AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 1
Winter 2009

Volume XV, Number 2

CONTRIBUTIONS: Contributions are welcome, 

as are comments and constructive criticism. No 

payments can be made for manuscripts submitted for publication. Readers may submit articles, 

photographs, and artwork to: Editor, Focus, HQ 

AFSOC/SEP, 229 Cody Avenue, Hurlburt Field, 

Florida 32544-5312, DSN 579-5934/Commercial (850) 884-5934/Fax 2883, or e-mail: afsoc.

sep@hurlburt.af.mil. Include your name, unit address, phone number, fax number, and E-mail on 

all submissions. The editor reserves the right to 

make any editorial changes in manuscripts that will 

improve the material without altering the intended 

meaning. All photographs are USAF unless otherwise identified.

ON THE WEB: 

Focus can be accessed on the web at: 

https://www.my.af.mil

AFSOC’s Focus (AFSOC RP91-1, ISSN 1086-

6086) is published quarterly by the Director of 

Safety, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations 

Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. This magazine 

promotes the AFSOC commander’s mishap prevention policies.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Focus, HQ 

AFSOC/SEP, 229 Cody Avenue, Suite 102, Hurlburt 

Field, Florida 32544-5312.

Distribution: The AFSOC Recurring Publications 

Number is RP 91-1. Distribution in AFSOC is based 

on a ratio of one copy to seven persons assigned. 

Other Air Force and DoD units have no fixed ratio 

and should submit their requests to the OPR.

Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster Commander

Col. Brian McNabb Publisher

Sharon Blalock Production Manager/Editor/

Graphics

1. Director’s Corner

By Col. Brian McNabb, AFSOC Driector of Safety

2. Readers’ Comments

3. A View From The Top By Ambassador Timberlake Foster, AFSOC/POLAD

29. Human Factors Factoids

By Maj Heather Alexander, AFSOC/SEF

Departments
Features

5 15 23 27

5. Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy

Winner Lt Col Eugene V. Becker

By Lt Col Darrin M. Valha, Deputy Director AFSOC Safety

7. AF/AFSOC Annual Award

Winners

10. Motorcycle (PMV-2) 

Analysis

US Air Force Safety Center

11. OSHA’s Voluntary

Protection Program

By Major General Kurt A. Cichowski

AFSOC Vice Commander

15. Unit Weapons Safety

Representative 

By TSgt Julius E. Parker, 1 SOW/SEW

19. Trend Analysis

By Mr. Donald Beckham, AFSOC/SEG Mr. Wayne White

AFSOC/SEF

23. Tool, Toy, or Weapon?

By Willard J. Smith, HQ AFSOC/SES

27. Just My Luck

By “The Guzzler”, AFSOC

31. Thoughts From Ben

Photo by USAF Photographer

MH-53’s Retired!
We consider ourselves as “special” amongst our Air Force 

brethren. We have a warrior, can-do attitude that makes us 

the force of choice for the toughest, no fail missions our nation needs accomplished. We have an excellent reputation 

amongst the other services, our allies and especially our enemies. We have demonstrated professionalism in our operations and have proven that we can get the job done when “push 

comes to shove.” However, it’s a potentially fatal error to let this fact go to our heads. 

Assuming that we are inherently “special” or are the best, without continuously focusing 

on professionalism and discipline is problematic. We cannot let our operational, wartime egos 

cloud our responsibility to be professional in all areas. Following technical order guidance, 

complying with Air Force Instructions, using the checklist to accomplish tasks are all examples of being professionals...even when you’re not directly involved in combat. Seemingly 

little things like not wearing a seatbelt, riding a motorcycle without your personal protective 

equipment (PPE), talking on a cell phone while driving are “cracks in the dam” of a true professional. 

Much like the saying “real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going 

to know whether you did it or not,” professionalism is not something that only occurs when 

someone is looking over your shoulder or you might get caught. It’s a slippery slope to let 

yourself fail your professionalism over the little things. Where do you stop? Skipping a step 

in the checklist? Following most of your boss’s direction? Not wearing your PPE when it’s 

not cool? If you can’t be a disciplined professional with the little things, under no pressure, 

what are you going to do when the heat is on and you need to perform an inspection, launch 

an aircraft, or make a takeoff? 

Being a true professional, means being a professional 24/7...doing the small things and the 

big, setting the example for others to follow and in the true Wingman philosophy, checking 

your fellow Airmen. Provide a helping hand to those starting to slip down that slope. Correct those who are cutting the corners. Revector them onto the path of professionalism and be 

safe.

1 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
Publisher’s Note:

A belated congratulations to all our 2007 Annual Safety Award winners! Our sincere apologies for the lateness in which we are recognizing your outstanding accomplishments. 

We have not published a magazine in several months due to significant personnel changes, 

to include a new editor. Together we will work hard to ensure a quality publication which we 

hope will inspire Air Commandos to practice and embed positive risk management behaviors 

in all aspects of their lives. 

As always, your comments and suggestions are very important to us. We look forward to 

hearing from you in 2009!

Readers may submit comments and articles 

to: 

Editor, Focus, HQ AFSOC/SEP, 229 Cody Avenue, Hurlburt Field, Florida 32544-5312.

DSN 579-5934/Commercial (850) 884-5934/

Fax 2883, or e-mail: afsoc.sep@hurlburt.af.mil. 

Include your name, unit address, phone number, 

fax number, and E-mail on all submissions.

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 2
Motorcycling as Extreme Risk Management

Since joining AFSOC in September 2006, I’ve had an education in the importance of safety, or risk management, to AFSOC’s mission. By participating in the daily Ops and Intel 

meetings, I’ve come to appreciate the command’s vision of highly trained Air Commandos as 

AFSOC’s most important assets. Whatever threatens the safety of AFSOC’s people threatens 

AFSOC’s mission. Accidents are one focus of those meetings, and a recurrent theme is offduty ground mishaps involving motorcycles. 

As a reformed motorcyclist, I feel a special empathy for the Airman and the Airman’s family each time we learn of another motorcycle mishap, especially when it results in death. I had 

my share of mishaps and many more close calls during my active motorcycling days, and I’d 

like to share the story here of why I came to view motorcycling as extreme risk management 

and how I managed it. 

