SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. –
Air Mobility Command leaders are directing all AMC Airmen and civilian employees, and encouraging family members, to stop preventable private motor vehicle mishaps.
In an Oct. 8 memorandum to all Air Force personnel, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said they cannot tolerate reckless operation of motor vehicles by Air Force personnel.
"I strongly echo the sentiments of the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff," said Gen. Arthur Lichte, AMC commander, in a separate memo to AMC leaders. "There is nothing sadder than the loss of a human life. Anyone who has sat through one of our fatality briefings can attest to the fact that most, if not all PMV mishaps, are preventable. We must do better to help our Airmen make better risk management decisions."
In fiscal 2009, 47 Airmen lost their lives in PMV mishaps compared to 29 Airmen in 2008. According to Air Force safety experts, non-compliance with seatbelt usage and speed limit laws were identified as causal factors in 68 percent of the motor vehicle fatalities. The Secretary and the Chief stated the goal from this point on is "Zero Airmen lost in preventable PMV mishaps."
General Lichte directed AMC leaders to reach out to every AMC military and civilian member through commander's calls or similar venues to convey this important safety message and address the inherent dangers of operating private motor vehicles.
General Lichte also tasked AMC leaders to review Air Force Instruction 91-207, The Air Force Traffic Safety Program, and its AMC Supplement to ensure their units, subordinate commanders and unit personnel understand and comply with the requirements and guidance. "Non-compliance with these requirements is simply unacceptable, and those who fail to comply should be dealt with appropriately," General Lichte said.
He added that Airmen need to understand violations of the AFI by military personnel are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
General Lichte stressed that every Airman must be responsible for his or her actions - on and off duty - and must make appropriate risk management decisions.
"I expect nothing less," he said. "The loss of even one Airman has a profound effect on our Air Force and their families."
When Airmen are injured or killed, a line of duty determination is required to evaluate whether it was due to their own misconduct. A finding that the death or injury was due to the Airman's misconduct, and, therefore, not in the line of duty, can impact benefits such as disability retirement and severance pay, veterans benefits and compensation under the Survivor Benefit Plan.
This can mean, for example, if the member was not wearing a seatbelt or helmet, was under the influence of alcohol, or was operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner, the injury or death could be found not in the line of duty, resulting in a loss of certain benefits for both the member and his or her family members.
AMC command safety experts also remind personnel of several command-sponsored programs aimed at reducing motor vehicle mishaps, including the Travel Risk Planning System, the Air Force Culture Assessment Safety Tool, the "Alive at 25" program, the "Save-A-Life" tours and the Air Force sport bike safety training program.
Both the TRiPS and AFCAST programs are located on the AMC Community of Practice Web site at https://wwwd.my.af.mil/afknprod/ASPs/CoP/OpenCoP.asp?Filter=OO-SE-AM-16.
According to AMC safety officials, the Sport Bike Safety course was created as a countermeasure to the increase in sport bike fatalities and mishaps. Officials said as the popularity of sport bikes grows among Airmen, so does the number of injuries and fatalities.
The class is designed to make Airmen aware of the dangers of riding sport bikes. The course teaches students correct riding posture, pre-ride inspection points, mentorship, and more. Sport Bike Training Courses are mandatory at all AMC-host installations, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has recently released a Sport Bike course based upon the AMC program.
Contact the 437th Airlift Wing Safety Office at 963-5594 or 963-5598 for more information on local safety programs.