the occurrence and 

prevention of injuries is available from many sources and 

professional disciplines. SafetyLit staff and volunteers 

regularly examine and summarize 2,600 scholarly 

journals from 35 professional disciplines and scores of 

reports on safety research from government agencies 

and organizations. We’ve included these summaries in 

Wingman for their interest to the Air Force community. 

For more information, go to www.safetylit.org.

Motorcycle Helmets Save Lives 

Using cross-sectional time series data for the 50 states 

and Washington, D.C., covering 1975-2004, we estimate 

fixed effects regression models that examine the effects 

of universal and partial helmet laws on three different 

motorcyclist fatality rates, while controlling for other 

state policies and characteristics. Depending on the 

measure employed, states with universal helmet laws 

have motorcyclist fatality rates that are on average 22 

percent to 33 percent lower than states with no helmet law. 

Additionally, partial coverage helmet laws are associated 

with average reductions in motorcyclist fatality rates of 7 

percent to 10 percent.

(Source: Houston DJ, Richardson LE. Accid Anal Prev 2008; 40(1): 

200-8. Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing.)

Seat Belts Save Lives & Prevent Injuries

The purpose of this study was to estimate seat belt 

effectiveness in preventing fatal and nonfatal injuries 

to motor vehicle occupants when they are involved in 

crashes. The double pair comparison method was used and 

the estimations were based on police reported highway 

crash data of Kansas. Two vehicle groups were considered: 

passenger cars and other passenger vehicles (vans and 

pickup trucks). Only front seat occupants older than 14 

were considered. Based on estimations, seat belts were 

found to be 53 percent effective in reducing fatal injuries to 

front seat occupants in passenger cars. In other passenger 

vehicles, effectiveness of seat belts in reducing fatal injuries 

is 57 percent. For nonfatal injuries, seat belts are 52 percent 

and 42 percent effective in reducing incapacitating and 

non-incapacitating injuries, respectively, in passenger 

cars. Seat belts are 34 percent effective in reducing 

possible injuries to front seat occupants in passenger 

cars. Seat belts reduce incapacitating injury risk to 

occupants in other passenger vehicles by 47 percent, 

while they reduce non-incapacitating injury risk by 42 

percent in the same vehicle group. In addition, seat belts 

are 28 percent effective in reducing possible injuries to 

occupants in other passenger vehicles.

(Source: Dissanayake S, Ratnayake I. Adv Transp Stud 2007; 13: 

67-76. Copyright 2007, Arcane Publishers.)

Fatigue, Speed & Drunk Driving Caused 

Most Military Fatalities 

The aims of the present study were to determine the 

current prevalence of personal car usage for holiday 

trips among Finnish conscripts and to analyze conscripts' 

fatal road accidents. The data included questionnaire 

data collected from 259 young conscripts at a garrison in 

southeastern Finland and data on 46 fatal road accidents 

caused by conscripts during 1991-2004, extracted from 

the national database of fatal road accidents studied in 

depth. The questionnaire data showed that one-third 

(35.9 percent) of young Finnish conscripts had used 

personal cars to travel to or from the garrison in the 

preceding two months. More than one-half of them 

reported driving while fatigued (a majority reported 

several occasions of such driving). In addition to those 

driving themselves, 41.6 percent of the conscripts rode 

at least occasionally as a passenger in a car driven by a 

fellow conscript. Analysis of the fatality data showed 

that one-half of the conscripts' fatal accidents occurred 

on the way to or from the garrison or while on duty. 

Falling asleep was the main cause of all conscripts' 

accidents (34.8 percent), with the largest proportion 

occurring when departing for leave (42.9 percent). Haste 

(including speeding) was the second greatest factor 

contributing to accidents occurring on the way to or from 

the garrison (26.1 percent), whereas drunk driving (22.7 

percent) and suspected suicides (18.2 percent) were 

typical of accidents occurring on leave.

(Source: Radun I, Radun JE, Summala H, Sallinen M. Mil Med 2007; 

172(11): 1204-10. Copyright 2007, Association of Military Surgeons 

of the United States.)

14 Wingman l Fall 2008
Family Fun, Family Tragedy on ATVs

As riding all-terrain vehicles has become an immensely 

popular family activity, the availability and use of ATVs 

has led to increased exposure to hazardous and unsafe 

conditions that have caused hundreds of deaths and 

thousands of injuries nationally. The estimated number 

of deaths associated with ATVs has risen nearly 180 

percent, from 276 deaths in 1995 to 767 in 2004 (the most 

recent year for which annual fatality data are available). 

Recreational riding often involves the driver/operator 

and passengers. A brief review of fatal ATV crashes in 

West Virginia between 2001 and mid-2007 found that 

21 percent (48 of 225) of the crashes involved ATVs 

carrying passengers. Forty-six percent (22 of 48) of these 

victims were passengers; 57 percent of the victims were 

male with an average age of 33.0 years, and the remainder 

female with an average age of 21.5 years. Sixteen percent 

of these crashes involved alcohol. 

(Source: Helmkamp JC. Inj Prev 2007; 13(6): 426-8. Copyright 2007, 

BMJ Publishing Group.)