I served in the Army from 1968 to 1971 and saw the newly released film ‘Easy Rider’ 

while studying Korean at Defense the Language Institute in Monterey. I thought how awesome it would be to ride a bike across the United States once I completed my service. When 

I got back from Korea and was discharged in 1971, I bought a Honda 350 in San Francisco 

and promptly laid it down in a skid on Van Ness Avenue as I rode out of the showroom. Risk 

management? I didn’t know what risk was. I thought if I could ride a 50cc, I could ride anything. So I picked myself and the bike up and rode it home to South Carolina. I was lucky to 

get there in one piece. I still think about the teeth-grinding near misses I had. 

The following year I went to Japan to study Japanese and lucked into a job doing commercials for Honda and Yamaha targeting the American and European markets. We would take 

off on week-long location jobs to scenic spots like Daisetsuzan National Forest in Hokkaido 

or Kirishima National Park in Kyushu. I got to ride virtually every bike in their inventories, 

from 50cc’s to their biggest, the Yamaha 650 XS-2 and the Honda CB 750 K-2. (I could ride 

a 350 so why not a 750?) They wanted action shots, hairpin turns with the larger street bikes, 

3 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

By Ambassador Tim Foster

AFSOC Political Advisor
jumps with the dirt bikes, with mountains in the background. The key risk management decision was in selecting isolated sites where there were few other vehicles. But I took dumb risks 

by riding bikes I hadn’t trained on and thinking I was Evel Knievil. I ended up crashing a bike 

and cracking a shoulder. 

Ten years later, in the Foreign Service, I was posted to the U.S. Embassy in Athens. I 

bought a Yamaha 650 and my wife and I used it to tour the Greek islands. We’d ride it from 

Athens to Piraeus, take it on a ferry to Paros or Cos or Mytilene and reach places on the islands 

few tourists ever got to go. By then I had learned something about risk management and my 

wife was a great help in that regard, as wives tend to be. It’s the hunter/gatherer difference. At 

that time, the Athens-Piraeus highway made Highway 98 look like a country lane. And drivers in Greece, like drivers in most places, generally don’t pay much attention to motorcyclists. 

Riding that Yamaha 650 from Athens to Piraeus involved extreme risk, from sideswipes to 

drivers emerging from side streets. The problem was, as every biker knows, I couldn’t manage other drivers’ behavior. Yet I was responsible for my wife’s safety as well as my own. I 

owed it to my wife and my unborn child, and to the Foreign Service, to manage that extreme 

risk in a responsible way. So when my son was born, I sold the Yamaha 650 and never rode 

again. 

I realize that’s not a risk management style that’s going to catch fire among AFSOC’s bikers or aspiring bikers. But those of you who are bikers have certain advantages you should 

pursue. AFSOC doesn’t simply exhort safety, it provides training. Take it if you haven’t and 

train on the bike you ride. Observe the rules of motorcycle safety, from wearing the right 

clothes and protective gear, to driving three times as defensively as the cars around you. Also, 

check out the Harley Davidson safety videos on www.youtube.com. 

AFSOC’s rigorous attention to safety AND training reflects its quiet professionalism. The 

uninformed view is that the very things that Air Commandos are called upon to do require a 

cavalier attitude to safety. That’s audacity without Lt Gen Wurster’s prudence. Quiet professionals realize attention to safety and practicing sound risk management are the keys to their 

success. That doesn’t stop when you’re off duty. It’s part of your duty to yourself, to your 

family, and to your fellow Air Commandos. 

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 4
6 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

Hurlburt Field’s 20th Special 

Operations Squadron Director of Operations 

and MH-53M evaluator pilot has been 

selected as the recipient of the 2007 Koren 

Kolligian Trophy. 

 On September 7, 2007, Lt Col Eugene 

V. Becker and his MH-53M Pave Low crew 

were on a night tactical training mission. In 

a hover, just past a tight landing zone cut 

among 90 foot trees, his aircraft suddenly 

began vibrating. He immediately took the 

controls and directed a go around. Lt Col 

Becker then disengaged the automated 

flight control system, suspecting a possible 

electrical malfunction. When the problem 

persisted, he ordered the system back on, 

continued to execute a go-around, and 

managed to make two “mayday” calls. 

Unbeknownst to the crew, the aircraft had 

just experienced a catastrophic failure of 

the intermediate gearbox. Lt Col Becker 

continued a tight, tree-top level turn in an 

attempt to reach the landing zone for an 

emergency landing. During the turn the 

rotor speed began to decay dangerously low. 

Fearing they might not reach the landing 

zone, Lt Col Becker minimized control 

inputs to conserve engine power and prevent 

further decay of the rotor. The moment 

the MH-53M was clear of the trees, Lt Col 

Becker entered an autorotative descent into 

the landing zone to maintain enough rotor 

speed for a survivable landing. Utilizing 

over 1,000 hours of night vision goggle 

experience, he waited for the precise moment 

to execute the final maneuver. Knowing 

he had only one chance, he leveled and 

cushioned the landing with impeccable 

timing as the aircraft spun violently into the 

ground. The force of the impact fractured 

the left main landing gear, the tail rotor drive 

shaft, and severed the tail pylon.

 Had it not been for Lt Col Becker’s 

superior airmanship, professional skill, and 

decisive actions during this mission, Lt Col 

Becker and his seven-man crew would have 

most likely impacted in a heavily wooded 

forest. From the initial indications and onset 

of aircraft vibrations, to emergency engine 

shutdown, the entire sequence of events had 

lasted a mere 50 seconds.

 The last AFSOC recipient of the 

Kolligian Trophy was also a MH-53M pilot 

2007 KOREN Kolligian Jr. 

Trophy Goes to MH-53M Pilot

By Lt Col Darrin M. Valha

Deputy Director AFSOC Safety

Lt Col Eugene V. Becker

5 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
assigned to the 20th Special Operations 

Squadron. Then Captain Steven Edwards, 

was awarded the trophy on May 6, 2005 by 

General John P. Jumper, for heroic actions 

during a combat mission flown the night 

of April 12, 2004. Despite wounds and 

a helicopter crippled by enemy fire, Capt 

Edwards safely flew his aircraft and crew 

home.

 The Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy is 

presented each year in the name and memory 

of 1st Lieutenant Koren Kolligian Jr., an Air 

Force pilot who was declared missing in the 

line of duty when his T-33 Shooting Star 

aircraft disappeared off the California coast 

14 September 1955, while trying to bring 

his crippled aircraft home. The trophy was 

established in 1958 to recognize outstanding 

feats of airmanship by aircrew members 

who, by extraordinary skill, exceptional 

alertness, ingenuity or proficiency, averted 

accidents or minimized the seriousness of 

accidents in terms of injury, loss of life, 

aircraft damage, or property damage. The 

trophy is the only Air Force individual safety 

award personally presented by the Air Force

Chief of Staff.

