REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Army Materiel Command's safety director can sum up his more than three decades of service in one short phrase: connecting the dots in safety.
John Manfre will formally retire Sept. 30 with approximately 37 years of total service and a little more than six years in Headquarters AMC. His career has been all about collaborating between safety offices, industry and organizational efforts to create a safer culture.
"Over the last 20 years or so we've matured in our safety and occupational health programs a lot and it's because we're able to better connect dots," Manfre began.
Today's safety mangers have come a long way from the traditional "buckle up" slogans.
We've transitioned in safety from a compliance based safety program to one that incorporates everyone, Manfre described.
"Let's look at each other, let's talk this out, and let's see how we can collaborate on building a safer environment," Manfre said, describing the 'let's be safe together' mantra. "As we do this more, we're able to interface better with each other's safety programs and safety will get better and better."
The maturing has also gone beyond local safety offices to Army-wide cultural changes. An example of this is the Voluntary Protection Program, established by OSHA in the early 1980s.
The VPP recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.
"Breakthroughs in connecting the dots came when the Army decided to adopt the Voluntary Protection Program initiative of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration," Manfre continued. "The Army embraced the idea only after Tobyhanna Army Depot, which belongs to
AMC, became the first DoD VPP site in 1999."
AMC currently has four VPP sites recognized by OSHA: Crane Army Ammunition Activity, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Letterkenny Army Depot, and Tobyhanna Army Depot.
"As soon as we start talking to one another, communicating with one another, then safety really begins to happen," said Manfre, stressing the need for continued collaboration.
"But as I leave here, I can feel confident and feel good about the fact that we've connected quite a few dots, but we've got a number of dots yet to connect."
He also leaves a long list of accomplishments, for the AMC safety office.
AMC has garnered 30 safety awards under his tutelage, submitted and won more awards than any other major Army Command, established the first 4 Star Safety Council for AMC and increased AMC's Voluntary Protection Program sites, just to name a few.
Manfre views this next phase of life more like a sabbatical versus a retirement.
"I really want to make a difference," said Manfre. "I need to give back, I want to give back, so it's time for me to give back."
He currently plans to volunteer with various veterans organizations, doing the exact same thing he did for AMC -- connect the dots -- by increasing the awareness between safety and Comprehensive Soldier Fitness.
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