FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- We celebrate Labor Day weekend beginning tomorrow. Labor Day honors the American worker and the unofficial end to summer, and as such, there will be no shortage of social gatherings and well deserved get-togethers.
Typically, at most of these events alcohol will be available. I sincerely hope that Soldiers, Fort Jackson family members and our civilian employees have a great fun-filled weekend, but at the same time I hope all exercise the judgment and discipline required to bring us all back to work on Tuesday alive and well.
As we celebrate, we can count on a couple of things: heavy traffic on South Carolina's roads, and most of those drivers being in a hurry (If I'm wrong about that, please let me know!). You can also count on law enforcement throughout the state and county stepping up their efforts to monitor our streets and highways. South Carolina ranks third in the nation in annual number of traffic fatalities, a statistic the law enforcement leadership is looking to improve upon.
Our standards and discipline do not take days off. That same discipline that keeps us alive on distant battlefields keeps us alive on the interstates that connect our friends and families. You could save a life by not overindulging or by preventing someone who has been drinking from operating a motor vehicle. As we all know, irresponsible drinking is a primary concern of all leadership; its abuse can trigger catastrophic consequences that can change peoples' lives forever. You cannot take it back; you cannot undo it or make up for it. Bad decisions tend to compound themselves, with one poor decision leading to another. This advice not only applies to irresponsible drinking and reckless driving, but also to sports, the waterways, or any other event that you may participate in. Consider the risks associated with any activity and implement effective control measures to help you mitigate or eliminate the hazard. Composite risk management applies to all our activities -- on and off duty.
Additionally, if you are going to take part in any festivities where alcohol is consumed, have a rock-solid plan going in. The non-negotiable part of that plan is that you will never get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you have been drinking or never allow another to do the same. Take care of each other.
Finally, motorcycle riders need to exercise extreme caution, as well. It is tragic when we lose a Soldier in an accident, particularly one that could have been avoided. There are too many instances when a Soldier is killed or seriously injured because a motorcycle went out of control due to a high rate of speed, or the rider was not wearing a helmet and protective gear, or sadly he or she was an inexperienced rider and had not received the necessary motorcycle training.
We have a magnificent team at Fort Jackson. Each of you is extremely valuable to our mission, and I thank you for your hard work and dedication to our Army and to Fort Jackson. I ask you to enjoy your hard-earned time off, but do so maturely and in a manner that's consistent with our values and the conduct of behavior we expect of each other as professionals. Please remember -- the life you save by acting responsibly could be your own, your son's, your daughter's, a friend's or your spouse's. Have a great and safe Labor Day weekend! Take some well deserved, responsible time off -- you deserve it!
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