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 6
8 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

LT COL EUGENE V. BECKER, 20 SOS

FLIGHT:

4TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON

8TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON

15TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON

16TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON

353D SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP

EXPLOSIVE:

CATEGORY 1

1ST SPECIAL OPERATIONS WING

 GROUND:

 1ST SPECIAL OPERATIONS WING

7 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal
The crew of an MC-130P distinguished themselves on October 2, 2007 while flying in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM by airdropping humanitarian aid supplies during a high priority, short-notice mission 

and successfully overcoming a dangerous mishap. The crew successfully mitigated the severity of a critical 

airdrop malfunction. Shortly after the CDS bundles left the aircraft, improperly rigged parachutes created a 

safety of flight hazard as the anchor cable and deployment bag dangled dangerously close to the horizontal 

stabilizer. The crew improvised a device to cut away the cable and permit the cargo ramp and door to close 

safely. In addition, the crew relayed their situation to the identically rigged MC-130P, preventing another 

potential mishap.

Maj Gregory Buchanan Aircraft Commander 1 SOW/A8PF

Capt Gregory LeCrone Pilot 9 SOS/DOM

Capt Emmanuel Cao Navigator 9 SOS/IT

Capt William Kelly Navigator 9 SOS/ADO

TSgt Jeremy Coyle Flight Engineer 9 SOS/DOO

SrA Harry Tabata Radio Operator 9 SOS/DOM

SSgt Kenneth Nield Loadmaster 1 SOG/OGKJ

A1C Nicholas Hagan Loadmaster 9 SOS/LM

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 8
Maj Carl Armour Aircraft Commander 16 SOS/ADO

Capt Michael Cundiff Pilot 16 SOS/DOO

Capt John Vala Electronic Warfare Officer 1 SOG/OGV

SSgt Timothy Carson Flight Engineer 16 SOS/DOFA

Amn Sean Taylor Loadmaster 16 SOS/DOFA

On 21 August 2007, while returning from a combat mission the crew noticed that the main landing gear 

would not go to the down and locked position for landing. As the crew orbited during daylight in hostile territory to expend excess fuel and munitions, the utility hydraulic system developed a massive leak and sprayed 

fluid onto the hot gun barrel. This hydraulic fluid vaporized into toxic fumes, which filled the aircraft as the 

utility system drained to a critical level. The crew swiftly moved to secure the leak, but just as they eliminated 

the smoke and fumes the number one propeller low oil light illuminated. Despite compounded emergencies, 

the crew maintained flight discipline, shut down the affected engine, and landed safely with an engine out, 

malfunctioning gear and high cross winds. The crew remained alert during egress and detected an oxygen 

leak, greatly mitigating risk to the first responders.

Lt Col Eugene Becker Aircraft Commander 20 SOS/DO

Maj Scott Yeatman Co-Pilot 20 SOS/DORM

A1C Evan Pinkerton Flight Engineer 20 SOS/DORF

SrA Joshua Plant Flight Engineer 20 SOS/DORM

A1C Bradley Jordan Aerial Gunner 20 SOS/DOOD

SSgt William Sell Instructor Aerial Gunner 20 SOS/DOPT

On 8 September 2007, the aircrew was performing a night time, low-level, insertion/extraction training 

mission at a small landing zone when the helicopter suffered an intermediate gear box failure; an exceptionally rare and catastrophic event. Realizing imminent danger at an altitude of 150 feet above ground level, 

the aircrew worked rapidly to get the helicopter safely on the ground. Though the helicopter was destroyed, 

the aircrew’s heroic actions saved the lives of seven individuals; a safe ending to a potentially catastrophic 

event.

9 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal
A recent review of the Air Force’s Class A, B, and C motorcycle data revealed some interesting information. The AF Safety Center looked at 582 Class A/B/C mishaps from FY-06 

through March 08.

* During this time period there were 40 deaths, six permanent total disabilities, and 530 lost time 

 mishaps (Class B and C combined).

* Alcohol incidents accounted for less then 3% of the mishaps but in 12 cases people were driving

 motorcycles legally drunk (.09 – .24 BAC).

* 13% of the people either fatally injured or suffering permanent total disability were not wearing

 required personnel protective clothing.

* The most dangerous time to operate a motorcycle is from 1500-1800hrs (31%) followed closely by 

 1800-2400hrs (26%) and 1200-1500hrs (24%).

* Airmen E-1 through E-6 account for over 86% of mishaps.

* Worst months for motorcycle mishaps were July, April, August, and May.

* FY08 was slightly below the first six months of FYs 06 and 07 by about 5% (FY-06 had 31% in 

 first six months and FY-07 had 35% in first six months).

Motorcycle (PMV-2) Analysis

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 10
11 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal

The Voluntary Protection 

Program (VPP) is an enhanced safety 

program that focuses on developing 

and caring for the safety and welfare 

of our Airmen, civilians, and their 

families; a program all of us should 

know and understand. Originating in 

the federal Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration (OSHA--the US 

governmental agency charged with 

enforcing legislation associated with 

how employers are responsible for 

providing a safe and healthy workplace 

for their employees) realm, VPP is 

based upon a cooperative relationships 

between management, labor, and 

OSHA to develop and promote a 

comprehensive safety and occupational 

health management system. 

Complementing the Air Force 

Environment, Safety and Occupational 

Health Management System, VPP helps 

identify hazards and train people to 

drive down both mishap rates and 

overall injuries. VPP as an Air Force 

Smart Operations for the 21st Century 

(AFSO21) initiative focuses on enhancing 

safety programs already in place while 

developing employee involvement. 

The Defense Safety Oversight Council 

selected VPP for use within the DoD after 

data showed a tremendous reduction in 

mishap rates and associated mishap costs 

in civilian and federal organizations that 

already comply with VPP. In response 

to the SecDef’s 2006 call to reduce 

mishaps by 75%, Air Force Chief of Staff, 

Gen Norton Schwartz, formally signed 

the Department of the Air Force, Air 

Force Concept of Operations for the AF 

VPPs on 29 October 2008, emphasizing 

By Major General Kurt A. Cichowski

AFSOC Vice Commander

AFSOC PURSUES WORLD-CLASS 

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND 

HEALTH THROUGH VPP
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 12

USAF’s commitment to safety and health 

excellence.

Additionally, the VPP recognizes 

organizations demonstrating a 

commitment of excellence to their 

occupational safety and health programs. 

