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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Throughout history, the Marine Corps has established itself in the public eye as the most dependable military branch with the highest standards of discipline.
However, the actions of a few individuals within the Corps driving on the road contradict those standards. For that reason, the 1st Marine Logistics Group is encouraging its Marines and sailors to raise vehicle and motorcycle safety awareness, on and off the road.
“The Marines and sailors have brought great honor back from our time deployed to Afghanistan,” said Lt. Cmdr. Paul Schiermeier, safety and environmental officer, 1st MLG. “But just because we have gone into combat, wearing the Marine Corps uniform, should not allow us to assume unnecessary risks like driving under the influence of alcohol and increasing the conditions for harm on roadway. We want to improve our Marines’ driving behavior to change the American population perceptions, especially those residents living in Oceanside and other areas around Camp Pendleton. Don’t be that guy.”
In order to do so, Schiermeier, from Florissant, Mo., encourages Marines and sailors to utilize all resources that are available to them.
“Marines and sailors under the age of 26 must complete the Drive-for-Life training, which is taught by base safety,” he said. “For motorcycle riders, they must complete the basic motorcycle course and the advanced rider course. If they’ve been drinking and don’t have a designated driver, make use of the Arrive Alive program.”
The Arrive Alive program offers service members who carry the card a safe ride home from a few of the local taxi companies, (taxi point of contacts are also printed on the card) Schiermeier explained. Marines and sailors can pick up an Arrive Alive card from their unit’s Substance Abuse Control Officer.
“Not only do we need to be responsible for ourselves, we need to consider those we allow to drive us, be aware of what conditions might be effecting the other person to safely drive you,” he said.
Schiermeier asked Marines and sailors to practice personal and peer leadership to make better plans for their activities while off duty. The 1st MLG had 50 vehicle mishaps reported last year with three fatalities, reported by the 1st MLG Safety and Environmental Office.
“One fatality is way too many. We need to plan our activities off duty as well, just as much as we're planning our combat operations and training exercises,” he said. “We need to recognize that we have a public image to uphold. As often as the American people are proud of our accomplishments, they're disgruntled and dismayed when they hear that we have personnel who are killing themselves or others on the roadway.”
So far this year, there have been four vehicle mishaps reported to the Safety and Environmental Office, 1st MLG, thankfully all of which resulted in no loss of life, a big improvement from last year’s report.
“Overall, the 1st MLG has shown remarkable support of force preservation with data that supports stats to include zero mishap fatalities this calendar year,” he said. “In order for us to keep leaning forward and creating a safe and healthy environment both on and off duty, it will require the personal leadership of our Marines and sailors, and a better understanding of the options to make them safe and apply them.”
Schiermeier added, “As junior Marines and sailors, they need to develop their personal leadership, which will enhance their abilities to become leaders of people. We should demonstrate leadership abilities in our personal lives by following the rules and the laws around us. Marines and sailors need to understand that they don’t have the right to: 1) drink and drive; 2) text while driving; 3) drive aggressively; and 4) drive at high excessive speeds; nor should they have those rights. These behaviors do not reflect in our core values, and they’re not key traits of good ambassadors, which we should be.”
Schiermeier went on to address service members about pedestrian safety.
“We need to be courteous and respectful of the driving laws, on and off base, particularly pertaining to the pedestrian safety,” he said. “We need to apply risk management and be sure that we constringed those around us and not treat our vehicles as weapons.”
The most important task of the safety officer of 1st MLG is getting every service member to practice personal and peer leadership and to raise their safety awareness – it is an ongoing battle. Schiermeier hopes that his word reaches everyone and helps them be more aware of their surroundings, on and off duty, in and out of their vehicles.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2012 14:03 |
| Story ID: | 84444 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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