Lower BAC Limits Save Hundreds of Lives 

Each Year

PROBLEM: Hundreds of laws have been implemented 

in the United States over the past few decades designed to 

reduce alcohol-impaired driving and the crashes that often 

result. One approach has been to lower the legally allowable 

alcohol concentration for drivers. We examined the effects 

of changes in legal BAC limits in 28 U.S. states from January 

1976 to December 2002. METHOD: An interrupted timeseries quasi-experimental design was used, incorporating 

non-alcohol-related crashes as comparisons. Four outcome 

measures of alcohol-related crash involvement were 

examined: single-vehicle nighttime, BAC = 0.01-0.07, 

BAC = 0.08-0.14, and BAC > 0.15. Missing BAC test 

result data were handled by using multiple imputations. 

Analyses involved estimation of state-specific ARIMA 

models, controlling for other factors affecting overall 

crash rates and other major DUI policy changes. Inverse 

variance weighting methods were used to pool results 

across states for the most precise underlying estimate of 

effect of legal BAC limits. RESULTS: Considerable stateby-state variability in estimated effects was observed, but 

results from the pooled analyses were clear and consistent. 

Changes in legal BAC limits significantly affected alcoholrelated fatal crash involvement for both the SVN and BAC 

test result measures, and the laws affected drivers at all 

drinking levels. SUMMARY: An estimated 360 deaths 

are prevented each year in the United States because of the 

move from a 0.10 to 0.08 legal limit in recent years, and an 

additional 538 lives could be saved each year if the United 

States reduced the limit to 0.05, consistent with limits in 

most countries worldwide. 

(Source: Wagenaar AC, Maldonado-Molina MM, Ma L, Tobler AL, 

Komro KA. J Safety Res 2007; 38(5): 493-9. Copyright 2007, U.S. 

National Safety Council, Published by Elsevier.)

Cell Phone Using Drivers Engage in Other 

Risky Behaviors

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this investigation 

was to identify risky driving behaviors and dispositions 

that distinguish drivers who use a cell phone while 

operating a motor vehicle from non-cell phone using 

drivers. METHOD: Annual telephone surveys were 

used to identify drivers who reported using a cell phone 

while driving in the last month (n = 1803) and were 

compared to those who said they did not use cell phones 

while driving (n = 1578). RESULTS: Cell phone 

using drivers were more likely to report driving while 

drowsy, going 20 mph over the speed limit, driving 

aggressively, running a stop sign or red light, and 

driving after having had several drinks. They were also 

more likely to have had a prior history of citation and 

crash involvement than non-cell phone using drivers. 

Cell phone using drivers also reported they were less 

careful and more in a hurry when they drive than noncell phone using drivers. CONCLUSION: Cell phone 

using drivers report engaging in many behaviors that 

place them at risk for a traffic crash, independent of 

the specific driving impairments that cell phone usage 

may produce. Strategies that combine coordinated and 

sustained enforcement activities along with widespread 

public awareness campaigns hold promise as effective 

countermeasures for these drivers, who resemble 

aggressive drivers in many respects.

(Source: Beck KH, Yan F, Wang MQ. J Safety Res 2007; 38(6): 

683-8. Copyright 2007, U.S. National Safety Council, Published 

by Elsevier.) n

answers to puzzle on page 11

Wingman l Fall 2008 15

Illustration by Mauricio Chavez and Felicia Hall
Doyou like to play sports? Do you 

enjoy the fun, competitive, 

adventurous thrill you get when 

you gather a group of your friends and play 

a sport of choice? Do you always remember to 

properly plan and prepare for the multitude of 

injuries and problems an athletic encounter 

can bring? If you said “yes” to the first two 

questions, but “no” to the third, you’re most 

likely within the norm. I think it’s safe to venture to say 

that sports injuries are not at the top of our “worry list” 

when we’re suiting up for a pick-up game or organized 

contest. I say all this to get you thinking about a few 

things that aren’t always in the forefront of our brains.

Dangers and risks of playing intramural sports include, 

but are not limited to: serious injury to virtually all 

internal organs, bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and 

tendons; and serious neck and spinal injuries, which 

may result in complete or partial paralysis, brain 

damage, and even death. The injury may lead to a 

decrease in your general health and well-being or allow 

you to improperly perform the work you need to do at 

your job.

Now that you know the gloom and doom that could 

come about from playing sports, let’s look at a few 

simple steps to take in order to avoid previously listed 

dangers. 

If it’s been a while since you’ve done physically 

demanding exercise, you may want to consider 

consulting your physician to give you the “thumbs up” 

before lacing up your basketball shoes. Perhaps you’ve 

been exercising, doing the weekly group PT routine, but 

maybe not to the extent you want to reach, or even to 

make it safely around the bases come softball season. 

Make sure you gradually increase your exercise time 

1st Lt. ALISON HESTERMANN

47th Medical Operations Squadron

Laughlin AFB, Texas

18 Wingman l Fall 2008
and intensity to allow your body the needed adjustments 

to the extra stress. Keep hydrating and eating wellbalanced meals before and following exercise or a 

sporting event. 

One important piece of advice people tend to ignore is 

to “listen to your body.” If you experience any sharp 

pain, weakness or light-headedness during exercise, 

pay attention. This is your body’s way of signaling 

something is wrong, and you should stop exercise or 

the sport you’re playing. Even if you live by the adage 

“pain is weakness leaving the body,” pushing through 

acute pain is the fastest way to develop a severe or 

chronic injury. Following any type of strain or sprain, 

give your body adequate time to recover so you don’t 

create additional injuries. 