It requires no additional safety programs 

be created, just an enhancement of 

those already in place. Following a 

formal certification process, OSHA 

will recognize qualifying individual 

programs into one of three categories: 

1) Star status, 2) Merit status, or 3) Star 

Demonstration status [recognition for 

worksites that address unique safety 

and health issues]. Becoming a VPP 

Star status recipient is OSHA’s official 

recognition of the outstanding efforts 

of both employers and employees who 

together have achieved an exemplary 

health and occupational safety program, 

and is the DoD goal for each military 

installation. To expound upon the VPP, 

let me answer a few questions.

What is VPP?

Since the inception of the VPP in 

1982, OSHA has used the program to 

achieve voluntary buy-in throughout 

corporate America with the goal of a 

best-in-class industry safety and health 

program exceeding OSHA standards. 

This program has shown dramatic results 

by ensuring a safer workplace coupled 

with a reduction in the costs associated 

with safety related injuries, lost work 

days, and damage to equipment. Simply 

put, VPP is getting every one of us in the 

AFSOC family to actively identify, and 

then take action, to rid safety and health 

hazards both on and off the job. 

Why will VPP be implemented in 

AFSOC?

We already have Air Force 

instructions telling us how to do our 

jobs safely, as well as Safety programs 

ensuring we institutionally do things 

right. What the VPP initiative does 

is take the AFSOC health and safety 

programs up a notch and work to 

inculcate a culture change within our 

warriors, civilian workers, and our 

families. By implementing VPP, we 

lower the overall mishap rate as well 

as increase the health and wellness of 

our work force and their families. We 

are teaching each Wingman to identify 

hazards in the work area, and then 

empower them to be part of the solution. 

You always hear that, “Safety is priority 

1,” we want it to become like breathing 

in the air, where safety is now integrated 

into everything we do and every decision 

we make. 

How will VPP be implemented in 

AFSOC?

We don’t need to reinvent what we 

are doing; but we as a command have to 

improve our safety record. The recent 

flying history safety record shows what 

we can do when we put our minds to it, 

about all the attendant issues that cause a 

flying mishap. Our current record shows 

the dramatic kind of improvement that 

can result. We now need to address our 

safety program in the aggregate and 

develop the same kind of mindset to 

the ground and weapons side of safety. 

VPP will require our commanders, 

supervisors, Airmen, civilian employees, 

and encourage our contractor personnel, 

to create a partnership towards 

developing this safety culture. Everyone 
13 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal

is responsible for the accountability and 

ownership in improving work center 

safety. 

What is the current status of VPP 

integration in AFSOC?

The initial stages of implementing 

VPP in AFSOC are complete. The 1 

SOW and 27 SOW have each received 

a program gap analysis, a review by an 

outside Air Force VPP Assessment Team 

which identifies areas for improvement 

between existing AFOSH Standards 

and OSHA VPP requirements. The 

analysis showed both wings are well 

on their way to achieving “STAR” 

status with the 1 SOW sitting at 71% 

complete or in progress, and the 27 

SOW at 82% respectively. For AFSOC, 

we’ll administer the MAJCOM program 

through a working group in the 

Environmental, Safety, and Occupational 

Health Council (ESOHC) while the 

installation wing commanders will be the 

lead agent for VPP in their wings. 

Will VPP replace other AF/AFSOC 

programs?

The short answer is, “No”, 

since the focus is to enhance our 

command’s already established safety 

and occupational health programs. 

However, both our current MAJCOM 

on-duty and off-duty safety records are 

showing an alarming and exceedingly 

worrisome trend for this past year. VPP 

gives us a tool to reverse this trend 

and help usher in a culture change in 

our Air Commandos. This is not just 

a ground, flying, or weapons safety 

program. VPP’s end result is to have a 

safe mindset ingrained into all Air Force 

workers and our contractor support 

personnel. The intent is move beyond a 

compliance driven effort towards one of 

management and workforce partnership. 

We’ve got to do everything possible to 

preserve our most important resource, 

our people. As we all become more 

familiar with VPP, it will stimulate 

everyone involved, the corporate body 

concerned in our airpower generation, to 

institute new programs where needed, 

and perfect those already in place with 

the desired end of providing safe and 

healthy work conditions. Ultimately, 

we want co-workers telling their 

colleagues, “Hey, put your earplugs in,” 

or, “wouldn’t it be better if we did this 

action in this new/different, but safer 

way.” 

Are VPP assessments the same as 

compliance inspections?

VPP starts with compliance. 

Worksites are still going to be required 

to be compliant with OSHA standards. 

However, VPP assessments also focus 

heavily on the mishap prevention 

process and corrective actions taken, 

relating to identified safety and health 

issues. Once an installation has 

achieved OSHA Star status, the focus 

will then be one of constant, continuous 

improvement along the lines of the 

AFSO21 desired outcome. The intent 

is to have all involved, management, 

workers, and their families understand 

and contribute to a safer environment. 

What is a good example of how VPP 

would modify or enhance an existing 

safety program?

We’ll know we have this licked 

when we see a change in a compliance 

driven programs into one of partnered 
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 14

performance enhancing. This means 

employee involvement in executing 

their own organization’s safety program 

to include the inherent responsibility 

and accountability for identifying 

and then correcting unsafe and/or 

unhealthy conditions. This kind of 

enhanced prevention effort might 

include employee/management/union 

representatives collectively managing 

safety programs, conducting facility 

inspections, and participating in mishap 

investigations. 

Is VPP implementation mandatory at all 

bases and all organizations?

Within the Air Force, the VPP 

will apply to all military personnel in 

the Air Force to include active duty, 

reserve components, and government 

civilian employees. Air National 

Guard components have two options 

to implement the program; they 

can either participate in the host 

installations’ efforts or create and become 

involved in one of their own. Lastly, 

while contractors will retain the sole 

responsibility to comply with OSHA 

standards, they will be notified of each 

installations’ intent to participate in the 

VPP and will then be required to submit 

their safety and health plan, as well as a 

corresponding site safety checklist to base 

contracting. It is the intent to include 

contractors in the VPP effort. 

Is AFSOC implementing VPP at 

overseas bases? What about deployed 

locations?

The command’s focus is on our two 

stateside installations. Our two SOGs 

located overseas, and any of our tenant 

units stationed within the CONUS or 

OCONUS will participate within their 

respective host base VPP efforts. At this 

time, there are no plans to implement 

VPP at any deployed location; however, 

the mindset and culture change we are 

attempting to generate through the VPP 

process should prevail throughout all 

our worldwide mission locations. 

