Redirect on risk decision making -- Break chain of tragedy

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Neil Woods
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Congratulations Team Vance on another hard-earned Friday! Hard to believe three months have already passed since my arrival on station. This is my second tour at Vance, and it's great to be back among the finest professionals and friendliest folks in America.
During the first 68 days of "Summer Survival: Xtreme Challenge," we've done very well preventing mishaps in many areas that typically bite us in the summer months. Sports and recreation-related injuries are at record lows, which is a good sign we're using solid risk management principles. Unfortunately, on the highway this summer, two of our Airmen had serious accidents which could have easily been fatal. We are blessed these Airmen are still with us, and our prayers continue for the full recovery of one with severe injuries.
Tragically, the news is not so good for the rest of our Air Force. A July 19 message from the Pentagon titled, "101 Critical Days Redirect," reports the loss of 17 Airmen already this summer in two- and four-wheel vehicle accidents, water activities and summertime sports. This is worse than our performance last year and, if the trend continues, could result in one of the worst summers in a very long time. The majority of these fatal mishaps involved either alcohol or poor risk decision-making. I'd like to focus my commentary on the latter of these two -- why we make poor risk decisions and how we can do better in order to reverse this ugly trend.
Except for risk that results from blatant disregard for published rules and guidance, reasons for poor risk decision making can be placed in three general categories: risk because of ignorance, laziness or task saturation. Often there are elements of all three.
Risk because of ignorance results when we launch into a new activity without knowing what risks exist and without receiving proper training to mitigate those risks. Most of us wouldn't think of free falling out of an airplane or doing a backward summersault double twist off the 10-meter diving platform without extensive training and preparation, but we may not think twice about speeding off down the road on our buddy's motorcycle for the first time (maybe without a helmet) or jogging around base in traffic with headphones on, or accepting a dare from a peer at a party to perform some crazy feat, all over a few beers. The activity may seem harmless or in good fun, but we don't know what we don't know, and we blindly accept risk that can ruin our Air Force career or worse, end our life.
All of us are guilty of risk because of laziness on a daily basis. We rush into an activity without considering proper precautions because the time and effort involved is too much hassle, and we don't think the unthinkable could ever happen to us. Being a tool man, I can relay lots of bad risk decision examples from hasty projects in my workshop or yard when I blew off proper hearing and eye protection or protective clothing to save a few minutes ... or seconds. I guarantee we all take similar risks each day with things like proper footwear, protection from sun and heat, proper automobile maintenance, obeying speed limits, yard work, hydration, sports equipment and stretching before exercise, just to name a few. We put the life and health of ourselves and our families at risk just to save a few minutes of effort or a few dollars toward preventive measures we say we can't afford.
The third category, risk because of task saturation, results when we try to cram the proverbial "10 pounds of potatoes into a five pound sack." During the summer, days are longer and activity level is higher. We naturally try to make the most of it. But when we add increased operations tempo and preparation for an Operational Readiness Inspection to a schedule that is already full to the brim, the only way we can keep from spilling over is to cut corners and accept risk from inadequate preparation, fatigue, distraction and procedural errors that happen when we feel pressured to "just get it done." No one on Team Vance is immune. It could be the instructor pilot who rushes through the briefing or checklists to make the next syllabus event or another additional duty; or personnel in combat readiness training that neglect required safety measures so they can complete training faster and move on to ten other tasks; or someone forgetting to fasten their seatbelt because they're distracted with a myriad of duties and in a rush; or any of us who burn the midnight oil and rise before the sun through the week, then not remember how we got home Friday night.
So how can we mitigate risk associated with ignorance, laziness or task saturation before another Airman becomes a fatality statistic? The Pentagon redirect stated that in many of the fatality cases, someone close to the lost Airman knew or should have known something that would have allowed them to intervene as a good wingman. In other words, we have to be accountable to ourselves and to each other and value each other as indispensable members of the Air Force team. Pay attention! Don't turn a blind eye and allow our wingman to accept risk because we're too lazy or busy to intervene. A renowned Irish Statesman, Sir Josiah Charles Stamp, once said, "It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities." None of us want to live with the guilt of knowing we could have done something to save someone's life or career. As individuals, we need to apply the core values and consider the long-term consequences of our actions before accepting unnecessary risk. As a team, we need to partner with our fellow wingmen and our family members. Give them permission to "get on our case" when we're about to do something dumb, then don't get defensive when they do.
As an Air Force family, we are responsible for our wingman's risk, and if he's about to accept risk because he's unknowing, he's lazy or he's overloaded and pressing too hard, pull him aside and let him know he's too valuable to lose, then take action to prevent a mishap.
Be smart, assess the risk, be a good wingman and have a great weekend.