Today's Focus:
Holiday Safety
SENIOR LEADERS ARE SAYING
"Every holiday, the Army loses Soldiers to tragic on-and-off-duty accidents. As exodus 2009 approaches, leaders, Soldiers and families must remain vigilant to protect against risk and drive down unnecessary losses to sustain our band of brothers and sisters."
- Brig. Gen. William T. Wolf, U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center Commanding General and Director of Army Safety
Video: Brig. Gen. William T. Wolf’s message to troops regarding Fall/Winter safety.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Year of the Noncommissioned Officer
"It wasn't just me. It was everybody on the ground that day. All of the training I had ever done in the Army kicked in that day. It was just instinct."
- Sgt 1st Class Mark Newlin, earned the Silver Star for his bravery during a combat operation in Hit in September 2006, credits his Army training for his actions.
Humble Hero
CALENDAR
2009 Commemorations :
Year of the NCO
Year of the Military Family
100th Anniversary of the Chaplain Assistant
December 2009
Dec. 16 to Jan. 25 : 65th Anniversary of Battle of the Bulge
Dec. 24: STAND-TO! edition will not be published
Dec. 25: Christmas Holiday
Dec. 31: STAND-TO! edition will not be published
TODAY'S FOCUS
Holiday Safety
What is it?
Engagement on all fronts, between leaders, Soldiers, families and peers, is essential to preventing senseless tragedies this holiday season.
What has the Army done?
This year, the Army has grown its traditionally small annual Fall/Winter Safety Campaign into an effort that now nearly mirrors the strength of its very successful Summer Safety Campaign. This new campaign, which runs through March 31, is driven by a theme reminding all audiences that even though the temperatures are colder, fall and winter months are no time to chill" when it comes to safety and risk management.
With the holidays approaching and many Soldiers, civilians and family members preparing for exodus, it is important to remember that safety threats are abundant this time of year. Things like icy roads, drunk drivers, undercooked food, slips, trips and falls, and fires all threaten the joy the holidays can bring.
The Army's Fall/Winter Safety Campaign encourages leaders at all levels to engage their teams during this high-risk season by providing them with a wealth of tools to help identify, understand and mitigate risk. A myriad of important risk mitigation resources meant to bolster safety programs are available at the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center's Web site. These tools and products, which include the Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS), feature articles, videos, posters and more, provide important information for all members of the Army team traveling and celebrating this season.
Why is this important to the Army?
During last year's holiday exodus, the Army lost four Soldiers to preventable off-duty accidents. Three of the four Soldiers were on leave when they were killed.
The Fall/Winter Safety Campaign reminds all Soldiers, civilians and family members that whether they are working in the motor pool or on the flight line, hitting the slopes, gathered around a bountiful table, celebrating the New Year or enjoying fun outdoor activities, composite risk management must remain a top priority in every activity, both on and off duty.
Soldiers must remember to have a plan when celebrating, designate a sober driver and always look out for fellow Soldiers.
Resources:
U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Weather Service
National Safety Council
Home Safety Council
STAND-TO! NEWS
ABOUT THE ARMY
- Army secretary tours southern Afghanistan (The U.S. Army)
- Chief of Staff makes holiday visits in Afghanistan (The U.S. Army)
- Chaplain Corps celebrates centennial of chaplain assistants (The U.S. Army)
- Community Strong Day brings heroes to Fort Hood (The U.S. Army)
- Runners-up: General Stanley McChrystal (Time)
- Documentary follows Special Forces candidates through two weeks of training (Fayetteville Observer)
OVERSEAS OPERATIONS
- Officials say Iraq fighters intercepted drone video (New York Times)
- U.S. attacks kill suspected militants in Pakistan (Wall Street Journal)
- Mullen arrives in Iraq to check on status of U.S. withdrawal plans (Chicago Tribune)
- McCaskill calls for increased oversight of contract work in Afghanistan (Washington Post)
- Mullen urges 'results' from Afghan chiefs (USA Today)
- Afghan surge troops won't target drug crops (Reuters)
- Training for the civilian surge (Wall Street Journal)
- Shooter-detection 'Boomerangs' helping in Iraq (The U.S. Army)
- Russia, U.S. close to nuclear pact: report (Reuters)
OF INTEREST
- Veterans get international thanks for service at Bulge (The U.S. Army)
- Military study shows increase in suicide attempts, PTSD symptoms (Stars and Stripes)
- One battalion’s trials in Afghanistan (New York Times)
- Pentagon plays catch-up as toll of repeat combat duty rises (Christian Science Monitor)
- Pentagon nominee promises reporters won’t be rated before embeds (Stars and Stripes)
- Army downsizes planned base hotel ( Washington Post)
- STAND-TO! Home
- Subscribe/Unsubscribe to STAND-TO!
- Send Feedback
- Privacy & Security
- U.S. Army Homepage
External Links Disclaimer - The appearance of hyperlinks to external sites does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the U.S. Army of the linked web site or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the Department of the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this DoD web site.
SOCIAL NETWORKING