If you were hoping to get through this article without 

hearing about the dreaded “S” word, I’m sorry to 

disappoint you. Yes, stretching does need to be 

addressed as it can be very valuable in preventing 

injuries and helping to reduce recovering time. 

However, most people have been taught to stretch their 

muscles before any activity, which may not be the best 

for your body. The best time to stretch is after warming 

up the muscles for 10-15 minutes with some dynamic 

exercise, in order for your muscles to have increased 

blood flow and oxygen exchange. Also, stretching 

during the “cool-down” phase, after your team has 

scored that winning shot, brings your muscles back to 

their optimal length and improves your range of motion. 

If you’ve been reading this article thinking that you’ve 

heard this from day one, you try to follow these 

rules, or perhaps they don’t apply to you, this last 

submission may be a novel idea for the intramural 

athlete. Winning a game is not the end-all be-all. Being 

an overaggressive player can be detrimental not only 

to yourself, but to the others you’re playing with. Not 

too many athletes enjoy losing, so it’s only natural to 

give it your all, even pushing yourself beyond your 

physical limit. The problem with this is that most likely 

your body is not functioning quite the same as it did 

in high school, but you may not always recognize this. 

Perhaps you’re the exception and you’ve maintained 

peak physical performance throughout the years, but 

even so, you’re most likely going to be participating in 

mixed company, so maybe scaling it back a notch won’t 

be the end of the world. Intramural sports are intended 

to be fun, increase morale, and a great way to get “fit to 

fight,” but keep it at that – you’re not in a professional 

game, match, etc. Keep it fun and competitive, minus 

the futile injuries. Take advantage of the unique fitness 

opportunities afforded through the military and use 

these tips to keep those pesky injuries at bay. n

Wingman l Fall 2008 19
Since 1998, 774 Airmen warriors have lost their lives 

in mishaps. This equates to one death every five days. 

Of these deaths, 77 percent involved private motor 

vehicles. Said another way, three out of four off-duty 

deaths are the result of private motor vehicle operations. 

Nearly one out of three involves a drunk driver. These facts 

are alarming and should send the following warning signal to 

everyone – “Driving on our public roads is a very dangerous 

activity!"

Most readers are thinking, "Yeah, I know that, 

but I’m a safe driver." According to a recent 

Traffic Safety Culture Survey conducted by the 

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 75 percent 

of drivers believe they are more careful than 

most other drivers. Those "careful 

drivers" rated distracted driving as 

a serious traffic safety problem, but 

half of them admitted to using the cell 

phone while driving, and another 14 

percent admitted to reading and/or 

sending text messages while driving. 

It appears that we 

can all be "careful 

drivers" and "notso-careful drivers" 

at any given time.

Who is at the 

greatest risk for 

being involved 

in a fatal 

vehicle mishap? 

Historically 

speaking, our 

automobile fatal 

profile is 

male (81 

percent), 

age 

18-26 (64 

percent) 

with an 

average 

age of 25, 

Staff Sgt. or below (75 percent), 

not wearing a seatbelt (35 percent), 

under the influence of alcohol (27 

percent), 50 percent of the mishaps 

are at night, with half being on a 

weekend. For our motorcyclists, the 

fatal profile is male, average age 

22.5, 12 percent involving alcohol, 33 

percent at night, and 17 percent are 

not wearing a helmet. The lack of 

seatbelt use (35 percent), no helmet 

use (17 percent), and the influence 

of alcohol (27 percent for cars and 

12 percent of motorcycles) are 

particularly disturbing.

Maj. Gen. Wendell Griffin, the Air 

Force Chief of Safety, calls reducing 

private motor vehicle mishaps 

the Air Force Safety Center's No. 

1 priority. To this end, a crossfunctional team involving a myriad 

of expertise has been formed to 

combat the Air Force's largest killer. 

The PMV Task Force will examine 

such issues as current DoD and 

AF policy, current technologies, 

the traffic safety culture inside 

and outside the Air Force, current 

training for motorcyclists and 

automobile operators, and will also 

form focus groups to delve deeper 

into traffic safety issues. The findings 

of the task force will be implemented 

into a strategic plan aimed at 

reducing vehicle mishaps. 

What can be done in the interim? 

Commanders, command chiefs, 

first sergeants, senior NCOs and 

supervisors: Ensure your talks 

with your warriors highlight the 

dangers of driving, and the Air 

Force's zero tolerance policy for 

CMSgt ROBBIE B. BOGARD

Safety Career Field Manager

Air Force Safety Center

Kirtland AFB, N.M.

20 Wingman l Fall 2008
lack of seatbelt/

helmet use and 

driving under the 

influence. 

Drivers: Drive 

defensively, follow the 

rules, and plan your 

journeys so you don't 

overextend yourself. 

Driving under the 

influence can greatly 

increase your chances 

of having a mishap, 

and failing to wear 

your seatbelt (or 

helmet) increases 

your chance of severe 

injuries or death. 

Although a cliché, it 

still bears repeating: 

Don't drink and drive, 

and buckle up. 

Passengers/wingmen: 

Passengers riding 

with vehicle operators 

who are speeding 

or drunk have been 

killed in mishaps. 

As a passenger, 

speak up if you’re 

uncomfortable with 

the driver's behavior. 

It’s better to speak up 

than become another 

fatality statistic.

