Safety: Life's best warning label is your gut

Published May 20, 2009
By Chief Master Sgt. Jim MacKinley
14th Air Force/JFCC SPACE Command Chief Master Sergeant

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Wow! It's hard to believe it's May already. At my house I think we still have Christmas and Valentine's Day candy in the candy jar.

May is usually an exciting time around the house. Jackie, my lovely, deployed wife, and I just finished making our summer vacation plans as we usually do every May. Like many of you, we will travel this summer. The kids love May because it's the last full month of school before summer break. In my mind, May is the month that launches summer fun.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise to this old chief that the 101 Critical Days of Summer campaign will begin very soon. It also comes as no surprise to me why May is the month of "Safety" in the Air Force Space Command's Year of Leadership campaign. Much-needed reminders about simple thoughts of safety will rightfully fill newspapers, e-mails, and venues where people gather.

You see, last summer the Air Force Space Command had 57 people get hurt on and off duty, and, sadly, we lost eight great Airmen. That's eight too many. The goal is zero. I know what you are thinking: "Zero is unrealistic." Let me ask you this then: Would you really want to work for an employer who allows the goal to be greater than zero?

Every morning I read about the great things happening in today's Air Force, and then I read the reports that speak of the terrible things that happened across the Air Force in the last 24 hours. My heart simply breaks when I read about great Americans getting hurt or being killed.

Now, I'm not naïve; I realize we face inherent risks in life both on and off the job. I simply ask that you seriously think about those risks before you act. I call it trusting the "warning label" that you were born with ... your gut. If it doesn't feel or seem right, then it probably isn't right. It amazes me how many survivors of terrible accidents say, "I knew I shouldn't have done that," or my favorite line, "I knew that was going to hurt." Stop to think before you act, consider the intended and unintended consequences, and only then take the best course of action.

Another job we have as great, safety conscious Airmen is keeping an eye out for people who don't think before they act. You know who I'm talking about. I'll use crosswalks as an example. There are people who walk into crosswalks with reckless abandon, and, because they know they have the right away, they are willing to walk into the street regardless of how many vehicles are present. I've often wondered what pain they are willing to go through to prove they are right. Is it worth being injured, maimed or killed in a crosswalk versus waiting a few extra seconds to evaluate the situation and then crossing when you are absolutely sure the traffic sees you, which may mean waiting until traffic has stopped in both directions? Just assuming the drivers see them and aren't distracted by a cell phone, crying baby or some other distraction is dangerous. So be a great wingman to those who need the help by always being observant to your surroundings and those in it.

The fact that we are a war fighting force presents many opportunities in our work place for bad things to happen. It is here that every Airman is the first line of defense. While performing your duties and tasks, it is your responsibility to identify safety risks to your supervision. Don't assume somebody else has already identified the risk. As part of the 14th Air Force leadership team, it is my job to help get risks identified to key leaders to determine what resources must be obligated to eliminate unnecessary risks, but if they are not identified, leadership can't help protect the most valuable weapon system the Air Force has: you.

We all look forward to the summer months. We should all expect to enjoy special times with our loved ones, creating fond memories to cherish for life. A "safety first/safety always" mentality sure can make a difference between fond memories and a lifetime of nightmares.

I challenge every Airmen, civilian, contractor, family member and retiree to trust your gut this summer. You are way too important to the Space Team to lose. Thank you for your service to our great country. Have a wonderful summer.