Choose wisely this holiday weekend

By Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., Commanding General, I Corps and Fort Lewis

As we take a well deserved holiday from our duties to celebrate the nation’s 232nd birthday, I want to take a moment to mention a subject that should be on our minds at all times — the safety and well-being of our Soldiers.

By any objective measure, all the conditions are perfect for a fantastic Independence Day holiday. The weather has been uncharacteristically sunny and warm, bringing what appears to be the start of a “real” Northwest summer, and a large number of our Soldiers have recently returned home from war, with more scheduled to return in the coming weeks. We have a lot to celebrate.

Unfortunately, the best of times also brings an opportunity to lose focus on safety. To date, the Army has lost 89 Soldiers this year to off-duty privately owned vehicle accidents.

Thirty-seven of those died in motorcycle incidents.

These aren’t cold, meaningless statistics. As a father, mother, brother, sister, battle buddy, superior, subordinate, friend or loved one — each Soldier lost affected many people. They were part of our Army and our teammates. We need them, just as we need each of you.

We must avoid adding to these tragic losses. Every Soldier counts and every family matters.

Every Soldier will make choices over this holiday weekend. You will choose whether or not to drive after having a couple of beers at a summer barbecue. You will choose whether or not to get sleep before heading out on a long road trip. You will choose whether or not to remember the lessons of the motorcycle safety course and ride defensively; making sure other vehicles can see you clearly. You will choose whether or not to obey the posted speed limit.

A poor choice in any of these areas could add your name to the Army statistics.

Leaders, you have special respons-ibilities to the men and women we entrust to you. You know your Soldiers, and you know who among them might be at risk during the summer holidays. You know who’s riding that brand-new motorcycle, or who plans to make a six-hour drive after work. You know who has the most to celebrate — and you also know who might be under personal stress.

The Army requires leaders to do more than just give a holiday safety briefing. I need you to be personally involved in assessing the risks of your subordinates and then do everything to mitigate those risks.

Our Soldiers aren’t the only men and women at risk this season. Our civilian employees work long and hard in support of our Army, and they’re ready for a summer celebration, too. Likewise, our friends and family members face the risks of the season as well.

Have a great holiday weekend and a terrific summer and choose wisely. Courage 6.