We can reduce the 

number of private 

motor vehicle fatalities. 

Every Airman has 

a role in making it 

happen. What part are 

you going to take? 

n

Digital illustration by Felicia M. Hall Wingman 

l Fall 2008 21
The deer hunter’s thoughts were racing. 

Confusion filled his mind. He pictured the cool, 

crisp fall morning as he’d made his way to his 

deer stand nestled deep in the woods. It was 

the perfect spot, and he knew today was the day for that 

trophy deer he’d spotted earlier. But now, interspersed 

with this vision were bright lights and masked faces. He 

was trying to sort out reality. He remembered having 

difficulty maneuvering into the tree stand with his rifle. 

He’d decided to raise the rifle up to the stand using a 

rope tied to the trigger guard. His vision cleared and he 

saw himself pulling up the gun by the rope, heard the 

sound of the rifle discharging and felt the impact of the 

round striking his right forearm and exiting through his 

arm. Now he felt the pain, saw the reality. 

Fortunately in this case, a friend was near who provided 

immediate emergency care and called 911. At a nearby 

hospital, doctors treated his gunshot wound. There was 

no long-term damage. He’d be able to hunt another day.

Deer hunters experience more hunting-related accidents 

than any other type of hunters. Gun and deer-stand 

injuries are among the most serious outdoor hunting 

accidents. Improper weapons handling, poorly fabricated 

deer stands and non-use of a safety harness are the 

primary. Like other accidents, these can be prevented. 

Most hunting accidents occur because of poor or hasty 

decision making – poor operational risk management. 

As in the above experience, adequate preparation is 

essential to a safe hunting experience. Knowing your 

weapon, hunting craft skills, the terrain, being in good 

physical condition and having a game plan are all 

critical factors for a successful hunt.

Handling any weapon should be a reflex as much as a 

conscious thought process based on proper education, 

training and experience. Get familiar and proficient 

with your weapon before hunting season begins.

If possible, scout the area you’ll be hunting in before 

hunting season to familiarize yourself with landmarks, 

obstacles and dangers. Know what lies behind your 

zones of fire.

Get in good physical condition before hunting 

season with regular exercise and a good diet. Dress 

appropriately for all potential weather conditions. 

Consider clothing that’s visible to other hunters. 

Hunter-orange clothing is proven to reduce accidental 

shootings.

Have a game plan. Be sure someone knows where 

you’re going and when you expect to return. What’s 

your plan if you’re injured? You need to think 

about the equipment you may need so you can be 

found quickly in the event of an accident. Test your 

communications gear.

As you prepare to join the other hunters this season, 

remember these basic rules of firearm safety:

ROBERT W. BRAUN

Senior Safety Consultant

DoD VPP Center of Excellence

Plexus Scientific Corporation

22 Wingman l Fall 2008
W = Every WEAPON should be treated as 

if it is loaded. Never assume a firearm is 

unloaded, even if you watch as it is being unloaded. 

Make it a habit to treat a weapon as if it’s loaded at 

all times. I = Always point the weapon IN a safe direction.

About a third of all hunting accidents are selfinflicted injuries. A safe direction is a direction where 

the projectile will travel and do no harm to anyone 

in the event of an unwanted discharge. There are no 

accidental discharges with firearms, only unwanted 

discharges. Carry your weapon in a safe manner based 

on the number of people you’re hunting with, the 

terrain in the area and any special circumstances. N = Ensure NOTHING is in the field of fire but 

the intended target. Take time to fire a safe shot. 

Know the range of your weapon. Know what loads you 

have in the chamber. Know how accurate you are with 

your bow and how far it’ll shoot. Be absolutely certain 

of your target and what is beyond it before deciding to 

shoot. In addition to identifying the target, a hunter must 

know that a safe backstop is present in every shooting 

situation. You don’t always hit your target, and, in some 

cases, the projectile may pass through the target. A 

safe backstop guarantees no one will be hurt. If you’re 

hunting with others, establish “zones of fire” so each 

hunter will not endanger the others. G = Keep your finger outside the trigger 

GUARD until ready to shoot. If a hunter 

stumbles with a firearm in one hand and nothing in 

the other, the hand holding the weapon automatically 

mimics what the free hand does. If a finger is inside 

the trigger guard, it’s likely going to close around the 

trigger, causing an unwanted discharge. M = MAKE sure the safety on your weapon 

is engaged. Don’t become complacent about 

handling a weapon just because the safety is “on.” A = ALWAYS keep your weapon unloaded until 

you’re ready to use it. Never climb into a tree 

stand, climb over a fence, in or out of a boat, or in or 

over a duck blind with a loaded weapon. Unload your 

gun before climbing a steep bank or traveling across a 

slippery or difficult area of terrain.

Hunting accidents can be prevented when hunters 

take the time to learn and apply proper techniques and 

safety rules. Learn more about hunting and weapons 

safety. Enroll in a hunter clinic, basic hunter education 

class or weapons safety class. 

n

N = NEVER use your rifle scope to survey the 

area. Use binoculars or a spotting scope to 

check for possible game.

Wingman 

l Fall 2008 23
Illustration by Dave Baer

CAPT. BARRY R. REEDER

711th Human Performance Wing

Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

The Big Squeeze

You’ve had a long, tough work week. The 

weather is perfect (finally), it’s nearly quitting 

time Friday afternoon, and you can’t wait 

to get to your weekend destination. You packed the 

night before and the family is waiting for you to pick 

them up so you can hit the road ASAP. The goal is to 

squeeze every possible minute out of your weekend 

before you have to return to the grindstone Monday. 

