ARNG Aviation & Safety Division

08/18/2018

Our recent climate surveys have shown our Soldiers understand the core tenants of the program, but many are less sure about the difference between different ways to report an incident. In light of this, we've created a reference sheet. Download and save it, and if you ever find yourself in need of it, use the information to make a decision on how to proceed. But most important of all: protect yourself and your battle buddies.

06/04/2018

Safety Shout Out!

South Carolina National Guard readies for 101 Critical Days of Summer with Safety Fair

June is National Safety Month, which also occurs during the 101 Critical Days of Summer, the busiest time for recreation and travel from Memorial Day to Labor Day. To promote safety in the ranks, the South Carolina National Guard held their annual Safety and Occupational Health Fair at the Bluff Road Armory in Columbia, South Carolina, June 1, 2018.

Soldiers, Airmen and their families were invited to view numerous educational displays and received a variety of promotional items to educate them on everyday safety practices. Items included reflective belts, small flashlights, eye protection, hydration bottles, and many fliers and brochures with safety tips for driving, cooking, weapons security, health and disaster preparedness.

“We always encourage leadership to be actively involved,” said Maj. Partrese Barr, South Carolina National Guard State Safety Manager. “If no one is talking to their troops about the importance of safety and training, then it won’t be a priority for them.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the summer months see an increase in travel and participation in recreational activities, which poses an increased risk for accidents and injuries. The purpose of the Safety Fair was to assist Guard members and their families in being prepared and educated on everyday safety.

“I had a lot of fun today,” said Spc Jimmy Townsend, a human resources assistant in the Joint Force Headquarters, South Carolina National Guard. “Safety is very important and this event was very informative with a lot of good information as well as demonstrations.”

Those who attended this event were able to experience a drunk driving obstacle course, sponsored by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, where individuals wore goggles that gave them the illusion of being impaired and showed them how the effects of alcohol can affect their motor skills.

“I crashed into a lot of cones,” said Townsend. “This obstacle course allows you to see how different levels of inebriation can affect your driving.”

Additional support for the event came from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, who provided the 2018 Hurricane Guide and information on the new Emergency Preparedness App for smart phone devices. The Southeastern Chapter National Safety Council set-up a distracted driving simulator for attendees to experience road hazards using virtual reality goggles. The South Carolina National Guard displays included vehicle maintenance, fire prevention, environmental hazards, along with medical checks where attendees could have their glucose and cholesterol tested.

“It was a lot of coordination and planning amongst outside vendors and within the South Carolina National Guard to make this event happen,” said Barr. “This is the biggest event that we do to increase awareness of safety.”

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/279250/south-carolina-national-guard-readies-101-critical-days-summer-with-safety-fair

U.S. Army

05/24/2018

05/01/2018

04/30/2018

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04/30/2018

Safety Shout Out Pennsylvania National Guard halts aviation activity to focus on safety

Soldiers with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade participated in Safety Stand-down 2018 at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel here April 21, 2018.

28th ECAB aviation crews joined other aviators across the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, including flight operations personnel, air traffic controllers and unmanned aerial system crews, to re-focus themselves on safety and survival.

The 28th ECAB halted usual training activities to ensure maximum attendance. Over 450 soldiers attended the event, which featured presentations from industry experts as well as leaders within the Pa. Guard.

“The safety and welfare of our soldiers are paramount to the 28th ECAB,” said Lt. Col. Howard Lloyd, commander of the 28th ECAB. “Our soldiers are professional, highly trained and can accomplish very complex missions. However, we want to accomplish those missions safely so that when they are complete we can go home to our families.”

The Safety Stand-down event, while held annually, comes at a time with a concerning uptick in aviation-related accidents across the United States military.

“What we do is inherently risky and we send our condolences to those personally affected by the recent tragic incidents in our military aviation community,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joe Sandbakken, 28th ECAB safety officer. “We must learn from those incidents and pass those lessons on to our soldiers. Communication is key, and events like Safety Stand-down help us pass on those lessons.”

The Pa. Guard had no serious aviation incidents in the past year but, according to Sandbakken, it is important to take time out to re-focus everyone on safety and to avoid complacency.

"We try to review accidents and trends across the Army and other services in an effort to prevent similar occurrences," said Sandbakken.

The guest speakers at the event were:
- Dr. Leonard Wong- U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks
- Boyd Tackett- multiple air accident survivor, Killeen, Texas
- Maj. Travis Easterling- U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Speakers from the 28th ECAB were 1st Lt. Ashley Bowser and Capt. Amber Diaz, both physician assistants.

Other speakers from the Pa. Guard were Col. Robert Allison, State Army Aviation Officer, and Lt. Col. Brian Harrity, physician assistant with the Eastern ARNG Aviation Training Site.

U.S. Army National Guard

12/05/2017

ARNG AVS welcomes members to the FY18 S&S Conference

10/20/2017

Do you know this?

09/05/2017