In the end, our Air Force needs 

all our Wingmen to be safe because 

America needs our full team in the fight 

to support and defend our nation’s 

interests. You can learn much more by 

visiting the following sites:

USAF VPP Community of Practice

mil/afknprod/ASPs/CoP/OpenCoP.

asp?Filter=OO-SE-AF-07

AFSOC VPP Community of Practice

https://wwwd.my.af.mil/afknprod/

ASPs/CoP/OpenCoP.asp?Filter=OO-SESO-07

Additional detailed program 

information can be found at the OSHA 

VPP site:

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/index.

html

http://www.vpppa.org/index.cfm

OSHA criteria are found in the OSHA 

Guidance Manual “CSP 03-01-002-TED 

8.4-Voluntary Protection Programs 

(VPP): Policies and Procedures 

Manual.” 

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/

owadisp.show_document?p_

table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=2976
Unit Weapons 

Safety Representatives

(Not just another thankless additional duty)

By TSgt Julius E. Parker

1 SOW/SEW

How many times have you 

heard, “I didn’t volunteer for this additional 

duty” or “I don’t know why I was given an 

additional duty I know nothing about?” I 

have heard these statements many times in 

my career. Actually, I have said them on a 

few occasions. As I have gotten older, wiser 

and more experienced, I began to take pride 

in my work and accomplishments. I realized 

what the consequences would be if there 

were no second set of eyes to look at daily 

explosive tasks. 

I am a Munitions System Specialist 

by trade, more affectionately know as an 

AMMO troop working as a Weapons Safety 

Manager at Hurlburt Field. I am writing this 

article not to talk about AMMO troops or 

Wing Weapons Safety Managers but about 

an additional duty that goes hand-in-hand 

with these duties. What is this additional 

duty, you ask? Well, I will give you three 

guesses based on these facts:

• Fact 1: Unit Commander’s with 

ammunition & explosives assigned 

appoint individuals to perform this 

additional duty.

• Fact 2: Once appointed the individual 

has 30 days from the date appointed 

to obtain training on their duties and 

responsibilities. 

• Fact 3: The appointee works handin-hand with squadron personnel and 

the installation Wing Safety agency in 

order to keep the unit Commander’s 

safety program running in the right 

direction. 

15 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
Have you guessed yet? I am talking, of 

course, about the Unit Safety Representatives 

(USR); more specifically the Unit Weapons 

Safety Representatives (UWSR). 

As Wing Weapons Safety Managers, 

we are responsible for the 1 SOW as a 

whole but we cannot be everywhere all 

the time. This is where the UWSR comes 

into play. The UWSR is one of the most 

important, but often the least appreciated, 

additional duties. Unit Weapons Safety 

Representatives have knowledge of the dayto-day explosive operations within their 

units, ensuring explosive safety standards are 

met/maintained. Constant vigilance by the 1

SOW and UWSR goes a long way towards 

ensuring lives and property are protected. 

Now, you may think being a UWSR 

does not make you a lifesaver, but I beg 

to differ. Imagine the following scenario 

happening in your unit; you decide to 

conduct a spot inspection on the vehicle used 

to transport explosives, just before a twoman crew departs to pick up munitions from 

the Munitions Storage Area (MSA). During 

your inspection, you find that there is only 

one fire extinguisher mounted to the vehicle 

and it is undercharged. You advise the 

individuals to replace it with two serviceable 

2A:10BC extinguishers for the vehicle and 

you write them up for not following written 

guidance. The response is “we have to go 

pick up some ground burst simulators and 

some trip flares from the munitions storage 

area ASAP for the upcoming ORI. It’s 

Friday and a short trip. We’ll swap the 

extinguisher first thing Monday morning. 

Besides, we’ve been transporting munitions 

this way for the last three weeks.” So you 

think “why not,” after all the MSA is only 

seven miles away and the two individuals 

in the vehicle have experience transporting 

explosives. You decide to discontinue your 

inspection and do not notice that during the 

rush to get to the MSA, the vehicle operator 

failed to check the vehicle’s DD Form1800 

which shows the electrical system has a 

short. 

 While returning from the munitions 

area, the individuals transporting the 

explosives smell smoke inside the driver’s 

compartment of the vehicle. Before they are 

able to determine the exact location of the 

smell, flames appear under the dashboard 

causing both driver and passenger to 

evacuate the vehicle. Thinking quickly, 

the passenger grabs the fire extinguisher, 

pulls the safety pin, aims the nozzle at the 

center of the blaze, presses the trigger and 

is met with a little puff of dust. The blaze 

envelopes the cab and reaches the bed of 

the truck at an alarming rate, setting the 

wooden crates of munitions on fire. By the 

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 16
time the fire department arrives the vehicle 

and munitions are destroyed. The driver and 

passenger escape with 2nd and 3rd-degree 

burns from attempting to put out the fire 

without the use of a fire extinguisher. They 

will recover, but their lives and yours, will 

never be the same. 

Now, I never said saving a life means 

keeping someone from dying. Sometimes 

saving a life means preventing someone from 

making a mistake that will cost them their 

career or possibly costing you yours. This 

may seem like an unlikely story, however, no 

one can predict the future. There is only one 

thing you can do as a UWSR, you can try to 

change the outcome by doing the right thing 

and verifying that the individuals in your units 

do the same. By committing yourself to this 

additional duty, you ensure that individuals 

working within your squadron place safety at 

the forefront. 

Take pride in what you do, take care 

of your fellow service members, and most 

importantly never sell your position short. If 

you never hear it again let me be the first to tell 

you, we appreciate every one of you as a Unit 

Weapons Safety Representative.

Rick Poynor, 1 SOW/SEW and

A1C Arana Khan, 1 SOEMS/MXMW

Perform an evaluation on a 25 millimeter operation.

17 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 18
19 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

After reviewing this year’s mishap 

experience for AFSOC the only word 

that comes to mind is “grim”. While 

we expected an overall increase in the 

number of mishaps with the addition 

of the 27 SOW, we did not expect to 

see the large number of fatal mishaps 

sustained during the 101 Critical Days 

of Summer campaign. This past fiscal 

year our fatal mishap rate rose 200% 

as compared with 2007. This gave us 

an off-duty fatal rate of 34.12 percent 

compared to the over-all USAF rate of 

11.16. In other words, our command had 

6.42 percent of the total fatal mishaps 

for the entire USAF (4 of 62). This is the 

highest fatal rate the command has had 

since 2004.

