Leaders issue joint Labor Day safety message

  • Published
  • By Janie Santos
  • Defense Media Activity-San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) --  The Air Force's top leaders remind the entire Air Force family to minimize safety risks this weekend and beyond in a Labor Day message.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz issued the following message:

"As we approach this holiday weekend, it is imperative every Airman pauses to identify and minimize the safety risks that are inherent in our Labor Day, and all of our on- and off-duty activities. Tragically, we have already lost 54 fellow Airmen in mishaps this year, including 42 deaths in motor vehicle accidents. Despite comprising only a small fraction of our population, nearly one-half of these fatalities were Airmen riding motorcycles (82 percent riding sport bikes). Additionally, over 60 percent of these motor vehicle fatalities involved some type of reckless behavior--failure to wear mandatory personal protective equipment like helmets or seatbelts, excessive speed, use of alcohol, or extreme driving. Sadly, 30 percent of our automobile fatalities this year involved Airmen who chose not to wear seatbelts.

It is critical that we turn this negative trend around, and to do this we need to ensure a culture of safety based on risk awareness and prevention, both on and off-duty. As a start, we encourage commanders to be aware of the high risk activities in which your Airmen participate, and to ensure appropriate risk mitigation steps are in place. This may include a focus on the proper wear of personal protective equipment, operator training, vehicle inspections, and responsible use of alcohol. As we enter this holiday weekend, whether here in the U.S. or forward deployed, please review your travel plans, safe driving practices, and everyday activities to ensure we are able to accomplish our mission in the safest way possible.

We must do everything possible to avoid preventable mishaps, which are devastating to our units, base communities, and our Air Force families. We're counting on you to maintain your focus on safety during this holiday weekend and beyond. You are the last line of defense to prevent a mishap--at work, driving an automobile, riding a motorcycle, or deployed to the AOR. Please be smart, be safe, use your proper judgment and, just as importantly, look out for your Wingmen. Together, we can save lives! "

This joint letter to Airmen in addition to other senior viewpoints can be found in Viewpoints.