McChord Reservists keep safety a priority near summer's end Published Aug. 23, 2012 By Master Sgt. Jake Chappelle 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- With Labor Day approaching at light speed and "back-to-school" sale signs appearing in department store windows, the safety of our Reservists needs to remain a priority. "The health, wellbeing and safety of our airmen are critical to our continued ability to prosecute the war and safeguard this nation," said Col. Bruce Bowers, 446th Airlift Wing commander. According to the Washington State Department of Licensing, there have been 124 motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities in the state since Memorial Day. "Most people don't wake up in the morning with the intent of inflicting harm to themselves," said Lt. Col. Kevin Welin, 446th AW chief of Safety. "You don't know when or where the next accident is going to be." With the decrease in daylight hours and lower temperatures around the corner, many people try to fit in last-minute vacations. "You have a lot of people saying, 'this is my last weekend, and I'm gonna crank it up!'" Welin said. "But people don't think about the potential repercussions with that type of thinking. How would an individual react if they were to accidentally kill somebody?" Welin said this type of thinking also affects the mission and the other team members who are part of it. "Readiness is all the time, both on and off duty," Welin, who resides in nearby Lacey, said. "You never know when our next calling will be." In making sure McChord Citizen Airmen are ready, the wing will conduct an operational readiness exercise prior to the scheduled operational readiness inspection in October. "This is the number one focus in the wing right now," Welin said. "Each and every Reservist is needed at 100 percent to pull it off. If an airman goes out, parties and injures himself, he just made himself ineligible to participate in the ORI. Now, he has to be replaced with someone brand new to the process. That increases the odds of failure and we can't have that at this point." However, Welin said that's no reason Reservists can't enjoy the rest of the summer. Operational risk management just needs to be taken into consideration. "Satisfaction comes from solving the puzzle," he said. "But you need to have the goal of solving it first. Keeping goals and priorities like family, health and career in mind can be real difference makers." Some difference makers are simple, yet major, factors including proper wear of personal protective equipment, Welin said. "I pass motorcycle riders on (Interstate 5) wearing flip flops and a tank top," he said. "That's not applying ORM. At minimum, you need a full-face (Department of Transportation) approved helmet and bright long-sleeved garments." As fall approaches, Welin stresses Reservists to keep these considerations in mind: · Unfamiliar tourists will be replaced with local children crossing and playing in the streets · Expect more rain, therefore an increase in brake-reaction times and limited visibility · Less control on wet roads because of rain, oil and shallow tire thread · Family, self and career "You're needed," Welin said. "But in making sure safety remains a top priority, the first step begins with the individual." Even with the person taking that step, Bowers said airmen and families need to help ensure they're prepared to take it. "Anything we can do as leaders, wingmen and family members, to keep our airmen safe and ready to meet this country's requirements is part of something we all need to work toward," Bowers said. For more information or questions on how to stay safe in the Pacific Northwest, contact the 446th Airlift Wing Safety Office at (253) 982-2050.