One area that we should always 

experience a low percentage of mishaps 

is on-duty. This is due to the fact that 

we should always have complete control 

and oversight over operations within our 

sphere of influence. Normally we see 

about a 3 to 1 ratio of off-duty to on-duty 

mishaps. This past year it was almost a 

50/50 split. 

One key to successfully decreasing 

on-duty mishap potential is following 

established guidance. Unfortunately 

this has not been the case in FY08. 

Failure to follow technical data 

was identified as the key causal 

factor in several of our more 

serious mishaps this past year. 

While we did see a decrease in 

the overall number of “on-duty” 

mishaps by about 10%, the costs 

associated with these incidents 

increased dramatically. In FY 07 

the command spent $984,025.00 on 

Industrial Property Damage (IPD) 

mishaps. This cost increased to 

$4,223,324.00 in FY 08 resulting 

in an increase of just over 329 

percent. Almost half of this 

cost came from one IPD mishap 

in which a 7.5 Ton crane tipped 

over onto an MH-53 during heavy 

maintenance while at a deployed 

location. 

Analysis of AFSOC’s “101 Critical Days of 

Summer” and FY 2008 Mishap Review

Ground Safety Review
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 20

The one area that we were 

extremely successful was in 

off-duty PMV operations. As a 

command, we did not sustain 

a single fatal mishap due to either 

operating a 4 wheel or 2 wheel 

vehicle. This is extremely important 

since this is the leading cause of 

fatal mishap within the USAF. For 

the previous two fiscal years AFSOC 

sustained at least one motorcycle 

fatality. While the lack of a fatal 

motorcycle mishap is commendable, 

we are still plagued with a large 

number of non-fatal mishaps involving 

motorcycles to include one permanent 

partial disability (loss of a leg).

Sports and Recreation (S&R) incidents 

have increased by 57% with the 

addition of Cannon this year. The 

biggest issue we are seeing is Physical 

Training preparation. Personnel are 

not properly warming up prior to 

activity. Personnel should keep in mind 

is that stretching cold muscles does 

nothing towards preventing injury. To 

properly stretch muscles need to be 

warm. An example of warming up 

your muscles would be to slowly jog 

for about 10-15 minutes then stretch 

out for 10-15 minutes before going for 

that run. We all need to keep in mind 

when ever we do things off-duty as 

well as on-duty to use Personal Risk 

Management (PRM). Thinking through 

a situation and the effect it could have 

if something goes wrong could help 

prevent a serious injury. 
21 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

The command aviation safety trend 

continued to improve in FY 08. 

Although no Class A mishaps occurred 

with our primary aircraft, there were 

several incidents with leased PC12 and MQ-1B Predators. Instead 

of running on with a list of numbers 

dealing with hours and percentages, 

we’ll give a brief summary of all 

AFSOC’s FY08 A, B, and C flight 

mishaps (fig 1) and the factors and 

costs associated. Let’s take a look at 

the 3 Class B and 14 Class C mishaps. 

(Figure 1)

Class B mishaps involve damage 

of over $200K and less than $1 

million. Foreign object damage (FOD) 

accounted for two of these involving 

an AC-130H and an AC-130U gunship. 

At an unknown time, both ingested 

FOD damaging the compressor 

section of the engine with a total cost 

was $239K and $245K respectively. 

The third Class B involved an MC130H Talon. At some point in the 

maintenance process, the crew 

entrance door was left open during 

heavy rainfall and winds. There was 

water intrusion in to some of the 

electronic components under the 

flight deck which wasn’t discovered 

until the next flight when, as the 

aircraft became airborne, systems 

began to fail. It seems that once the 

first component failed, a series of 

other failures occurred to the tune 

of $642K. Now you know why your 

mom always told you to keep the door 

closed. On to the Class Cs.

This year we experienced 14 Class 

C mishaps which are mishaps that 

involve damage over $20K but less 

than $200K. Grand total of all 

AFSOC Class Cs was $875K and the 

majority involved the MC-130H. They 

experienced separate incidents 

of 2 bird strikes, 2 blown tires, an 

auxiliary power unit fire, a loadmaster 

suffered a broken leg, and the 

granddaddy of them all..........taxiing 

into a unmarked obstruction. With 

the AC-130H/U gunships, they served 

as flying lightening rods with each 

encountering a lightning strike. The 

MC-130W was limited to one refueling 

hose failure to retract and an internal 

gearbox failure. The MC-130P also 

had a bird strike and a sister service 

individual who injured himself during 

a personnel airdrop. The last Class C 

involved a U-28 tail scrape where the 

pilot flared just a little high. 

Flight Safety Review
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 22

Now, let’s take a glance at Predator 

mishaps. Technically they are nonrate producing but as valuable assets 

to AFSOC we need to look at what 

we can do to improve and learn from 

their incidents. We had 2 Class A, 1 

Class B, and 3 Class Cs with the 2 A’s 

related to lost link. Self explanatory 

as in “if you can’t control something 

it will eventually crash” resulting 

in the loss of just under $8M in 

assets. The sole Class B had 

trouble staying on the runway 

during landing. Two of the Class 

Cs were caused by hail damage 

and the other a power plant failure. 

This leads us to our last but also 

leased............the PC-12.

Both mishaps the PC-12 

experienced were totally 

preventable. One Class A occurred 

when the aircraft encountered wake 

turbulence while executing pattern 

work. The other was a case of 

attempting to land an aircraft without 

the gear down. Both self critiquing 

and both very lucky there were no 

major injuries. Except of course to 

the almost destroyed aircraft. This 

leads to the bottom line.

While FY08 was a better year for 

aviation safety in AFSOC, it can 

always be improved upon. 

Figure 2 shows major casual findings 

of the mishaps, and unfortunately it 

isn’t terribly surprising that over 22 

percent of the commands 37 mishaps 

were attributed to human factor /error. 

Those could have all been prevented 

if we had paid more attention to risk 

management. Although the other 

mishaps were attributed to other 

categories, they all were somehow 

related back in the chain to the human 

aspect. Overall, $11M in assets could 

have been preserved had each of us 

practiced a little more attention to 

detail. We are off to a good start in 

FY09, let’s all do our part to continue 

on this path. Fly safe. You are the 

key to safety.
By Willard J. Smith, HQ AFSOC/SES

 Lasers are associated with 

“Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” or “Battlestar 

Galactica”. However, lasers have many 

more uses. Paraphrasing Mr. Webster, 

lasers are defined 

as "a device with a 

substance whose 

atoms can be put 

into an excited 

state which will 

emit coherent 

light of a precise 

wavelength 

in an intense, 

narrow beam.  