After an hour or two on the interstate, your excitement 

wanes as you struggle to keep your eyes open and 

stay in your own lane and off the rumble strip. Sound 

familiar? 

24 Wingman l Fall 2008
As Air Force professionals, we try to maximize every 

24-hour period to get in as much work and play as 

possible. Striking a balance between working long 

hours and shift work, completing PME and college 

requirements, and spending time with our families 

typically requires us to neglect one of our most 

important physiological needs ... sleep. Sleep is a 

basic need, no different from food or water. When 

we get hungry, only food will suffice, ditto thirst and 

drink. Not satisfying these physiological drives will 

result in weakness and dehydration after several hours, 

and after a few days, death. The effects of continuing 

to neglect your drive to sleep can also result in serious 

consequences that can occur much sooner than you 

think.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigued, groggy, sleepy and drowsy are not four of 

the Seven Dwarfs. These terms all have the same 

meaning. These terms describe a physiological 

state associated with reduced overall alertness and 

performance, poor motivation and reduced output. 

“Red flag” symptoms of fatigue include increased 

yawning, problems focusing, forgetfulness, and 

involuntarily closing your eyes, also known as microsleep. These performance decrements typically follow 

periods of reduced sleep or prolonged wakefulness, 

and can affect your ability to safely operate a vehicle. 

Symptoms of fatigue are more prevalent between 

2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between noon and 4 p.m. 

A driver who is already sleep-deprived will find 

it especially difficult to remain alert during these 

periods.

In their 2003 book, “Fatigue in Aviation: A Guide 

to Staying Awake at the Stick,” Dr. John Caldwell 

and Dr. Lynn Caldwell explain that many people 

have the misconception that fatigue is merely a state 

of mind. Further, they outline how many individuals 

with this opinion incorrectly think that dedicated 

and professional Airmen can overcome the problems 

associated with fatigue by simply gutting it out. 

Such attitudes toward fatigue risks can lead to an 

exhausted workforce and subsequent mishaps, both 

on and off duty. 

How Big a Problem is Fatigue? 

The Air Force Safety Center reports that fatigue was 

present in 21 percent of the Class A Aviation mishaps in 

fiscal year 2006, and 23 percent of the Class A mishaps 

in fiscal year 2007. Off duty, fatigue was a contributing 

factor to 22 percent of 166 Airmen fatalities between 

2005 and 2007. The National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration reports that fatigued driving causes more 

than 100,000 vehicle accidents annually, resulting in 

40,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities per year. 

NHTSA and the Virginia Department of 

Transportation released a report in 2006 entitled, 

“The Impact of Driver Inattention on NearCrash/Crash Risk: An Analysis Using the 100-

Car Naturalistic Driving Study Data.” The study 

collected 43,300 hours of video and other sensor 

data over a one-year period, when 82 crashes, 

761 near-crashes and 8,295 critical incidents were 

recorded. The report said that driver drowsiness 

caused more crashes and near-crashes than any 

other event. 

Percentage of driving behavior contributing to 

crashes and near-crashes:

22.16 Drowsiness

3.58 Dialing hand-held devices

3.56 Talking/listening to hand-held devices

2.85 Reading

2.15 Eating

1.41 Applying makeup

1.23 Reaching for objects

1.11 Reaching for moving objects

0.91 Looking at external objects

0.35 Insects in vehicle

A 2006 follow-on report linked to this study, 

“Phase II – Results of the 100-Car Field 

Experiment,” focused on specific driving behaviors 

and related risks. The report indicated that driving 

drowsy increases the risk of a crash or near-crash 

by at least a factor of four. This isn’t hard to 

imagine, considering that drowsy driving can have 

the same effect on your alertness and performance 

as having too much alcohol.

I Don’t Drink and Drive, So I’m a 

Safe Driver ... Right?

Driving drowsy is just as dangerous as driving 

while intoxicated. If you stay awake for 17 hours, 

your cognitive psychomotor performance, or ability 

to see-and-avoid, is decreased to a level equivalent 

to the performance impairment observed of 

someone with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 

percent (Dawson & Reid, 1997, p. 235). Remaining 

awake for 24 hours will produce the same 

performance problems as having a blood alcohol 

concentration of 0.10 percent, which is beyond the 

legal limit in most states. 

Remember the Air Force professional who departed 

his duty station Friday afternoon immediately 

Wingman l Fall 2008 25
Sleep Hygiene Considerations

✓ Establish consistent sleep/wake times and stick to

 them (even on the weekends)

✓ Use the bedroom for sleep only

✓ Develop a soothing before-bed routine (take a bath, 

 read, etc.)

✓ Don’t engage in aerobic exercise within three hours 

 of bedtime

✓ Stop caffeine use four hours before bedtime

✓ Don’t use alcohol to induce sleep 

✓ Don’t smoke within an hour of going to sleep 

after work? This is a common scenario, and many 

Airmen drive for 12 hours or more without a rest 

break. That’s 12 hours plus an eight-hour duty 

period, totaling 20 hours of sustained wakefulness. 

Remaining awake for that long places them in the 

same see-and-avoid category as someone who is 

legally intoxicated!

