Spc. Nguyen Chuong, stryker systems mechanic with 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, shows how to do a proper weighted lift Jan. 19 on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Pfc. Aron Abarca, power generation mechanic with 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, executes a walking lunge with a weighted kettlebell Jan. 19 on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Spc. Kouassi Brou, utilities equipment repairman, carries a weight bar during morning PT Jan. 19 on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Sgt. Jelissa Dale, medical logistics specialist with 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, performs sit-ups with a medicine ball Jan. 19 on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – It is that time of the year when days are short and temperatures are cold. The winter months come with unique safety hazards for service members during physical training sessions.

Service members at Joint Base Lewis-McChord deal with winter hazards that many of their counterparts at other bases don’t have to face.

Although the JBLM community is no stranger to inclement weather throughout the winter months, rain, sleet, snow and ice can be extremely hazardous, especially for new service members who may be unprepared to face them.

“With the precipitation already lingering around, the challenge for ensuring safety is that the time when the weather turns bad [in the morning] seems to be right before everyone’s due in for PT,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Waylon Petty, JBLM command sergeant major. “It’s really hard to predict when to call it off.”

Petty is experiencing his first winter at JBLM, just like some of the service members stationed on base.

While the garrison commander has the ability to suggest a late PT or a cancellation of PT, ultimately it is each individual unit that makes the final decision based upon its mission.

“We work very closely across the base to ensure the safety of every person on JBLM,” Petty said. “From Madigan and I Corps to the 62nd Airlift Wing, we truly count on the joint base strategy to accomplish the mission.”

Every unit across the base participates in cold weather training to be able to recognize cold weather injuries.

“I’ve learned and I teach my Soldiers to always wear the correct proper protective equipment like the gloves, microfleece beanie and even a neck gator,” said Staff Sgt. Atiya Savage, automated logistical specialist with the 2nd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade. “I’m also always mindful of my steps when walking or running.”

Vigorous activity or exercise leads to sweating, wet clothing and heat loss which can all cause cold weather injuries, according to the Army Public Health Center, which also says the prevention of cold weather injuries is vital to sustain combat readiness.

The APHC recommends these steps to help prevent CWI:

  • The keys to preventing hypothermia are layering clothing and staying dry. Remember the acronym COLD: 
  • Keep it Clean 
  • Avoid Overheating 
  • Wear it Loose and in Layers 
  • Keep it Dry 
  • Layers should be removed as ambient temperature or physical activity increases, which can reduce sweating and moisture build-up within clothing. 

“When we train safely, we are preparing to fight,” Petty said. “We look at the risks with the help of resources like JBLM Alert, see how we can overcome them and then we get after it.”

With JBLM Alert, subscribers can receive alerts about JBLM and Pierce County area emergencies and other critical community information. When JBLM issues a notification about a potential hazard or concern, users will receive a message via the voice or text communication methods they have registered.

For more JBLM News, click here.

For more information about JBLM Alert, click here.