Additionally, 

this device can 

produce or 

amplify optical 

radiation which 

emits coherent 

electromagnetic 

radiation from 

the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum 

through the infrared portion within the 

spectral range of 200 nm to 1000 μm."  

Whew!  We probably know it as a small 

electronic device when we push the 

button, a colored dot will appear on the 

wall where it is pointed.      

However, today lasers play a pivotal 

role in our daily lives. You’ll find them in 

almost everything around us.  Not only 

the simple briefing pointer, they are in 

your DVD and 

CD player; they 

are in your office 

printer; in the 

doctor’s office as 

precise medical 

instruments; 

tools in the 

construction area;  

in sophisticated 

weapon systems 

targeting 

identification and 

range finders; 

and I even saw an 

application using a 

laser to scare birds 

away.  

  The primary 

difference between all of these types of 

lasers is the wavelength of the emitted 

light and the associated output power. I 

hope everyone knows the human body is 

vulnerable to the output of certain lasers, 

especially the eyes and the skin. Because 

of the tremendous number of 

Tool, toy or weapon?

23 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
uses for laser technology today it is easy 

to understand why DoD and Air Force are 

developing and using this technology into 

all sorts of new applications.  

  With the proliferation of lasers in 

everything, we are becoming comfortable 

and complacent with them.  We treat all 

laser applications similar to the way we 

treat the little hand pointers we all are 

familiar with. But, with the advances in 

technology, some pointers for sale to the 

general public are now strong enough to 

burn skin, cause eye damage, start fires, 

and transmit a beam for great distances.  

Pointers are causing a lot of problems 

lately, because they are being aimed at 

airline pilots and drivers of cars.  This 

often either startles or temporarily flash 

blinds the pilot or driver.  This could result 

in sufficient incapacitation for the 

operators to lose control of the plane or 

car.   

  Now that lasers are leaving the 

laboratory and being developed for 

the operational environment, there is 

an obvious requirement to establish a 

program and process to make sure these 

lasers are safe, effective, and usable, 

but this rigid process takes place behind 

the scenes. It requires any laser used 

operationally be evaluated and authorized 

for use in the field whether developed or 

procured through the System Program 

Office (SPO) or through commercially 

developed sources. There are some 

exemptions to this requirement, so 

contact your local Laser Safety Officer 

(LSO) to make sure if your system needs 

this review or not. 

  Many might ask, if a system is for 

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 24
sale on the open market, isn’t it safe for 

use?  Laser manufacturers must comply 

with federal rules for safety, but they are 

not required to evaluate their device in 

a military operational environment. The 

Air Force must ensure the safety of its 

personnel; therefore, measurements 

are performed on systems to ensure 

the personnel 

exposure 

to known 

hazards is fully 

characterized to 

prohibit injury 

to people and 

damage to other 

equipment. One 

known hazard 

in the ops 

environment is 

using optics, i.e. 

binoculars or 

scopes.  Even 

a seemingly 

harmless laser 

when viewed 

through optics 

can become 

hazardous to 

the warfighter. 

  So what is 

the approval process?  Once the system 

is in its final configuration to be fielded, 

the SPO will request Air Force Research 

Laboratory (AFRL) optical radiation 

safety team perform measurements 

and analyses of the system.  If it is a 

commercially procured laser system, 

the user should initiate a request for 

review through the interested MAJCOM 

to AFRL/HEDO. This independent 

measurement process verifies the 

specifications of the Laser against 

identified hazards versus the assumed 

hazards from the manufacturer.  

After the raw laser beam output has 

been characterized, calculations are 

performed 

to define the 

laser hazards. 

A report of the 

analysis will 

usually specify 

the laser system 

classification, 

the Nominal 

Ocular Hazard 

Distance 

(NOHD), and 

the Optical 

Density (OD) 

requirements 

for Laser Eye 

Protection 

(LEP).  From 

this analysis 

the diffuse 

reflection 

hazards are 

determined. 

These are all measurements needed to 

enable the user to safely use the laser 

system.

  This system hazard evaluation 

report is reviewed for accuracy and then 

provided to the AF Laser System Safety 

Review Board (LSSRB) where the hazard 

25 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
process is accomplished, the laser 

would be considered safe and effective 

to use in the operational environment.

analysis perimeters are compared to 

operating procedures provided by 

the user to ensure a comprehensive 

analysis is obtained. Comments from 

this comparison review are forwarded 

to the DoD Laser Systems Safety 

Working Group for inclusion in the list 

of DoD approved systems published in 

Mil-HDBK 828A and submitted to the 

Surgeon General’s Air Force Medical 

Operations Agency (AFMOA) who has 

ultimate approval authority for systems 

entering the Air Force.  

  The end result of this approval 

process is to provide the warfighter a 

laser system that has been carefully 

characterized and compared to the 

proposed CONOP of the user.  Identified 

hazards should be mitigated.  If this 

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 26
28 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

As an Airman I was exposed to the 

same “Don’t Drink and Drive” message we 

have now. I really didn’t need to hear it 

over and over again, the message was quite 

simple: “Don’t Drink and Drive.” Duh. I 

would think to myself, “who would be stupid 

enough to stagger to their car and drive off?” 

I was a heavy drinker back then (nicknamed 

“The Guzzler”) but was always careful 

enough to have a plan n place ahead of time. 

I caught a ride or I walked. 

 Well, one night I staggered to my car 

after a night at the Club. Did I mention I 

was a heavy drinker? I was. I had built up a 

“tolerance” for alcohol much the same as you 

can build up a tolerance to anything. The 

more I had, the more it took to seemingly 

have an affect on me (psychologically 

anyway). I used to get buzzed from two or 

three beers. Then it started taking four or 

five... It got to the point where I would have 

JUST MY LUCK!

By “THE GUZZLER”

27 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 29

to drink more than a six-pack to feel the 

affects of alcohol. So why do I tell you this? 

One fine day I decided to drive to the 

ATM on base. Yes, I had “a few” drinks. 

The scenario of a staggering lush lurching 

to their car never entered my mind as I 

walked to my own car; I felt stone cold 

sober. Remember, I built that tolerance up 

to where I needed many beers before I felt 

the affect (buzz). I was pulled over for a 

“Hollywood Stop” at a stop sign. Game 

over. I was arrested for DUI. Although 

I felt (and probably ‘appeared’) sober, my 

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was over the 

legal limit. 

