FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Training to be lethal and being safe go hand-in-hand at the John. F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.
Several staff members with SWCS have been recognized with awards and other accolades for their achievements in safety.
"The safety awards program has been around for as far back as I can remember," explained Col. Curtis Boyd, SWCS chief of staff. "And I can tell you that it is not a competition. It's a way of recognizing those individuals who go above and beyond when it comes to safety."
A few of the Soldiers being recognized are: Lt. Col. Barry Jones, commander of 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group; Maj. Stephen Wargo, commander of Company A, 4th Bn., 1st SWTG; Master Sgt. Lita J. Fraley, safety officer with 3rd Bn., 1st SWTG; and Sgt. 1st Class Jason Ceballos, safety officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Warfare Medical Group.
According to Boyd and almost everyone at SWCS, safety is a top priority for on- and off-duty activities.
But what does it mean to be safe'
Wargo's definition of safety is, "A means to increase the effectiveness of the organization. Properly managing risks to Soldiers both operationally, environmentally and personally allows leaders to focus on mission accomplishment."
Wargo does this by conducting safety briefs, overseeing inspections, stressing the importance of safety and requiring his subordinate leadership to enforce meticulous standards.
Ceballos is the noncommissioned officer in charge of veterinary medicine with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Warfare Medical Group. He has already been awarded several safety awards from SWCS and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. In May, he will receive the Sergeant Major of the Army Superior Soldier Safety Award from Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston.
Ceballos is responsible for implementing several safety programs which have saved the Army manpower and money.
"We have many assets - laboratories, radiological assets, regulated medical waste and even an indoor shooting range," Ceballos explained. "We have to be completely aware all the time about how we are going to keep our Soldiers safe and making sure we don't damage the environment."
One of Ceballos' biggest projects was to improve the safety of the training areas used by students of the Special Operations Combat Medical Course.
"We had an annual environmental inspection and we found out there was a potentially dangerous amount of lead in the soil," Ceballos said. "So my job was to work with the Fort Bragg Environmental Office and the (Environmental Protection Agency) to remove the hazard. Luckily, the contamination hadn't gotten into the ground water."
As for the award that Ceballos will receive in May, he said, "I was given a task, and I did my job. It's nice to be recognized, but it means even more to me that the job that was done is being recognized."
It's an example like this that proves SWCS' dedication to ensuring safety.
"Safety is a combat multiplier," said Cathy Shank, SWCS safety manager. "By protecting our resources, we are able to put more Soldiers on the battlefield. We don't lose as many to injuries."
Shank said that safety starts with the individuals supporting SWCS.
"There is great command involvement here. It's part of the culture. The leaders throughout SWCS understand the importance of safety," Shank said. "This means that the Soldiers are able to understand, identify and correct unsafe situations."
Both Boyd and Shank emphasized that Soldiers at SWCS conduct high-risk training on a daily basis and it's impossible to prevent injury and the occasional loss of life. However, SWCS has many programs and policies in place to keep the losses as minimal as possible.
"I've noticed just in my time here that the number of Soldiers that are hurt both during training and during off hours has dropped," Shank said.
Boyd said he believes this is because of the culture of safety that SWCS has instilled in its Soldiers and other supporters.
"It's not just a commander's program; safety is something that every Soldier is responsible for," Boyd explained. "Whenever they see something unsafe, it's their job to take care of it."
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