FORT RUCKER, Ala. ─ As Mother Nature starts heating things up, the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is launching its annual Spring and Summer Safety Campaign.
The campaign, with the theme “Spring-Summer Ready, Mission Steady!" will run April through September and provide tools and products focusing on important seasonally appropriate safety topics to help Soldiers and civilians counter the hazards of rising temperatures.
Spring and summer are the Army’s deadliest times of year for mishaps for both on and off duty. Of the 73 off-duty fatalities in fiscal year 2025, 40 of them occurred between March and September. The leading threat to Soldiers remains motor vehicles mishaps, no matter the season: with 28 deaths involving automobiles and 27 from motorcycle accidents.
Other threats during the spring and summer months include off-duty sports and recreation activities, such as hiking, swimming, bicycling, boating and skydiving. While many people consider hiking a fairly safe sport, nearly half of the Soldiers who died in non-water-related off-duty sports activities from FY21-25 died from falls while hiking.
The campaign includes posters, feature articles, videos and public service announcements focusing on seasonal safety topics, such as risk management while off duty, driving safely in automobiles and motorcycles, drinking responsibly, staying hydrated, recognizing and treating heat illness, and how to participate in spring and summer sports activities safely.
“We are excited to provide this valuable tool to assist Army leaders and safety professionals with their efforts to keep Soldiers, family members and civilians safe,” said Brig. Gen. John Curry, USACRC commanding general. “We need every Soldier at every level in our formations to remain vigilant to all the threats that warmer weather brings, both on duty and off, so that they can take the steps necessary to mitigate those risks.
“Sharing these seasonal articles, real-life safety stories from the field, posters and public service announcements will help leaders and safety professionals reach Soldiers at all levels and reinforce how important it is to constantly manage risk in all that they do,” he added.
USACRC officials encourage users to visit the organization’s website frequently for safety materials, as they will be released throughout the spring and summer.
First-line leaders and safety professionals will be the conduit through which most Soldiers receive this information, according to Command Sgt. Maj. Jean Pierre Alcedo, USACRC command sergeant major. “Leaders at all levels should live safety, not just talk about it. These campaigns provide the information and tools leaders need to educate their people and make them aware of the hazards of the season, enabling them to make informed decisions on managing the risks they will face.”
The campaign will be available on the USACRC’s website at https://safety.army.mil, as well as the organization’s social media platforms: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
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