Vance Safety wants leaders to get in your 'FACE'

  • Published
  • By David Poe
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Sept. 28, 2013, was a warm, sunny day in the Republic of Korea. Senior Airman Derek Ray, an 8th Maintenance Squadron Airman stationed at Kunsan Air Base was due to meet friends for a playground football game two miles away from his dormitory.

He jumped on his motorcycle, and while he did slide on his helmet, he didn't bother with any other protective gear - he was only going two miles down the road.

As a retired senior-enlisted leader, and now Vance's ground safety manager, Paul Poggenpohl knows that stories like Ray's aren't uncommon, especially during the summer months when off-duty mishap statistics tend to spike.

"They have a sense of invincibility - especially younger airmen and lieutenants," he said. "They don't realize that at that age, stuff can happen. It doesn't hit home until it happens to one of their buddies or they experience it for themselves."

Poggenpohl said it's this apathy that is the catalyst for his office's "In Your FACE Challenge."

The 71st Flying Training Wing Safety Office is challenging leaders from across chains of command to Foster, Ask, Clear and Evaluate when they communicate safety concerns with their Airmen this summer.

"You have to be in their business - there has to be that eye-to-eye talk," said Poggenpohl. "You can't go to a squadron commander's call once a year, or twice a year ... it doesn't mean anything to them. Open communication about a subordinate's personal life does not result from a one-time formal counseling, even one that occurs prior to departing for a three-day weekend. It results from a habit of intentional interaction developed over time and through trust."

While the "Foster" part may start with asking questions, Poggenpohl said that with the resources available, supervisors can do more than just 'Ask.' They can learn about and show interest in the activities, interests and events their people are involved in.

In other words, making sure they are "Clear" on what their Airmen will be doing in their off-time.

Lastly, Poggenpohl shared what he feels is the importance of off-duty follow-up with troops, or "Evaluation."

"The one-on-one says 'hey, I'm taking time out of my schedule to check and see if you're going to be okay.' It has to be frequent," he said. "If you come to me one time a year and sit down and talk with me, it doesn't mean anything. There has to be consistency."

Ray didn't make it to the football field unscathed, but he did live to tell the tale.

In an Airman-2-Airman Safety Advisory Council video, hosted by the Air Force Safety Center, he told the story of a distracted driver who ran a red light and collided with him. His injuries included severe road rash and a lacerated knee.

Poggenpohl said stories like Ray's can be avoided with some personal responsibility, and that can be encouraged by getting in one's "FACE."

"Sometimes you only get one shot at it," he said. "There are no re-dos."

For more information on high-risk activity mitigation and other helpful tools for military life on duty and off duty, check out AETC's Virtual Wingman platform at www.airforcevirtualwingman.com/tier4/. You can also access your Virtual Wingman on the run by downloading the Joint Knowledge Online mobile app from Google Play or iTunes.

For more stories similar to that of Senior Airman Derek Ray, visit the Air Force Safety Center's web page http://www.afsec.af.mil and click on the Airman-2-Airman Safety Advisory Council link in the middle of the page.