What Can I Do? 

The good news is that driving safety risks associated 

with fatigue-induced alertness and performance 

problems can be avoided. Getting adequate sleep and 

keeping your sleep time sacred are critical to staying 

alert behind the wheel. Additionally, following the 

guidelines below will help to reduce the performancesapping effects of fatigue and will help you to stay off 

the rumble strip.

Fatigue Risk-Control Measures Before and During 

the Trip

✓ Always get a good night’s rest before a long road trip

✓ For long trips, plan your breaks

✓ Recognize fatigue “red-flags” (heavy eyelids, 

 increased yawning, wandering thoughts)

✓ Travel with a companion and switch driving tasks 

 when you get sleepy

✓ Make frequent rest stops (every two hours) 

✓ During the rest stops, get out of the vehicle and walk 

 around for a few minutes if possible

✓ Use caffeine strategically (a cup of coffee or soda 

 every three hours), but not in lieu of rest

✓ Avoid taking medicines that cause drowsiness (check 

 the bottle)

✓ Micro-sleep is bingo-fuel. If traveling solo and your 

 eyes get heavy, find a safe place to take a nap

Note: Rolling down the window, using air conditioning, 

and turning the radio up are NOT effective risk-control 

measures.

Take-Home Points

Fatigue causes thousands of driving accidents and 

fatalities each year. Airmen are vulnerable to fatigue due 

to mission requirements, long duty hours, and shift-work. 

Neglecting your drive to sleep and “pushing through 

it” puts you at greater risk of being involved in a traffic 

accident. Getting adequate sleep before a long road trip 

and being sensitive to the warning signs of fatigue while 

driving are the most effective risk-control measures. n

26 Wingman l Fall 2008 U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Barry R. Reeder
U.S. Air Force photo by Danny Meyer

Photo illustration by Dan Harman

Wingman needs your stories! Reach out 

to your fellow Airmen with your “There I 

Was” safety tales. Any subject that relates 

to safety is fair game for publication.

Imagery 

In addition to articles, supporting highresolution photos and graphics are 

also welcome. We prefer Joint Photographic Experts Group image files of of 

8 x 10 inches at 300 pixels per inch, 

with a file size of 3.2 megabytes, but 

jpegs of 5 x 7 inches at 300 ppi, with a 

file size of 1.5 Mb, will work. 

The following information on printimagery requirements addresses the 

problems that arise from trying to reproduce in print the low-resolution images 

associated with Web pages and PowerPoint® briefings.

This preferred image is printed actual 

size. It is 5 x 7 inches at 300 ppi, and 

about 2.5 Mb when compressed to jpeg 

file format. 

This is the same image, reduced to 96 

ppi, (typical resolution on the Web and 

PowerPoint® briefings), showing how it 

appears at 300 ppi in print. It now has 

a file size of 945 kilobytes, and is unusable for print unless shrunken to these 

dimensions. 

Higher-resolution photos are highly 

prized for print use. Ideal images are 8 x 

10 inches, 300 ppi jpegs that are about 

4.5 Mb (compressed from 20 Mb). 

Contact Us

To submit an article or discuss a story 

idea, send an e-mail to the editor at afsc.

semm@kirtland.af.mil, or call DSN 246-

0983 or commercial (505) 846-0983. The 

fax extension is – 0931. The magazine’s 

postal address is:

HQ AFSC/SEMM

9700 G Ave SE

Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5670 These two images are enlargements of the same area, revealing what happens when the low-resolution image’s available data is enlarged to the size of the high-resolution image. Scaling degrades the 

available data, subsequently blurring the image.

300 ppi 96 ppi

Wingman l Fall 2008 27
With Thanksgiving comes the traditional turkey 

dinner. However, improperly storing, cooking 

and serving roast turkey can lead to the growth 

of harmful bacteria such as salmonella, which can 

cause foodborne illness.

The DuPage County Ill. Health Department advises 

consumers that safe handling of turkey and 

other holiday foods is essential in preventing 

foodborne illness. Here are some tips to 

share with your family for preparing a 

Thanksgiving bird safely:

● Thaw the frozen turkey in the 

refrigerator. Allow one day for 

each five pounds of turkey. A 

20-pound turkey will take about 

four days to thaw. Hint: For 

faster thawing, remove neck 

and giblets from inside the 

bird as soon as possible.

 

● Don’t thaw on the kitchen 

counter. If you don’t have time to 

thaw in the refrigerator, you can 

thaw it in cold water, provided 

that the turkey is in a leak-proof 

packaging, it is submerged, and 

you change the water every half-hour. 

For this method, allow 30 minutes 

per pound of turkey.

● Cook fresh turkeys within two 

days; thawed ones within four 

days.

● Wash your hands with 

hot, soapy water before 

and after handling raw 

poultry. Also wash 

all knives, cutting 

boards and utensils 

after contact with 

raw poultry.

 

● Read and 

follow the 

c o o k i n g 

directions 

on the 

l a b e l . 

C o o k 

turkey 

until it’s done (165 degrees F). Don’t slow-cook 

overnight at low temperatures, or partially cook. Some 

turkeys come with pop-up thermometers. They’re 

only guides to doneness. Take the temperature with a 

meat thermometer to be sure the temperature is more 

than 165 degrees F.