I learned about the “tolerance” thing 

when I attended the mandatory mental health 

training as part of my post DUI treatment. 

I am grateful the Air Force spent the time 

and resources to make that part of treatment; 

they didn’t need to do that. “Mission First, 

People Always.”

Moral of the story is best grasped 

by those who have ever had a few but felt 

completely “sober”. You were probably not 

legally sober. Your BAC does not correlate 

to your perceived tolerance to alcohol. 

Although I felt completely sober at the 

time of my DUI– this was an illusion. The 

alcohol in my body was enough to put me 

over the legal limit. Would you want me in 

the car next to you on the highway? Think 

about this the next time you have a few at a 

BBQ or softball game or.... Although you 

may not be a sloppy drunk, you may very 

well be over the legal limit. If you are pulled 

over for a missing taillight, hit by another 

motorist or come across a checkpoint

and you are indeed legally over the limit, 

your reflexes are affected.

You are not only a danger to yourself, but 

others. Have a plan. Don’t drink and drive 

means just that. It does not mean don’t drive 

after you “feel” drunk...but if you drink at 

all, you are affected.

Don’t let this 

happen to you!

AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 28
30 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

By Maj Heather Alexander, AFSOC/SEH

Safety Climate Assessment Survey

29 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 

Good for you! You are actually reading farther 

than just the title because, honestly, when you see 

‘survey’ the first thought is NOT “gee, this should be 

a darn interesting article”. Of course now, I have to 

convince you there is something in this for you. So, 

we are going to assume you care about the people 

who work for you, or the people you work with, or 

even the tools and equipment you need on a daily basis in order to accomplish the mission. Sound good?

Many of you may have already participated in the 

safety climate assessment conducted in AFSOC during 2007. For those commanders who completed the 

entire process, they received valuable feedback regarding the safety climate in their units. That survey 

was hosted by the Army Combat Readiness Center 

and utilized comparative data based on Army units. 

Since then, the Air Force Safety Center has fielded 

a comparable tool tailored specifically for Air Force 

organizations. 

As a commander, a good question to ask is “Do 

my people think we have a [safety] problem?” There 

are currently 8 different, tailored survey tools available to address general or specific concerns. Not 

only does the survey highlight problems your people 

raise, but the debrief process at the completion of 

the survey provides interventions and strategies to 

improve the safety climate. In AFSOC, we are particularly fortunate to have an Aviation Psychologist 

qualified to conduct the debriefings, develop intervention strategies and conduct follow-up and faceto-face interaction on an as needed basis.

Okay, so you aren’t a commander – what’s in 

it for you? Seems to be just one more survey that 

no one gives you any feedback on. Actually, your 

commander gets near real-time feedback from this 

survey. If your unit has a great safety culture, your 

commander hears that and gets methods to help keep 

it that way. If however, the feedback indicates your 

unit has a poor safety culture, your commander gets 
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 3028

intervention strategies aimed at keeping you and your 

co-workers safer. In reality, having everyone at work 

healthy and in one piece sure makes your life easier.

Survey Options

On-duty

 Operations

 Maintenance

 Support Functions

Off-Duty

 Private Motor Vehicle

 Motorcycle

 Off-duty & Recreation

 Drinking & Driving

Voluntary Protection Program

Some fine print

Best time to implement a survey is within 30 days 

after a change of command, based on a deployment 

cycle, or if there is a particular issue or concern.

The survey is conducted on an anonymous basis 

with a 30 day maximum window to complete ensuring timely, realistic feedback.

Feedback is provided directly to the requesting 

commander and released to other individuals only 

with that commander’s approval.

The survey itself should only take 8-10 minutes 

per individual.

Survey examples and answers to additional questions are available at: www.afcast.org

Additional questions may also be directed to 

AFSOC/SE (Maj Alexander, DSN 579-2044), AFSC/

SEH (Maj Hughes, DSN 246-3763), or 1 OSS/

OSM (Maj Young).
3231 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal AFSOC Commando Safety Journal

This article is about situations 

most of us probably encounter 

daily. These events are typically 

unsafe and make us angry when 

we come across them. The people 

involved in these negative risk 

behaviors don’t see the dangerous 

situations they are getting into. 

Sometimes a person becomes 

complacent so often, they think it 

is always the right way. My intent 

is to put focus on these situations 

and hopefully cause a little thinking 

and possibly correct a thing or two 

to make life safer for all of us. 

Sometimes, we encounter 

a situation others are doing 

that is so dangerous that we 

want to do something about it 

immediately. When we encounter 

these issues we want to lose it 

and do something really stupid, 

but fortunately sanity reigns 

supreme and we generally contain 

ourselves. At times, we utter under 

our breath, some little saying that 

generally exemplifies our feelings. 

There are times when we take 

the effort to show our concerns 

with hand and arm gestures to the 

offenders. Sometimes, we chuckle 

at the absurdity of the situation 

and we wish a police officer were 

there to witness what is taking 

place. 

Unfortunately, the first situation 

is one we all see. This one is 

hazardous and taken seriously. 

Seeing children not restrained in a 

car while in motion. It makes you 

just want to pull them over and let 

the driver know all the bad things 

that can happen to the children if 

they get involved in an accident. 

Thoughts from Ben
AFSOC Commando Safety Journal AFSOC Commando Safety Journal 3332

During an accident, kids become 

unguided missiles within the car 

and bounce off everything within 

the vehicle... if they are lucky. If 

not, they can be thrown out of the 

vehicle through one of the windows 

or windshield. In either case, it’s 

not nice what happens to their 

little bodies. This will happen; no 

one has enough strength to try to 

hold his or her children and prevent 

it.

As parents, don’t you all love your 

kids and wouldn’t you do anything 

for them? You bet your garters you 

would and do! You get them the 

latest style of shoes or clothing to 

make them feel cool and stylish. 

You get them the latest toys 

and gadgets for their enjoyment. 

You do all you can to make your 

children happy. Why won’t you 

make the effort to buckle your 

kids up and provide them the best 

protection available? Recently, my 

grown daughter was involved in an 

accident that totaled the car and 

the thing I find most memorable 

about it was, after the accident, 

she thanked me for forcing her 

to always wear her seatbelt. 

Remember it’s not only the law in 

many states; it’s the right thing 

to do. If you love your children, 

buckle them up properly.

 Think about it. See you next time, 

Ben!
34 AFSOC Commando Safety Journal