Petty Officer 2nd Class Luis Vegas, an avionics machinist's mate, tries on the impaired vision goggles at the 11th annual Safety Fair on Wednesday at Misawa. (Jennifer H. Svan / Stars and Stripes)
NAVAL AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan — If Winky White were given a magic wand, he’d use it to instill enough self-discipline in his sailors to make the “101 Critical Days of Summer” mishap-free for the Navy in Japan.
“If you have self-discipline,” said White, Commander, Naval Forces Japan’s safety manager, “you make the right choices, because everything we do in life has a choice and we should be mature enough to make the right decisions.”
White and Wendel Dunn, Naval Air Facility Atsugi traffic safety officer, addressed senior enlisted sailors at a safety briefing here Thursday.
The Navy’s emphasis on off-duty risk management precedes the holiday weekend. Across the military, mishaps and fatalities away from the job tend to peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day, White said. Traffic crashes involving speed or alcohol and risky recreational pursuits are the leading causes, he said.
“If you don’t know what the hazards are, you better stop right there and not go any farther. Just being aware of your surroundings appears to be one of our biggest problems,” White said.
Last year, eight sailors died in recreational off-duty mishaps during the summer, including two in Japan — a Sasebo sailor was killed while swimming at an off-limits waterfall and a Yokosuka sailor died after falling seven stories from a building balcony.
“Inside the workspace, we’re doing fine and I think it’s a credit to you,” White said, noting CNFJ has logged no occupational fatalities for several years. “You are looking over the shoulders of your people, you are making sure they are following procedures. It’s when they get out of the gate … out on their own, is where they’re having some problems. You still need to be involved.”
White and Dunn asked those at the briefing — chief petty officers and above — to practice “intrusive leadership,” to know what their sailors are doing outside of work.
“Ask them the questions, ‘What are your plans for the weekend? Is alcohol involved? Do you have a designated driver?’” White said. “Leaders can make a difference.”
The Navy at Misawa, meanwhile, reached out to all sailors with its 11th annual Safety Fair on Wednesday. Airmen from Security Hill and sailors from NAF Misawa and tenant commands picked up information and heard mini-presentations on topics including bicycling, typhoon readiness, first-aid, motorcycle riding, even vacation safety.
Petty Officers 1st Class Joseph Barnes and Benjamin Williams, with Naval Security Group Activity, talked to sailors about outdoor cooking. Barnes’ message: Read lighter fluid directions.
“People get impatient. They spray the lighter fluid on coals when they’re burning and the fire can travel back up the stream and now you have half an arm,” he said.
Bill Turnbull, safety manager for the Navy at Misawa, said the fair was intended to get sailors “thinking about the risks of the things they do every day. Think about ‘what are the things that can go wrong here and is it worth those risks?’” he advised. “There’s nothing that’s risk free, but it’s rare that we have to accept those risks.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Luis Vegas, an avionics machinist's mate, tries on the impaired vision goggles at the 11th annual Safety Fair on Wednesday at Misawa. (Jennifer H. Svan / Stars and Stripes)
Seaman Fraser Hayes, left, and Seaman Jon Pitts, tried to play a game of tic-tac-toe while sitting in the Hachinohe earthquake simulator during thed Safety Fair. (Jennifer H. Svan / Stars and Stripes)