 

● Don’t prepare the stuffing a day ahead and don’t 

stuff the turkey until you’re ready to cook it. A quicker, 

safer method is to cook the stuffing separately in a 

casserole, using some of the pan juices to flavor and 

moisten it.

● Eat the meal as soon as it is prepared. Don’t leave 

leftovers out on the counter or table after dinner. Cut 

the meat off the bones and put it in shallow containers 

in the refrigerator.

● Reheat all leftovers to 165 degrees F. Use your meat 

thermometer. Bring gravy to a rolling boil.

Source: DuPage County Health Department, 111 N. 

County Farm Road, Wheaton, Ill 60187. (630) 682-

7400, TDD (630) 932-1447. n

USDA Turkey Tips

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety 

and Inspection Service has information to help 

consumers prepare a safe, easy and delicious 

Thanksgiving Day meal. 

"Let's Talk Turkey, A Consumer Guide to Safely 

Roasting a Turkey." Every facet of getting a turkey from 

the grocery store to the dinner table is included — buying 

fresh vs. frozen, safe thawing methods, stuffing, roasting 

and even storing and reheating leftovers. The brochure 

and other information related to turkey preparation are 

available from the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.

gov. Hard copies of the guide are available at no charge 

by sending e-mail to fsis.outreach@usda.gov.

Other publications available on 

the site can answer many 

Thanksgiving-related 

food safety questions. 

Here are some 

frequently asked 

questions from FSIS 

fact sheets: 

28 The The color of Wingman l Fall 2008
of the stuffing has reached 165 degrees 

F. If you choose to stuff a turkey, mix the 

ingredients just before loosely stuffing the 

bird. The temperature of a whole turkey must 

reach 180 degrees F in the innermost part of the 

thigh and the center of the stuffing must reach 165 

degrees F. Remember to set your oven temperature no 

lower than 325 degrees F. 

"I’m picking up a hot, cooked turkey dinner at a 

restaurant. What do I do with hot takeout food?” 

If you eat within two hours, handle the hot food as 

follows: Pick up the food HOT ... and keep it HOT. 

Merely keeping foods warm is not enough. Harmful 

bacteria multiply fastest between 40 degrees and 140 

degrees F. Set the oven temperature high enough to keep 

the internal temperature of the turkey and all side dishes 

at or above 140 degrees F. Use a food thermometer to 

check food temperatures. Covering the food will help 

keep it moist.

If you're not eating within two hours, remove all 

stuffing from the turkey cavity and refrigerate in shallow 

containers. Reheating a whole turkey is not recommended. 

Cut turkey into smaller pieces and refrigerate. Slice breast 

meat; legs and wings may be left whole. Refrigerate 

potatoes, gravy and vegetables in shallow containers. 

Reheat turkey pieces and all side dishes thoroughly to 

165 degrees F, until hot and steaming. Bring gravy to 

a rolling boil. If using a microwave oven, cover food 

and rotate dish so it heats evenly. Follow the microwave 

manufacturer's instructions. 

USDA makes it easy to obtain food safety information 

24/7 via phone or on the Internet. Cooks who prefer 

the personal touch can speak to a food safety specialist 

(English or Spanish) or hear food safety messages by 

calling the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll-free 

1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or TTY: 1-800-

256-7072. Or, they can receive a personal answer 

electronically by e-mailing a question to mphotline.

fsis@usda.gov. Publications are available at the FSIS 

Web site http://www.fsis.usda.gov. 

Also on the FSIS Web site, users can get an instant 

answer 24/7 by typing a question to "Ask Karen." 

Karen is a Web-based automated response system that 

answers questions about the safe handling, preparation 

and storage of meat, poultry and egg products. Users can 

also type a category and view a list of questions from an 

extensive database of food safety information. n

cooked meat and poultry is not always a sure sign of its 

degree of doneness. Only by using a food thermometer 

can you accurately determine that meat has reached a 

safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal 

can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 

160 degrees F and higher. The meat of smoked turkey is 

always pink. 

"What is brining, and what are its benefits?"

“Brining” means to treat with or steep in brine, a strong 

solution of water and salt. The salt has two effects on 

poultry, reports Dr. Alan Sams, a professor of poultry 

science at Texas A & M University. "It dissolves protein 

in muscle, and the salt and protein reduce moisture 

loss during cooking. This makes the meat juicier, more 

tender and improves the flavor. The low levels of salt 

enhance the other natural flavors of poultry." For best 

results, submerge poultry in solution and store covered 

in refrigerator, at least overnight. Discard brine after use. 

Cook turkey within two days. 

"Is it safe to deep-fry a turkey?" 

You can safely deep-fry a whole turkey if the turkey has 

been completely thawed and is not stuffed. For more 

information on deep-frying as well as cooking turkey in 

an electric roaster, grilling, smoking, cooking it frozen, 

microwaving and pressure cooking, visit the Web site and 

read "Turkey: Alternative Routes to the Table."

"I just discovered I cooked the turkey with the package 

of giblets still inside the cavity. Are the turkey and 

giblets safe to eat?" 

If you left the giblets in the cavity during roasting, 

and if the giblet packaging hasn’t melted, the turkey 

and giblets are probably safe to use. However, if the 

packaging material containing the giblets has changed 

shape or melted in any way during cooking, do not use 

the giblets or the turkey because harmful chemicals from 

the packaging may have penetrated the surrounding 

meat. 

"How can I be sure a stuffed turkey is safely cooked?" 

For safety and uniform doneness of the turkey, 

cook stuffing separately in a casserole. Use a food 

thermometer to check that the internal temperature 

"We had a big family argument at Thanksgiving dinner. 

Aunt Mildred wouldn't eat the turkey because the 

cooked meat looked pink. Is pink turkey safe?" 

Wingman l Fall 2008 29
Digital illustration by Felicia M. Halll and Mauricio Chavez

BRIAN DYE 

Air Force Safety Center

Ground Safety Division Contractor 

Kirtland AFB, N.M.

Carelessness and Speed Are a Deadly 

Combination 

Two Airmen rode their motorcycles to a national 

park for sightseeing. After about two hours at 

the park, they decided to return to their base. On 

the trip back, one rider exited the interstate to 

get gas, but the second rider continued riding eastbound 

on the interstate. Rider one noticed that his companion 

didn’t exit and made his way back onto the interstate. 

He was traveling in the center lane when he lost control 

of his motorcycle and headed toward the shoulder to 

regain control. According to witnesses, he had increased 

his speed before losing control. The motorcycle hit the 

guardrail three times, ejecting the operator over the 

guardrail, where he fell 125 feet to the ground. He died of 

multiple traumatic injuries.

Lessons Learned:

A split second of carelessness and excessive speed are 

30 Wingman l Fall 2008
★ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2008-760-498-80008

an unforgiving combination. These two factors could have 

been compensated for by ORM and good wingmanship. 

Paying attention to surroundings, watching speed and 

staying with and being accountable to a buddy are all things 

that could have changed this mishap into a safe return of 

the Airman. If Airmen look out for and are accountable to 

others, then there will be fewer such mishaps. 

Proper Maintenance and ORM Are Keys to 

Success 

Two Airmen arrived at work early in the morning. At 

mid-morning, one attempted to start a golf cart and it 

wouldn’t start. He called maintenance to have the golf cart 

examined. An hour later, maintenance came to pick up the 

vehicle but couldn’t find it. About two and a half hours 

later, both Airmen walked from the building they were 

working in to the golf cart, which was parked at an open 

hangar near the building. They both got into the vehicle, 

and the driver tried unsuccessfully to start the vehicle. 

Both workers exited the vehicle and one raised the dump 

bed to check the battery. Both workers failed to ensure the 

ignition was in the off position before troubleshooting the 

vehicle. One reached into the engine compartment, and 

when the engine accidentally started, it severed his index 

finger near the first knuckle and the tip of his middle finger. 

He ran to the driver's side of vehicle, where his co-worker 

gave him some rags to wrap around his left hand. The 

second worker closed the dump bed, removed the keys 

from the ignition and drove the injured man to the hospital. 

Lessons Learned:

Proper and timely maintenance along with ORM are 

paramount to completing a mission successfully and 

safely. Half the battle in avoiding such mishaps is 

taking the time to ensure equipment and vehicles are in 

safe working order, and conducting proper preventive 

maintenance on schedule. ORM can help avoid the 

additional causes of mishaps. Even though these steps 

might cost a little extra time, they’ll save more significant 

things, like an Airman’s fingertips, or even a life.

Hurriedness and a Deer Can Make for a 

Bad Day 

On the day of the mishap, the Airmen woke up early 

to go hunting. After getting ready to go, they drove to 

the hunting location. Once they arrived, they started 

unpacking their vehicle and walked toward the hunting 

area. When they reached the hunting area, one hunter 

immediately started hanging strap-on tree steps that 

provide more support than the screw-in type steps. Next, 

he cleared away tree branches from an existing tree 

stand. When all the tree steps were in place, he went 

down to get the rest of his hunting equipment and placed 

the equipment on the tree stand. As he went down to get 

the last piece of equipment, he saw a deer. He got excited 

and started rushing down the tree stand steps and lost 

his footing, causing him to fall to the ground injuring his 

back and wrist. His partner immediately called 911, and 

the injured hunter was transported to a medical facility. 

Lessons Learned:

Getting excited and rushing at any task can lead to a bad 

day. When you take the time to assess the situation, you 

can prevent mishaps like this one. Airmen need to be 

aware of their surroundings at all times to remain safe, 

even when off-duty. Take your time, do the job/activity the 

right way, and always use ORM. n

Wingman l Fall 2008 31
RED CROSS HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR KIDS AND ADULTS

With witches, goblins and superheroes descending on neighborhoods across America

at the end of October, the American Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare

their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with 

surprise and enjoyment, and following some sensible practices can keep fun events safe.

http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/October/octtips.html

Have a responsible adult check your treats before you eat them. Don't eat candy if the package is 

already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

Walk, slither and sneak on sidewalks, not in the 

street. 

Look both ways before crossing the street to check 

for cars, trucks and low-flying brooms. 

Cross the street only at corners. 

Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.

Wear light-colored or reflective clothing so 

you’re more visible. Put reflective tape on bikes, 

skateboards and brooms, too.

Plan your route and share it with your family. If 

possible, have an adult go with you.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Use a flashlight to light your way. 

Keep away from open fires and candles; costumes 

can be extremely flammable. 

Visit homes that have the porch light on. 

Accept your treats at the door and never go into a 

stranger's house. 

Use face paint rather than masks or materials that 

will cover your eyes. 

Be cautious of animals and strangers.

•

•

•

•

•

•