ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ROUTINE R 262130Z NOV 02 ZYB MIN PSN 821867J32 FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV UNCLAS ALNAV 95/02 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC// SUBJ/FY02 REPORT ON SAFETY// REF/A/MSG/SECNAV/191712Z// AMPN/REF A IS SECNAV ALNAV 105/01// RMKS/1. AS YOUR CHIEF OF SAFETY, IT WAS MY GREAT PLEASURE NEARLY ONE YEAR AGO TO ANNOUNCE THAT FY01 WAS ONE OF THE SAFEST YEARS EVER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. REGRETTABLY, AND VERY SADLY, DURING THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS, MANY OF THE TERRIFIC SAFETY SUCCESSES WE ACHIEVED IN FY01, AND ANNOUNCED IN REF A, HAVE VANISHED. IN NEARLY EVERY MISHAP CATEGORY, THIS PAST YEAR WAS WORSE THAN THE PREVIOUS FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE. 127 SAILORS AND 111 MARINES LOST THEIR LIVES IN MISHAPS LAST YEAR - THAT'S SIXTY MORE LIVES LOST THAN IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. IN THE 12 MONTHS THAT ENDED ON 30 SEPTEMBER, 238 NAVY AND MARINE CORPS FAMILIES BURIED THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER, THEIR FATHER OR MOTHER, THEIR HUSBAND OR THEIR WIFE. 140, OR NEARLY 60 PERCENT, OF THESE FATALITIES OCCURRED AS THE RESULT OF PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE (PMV) MISHAPS. MY STAFF ROUTINELY CAUTIONS ME NOT TO COMPARE FY02 TO FY01 - OUR BEST YEAR EVER, SO LET ME PUT FY02 PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLE DEATHS IN VERY SIMPLE TERMS; WE HAVE TO GO BACK A FULL TEN YEARS TO FIND A PMV FATALITY RATE WORSE THAN OUR RATE IN FY02. 33 SAILORS AND 33 MARINES ALSO LOST THEIR LIVES IN OPERATIONAL MISHAPS THIS PAST YEAR, WHILE ANOTHER 32 WERE KILLED IN RECREATIONAL OFF-DUTY MISHAPS. THE CNO, CMC AND I SHARE IMMENSE PRIDE IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR SAILORS AND MARINES. THERE IS NO GREATER PAIN THAN TO LEARN ONE OF OUR OWN HAS DIED AS THE RESULT OF A PREVENTABLE MISHAP. 2. LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS NEED TO REKINDLE THE PASSION FOR WHICH WE ARE SO ENVIED BY OUR CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS; "WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN." NEVER BEFORE HAS THIS PHRASE BEEN SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. OUR YOUNGER SAILORS AND MARINES, LIKE THEIR CIVILIAN PEERS, ARE FACED WITH COUNTLESS NEW AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT UNLIKE THEIR CIVILIAN CONTEMPORARIES, THEY HAVE THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL OF RECEIVING MUCH WISER AND MORE LEARNED MENTORING. CARING FOR YOUR PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU ARE A JUNIOR ENLISTED OR A SENIOR COMMISSIONED OFFICER, DOES NOT STOP WHEN THE DAY'S WORK IS DONE. WE TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES 24/7 AND WE NEED TO DO THE SAME FOR OUR EXTENDED NAVY FAMILY. 3. ON 19 NOV 2002, DURING OUR FIRST ANNUAL DON SAFETY RECOGNITION CEREMONY, THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS STATED, "WE WANT SAFETY TO BECOME PART OF EVERYBODY'S FOCUS AND A PART OF EVERYBODY'S LIFE, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE WILL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE UNNECESSARY LOSS OF LIFE - THAT IS OUR GOAL." ADMIRAL CLARK'S COMMENT ACCURATELY REITERATES MY GOAL, AND THE GOAL OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS. PRESERVING OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSET, OUR SAILORS AND MARINES IS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES. 4. WE CAN WIN THIS BATTLE BUT WE MUST ATTACK IT TOGETHER. OUR MISHAP AND FATALITY STATISTICS MUST NOT BE VIEWED AS MERE NUMBERS; THEY REPRESENT THE FACES OF THOSE WE KNOW. WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHANGE CULTURES, ALTER ANTIQUATED MINDSETS, AND ELEVATE SAFETY TO A CORPORATE VALUE. SAFETY WILL NOT BE ON EVERY SAILOR'S OR MARINE'S RADARSCOPE 24 HOURS A DAY UNLESS WE COLLECTIVELY TAKE ACTION TO PUT IT THERE AND ENSURE OUR PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE ENOUGH TO KEEP IT THERE. 5. HOW IS YOUR COMMAND'S SAFETY PROGRAM? DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM? ARE THEY TRAINED AND DEDICATED? DOES YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND SUPPORT THEM FULLY? ARE YOU TARGETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE? DO YOU SOLICIT TRAINING FEEDBACK FROM YOUR YOUNGER PERSONNEL? IS THE MESSAGE GETTING THROUGH? DO YOU KNOW HOW FAR YOUR PEOPLE ARE DRIVING OVER A LONG WEEKEND? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOUR CPOS MONITORED SEAT BELT USE AS PERSONNEL LEFT THE PARKING LOT? HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR LEAVE APPROVAL PROCESS WHEN THE "POV" BLOCK IS CHECKED? HAVE YOU ATTENDED A RECENT PRE-BRIEF FOR A HAZARDOUS EVOLUTION WHERE THE BRIEFER DID NOT COVER HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES? 6. "DRIVE SAFE" AND "BE SAFE" ARE ANTIQUATED PHRASES THAT WHEN USED ALONE DO NOTHING BUT PAY LIP SERVICE TO A CRITICAL PROBLEM EVERY COMMAND FACES ON A DAILY BASIS. WE MUST "TRAIN SMART", "MENTOR EFFECTIVELY", "EMBRACE ORM" AND CONTINUALLY OBTAIN FEEDBACK TO ENSURE OUR SAFETY MESSAGE IS BEING HEARD. 7. I AM WORKING CLOSELY WITH BOTH THE CNO AND THE CMC TO PURSUE ANY CHANGE THEY FEEL IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN A MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN OUR MISHAP RATES. THEY MEET WITH ME ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO SHARE THEIR SUCCESSES AND TO ADDRESS ANY OBSTACLES OR CULTURAL BIASES THAT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS. TOGETHER WE WILL LEAD A CHANGE, MINOR IN SOME CASES AND SIGNIFICANT WHERE REQUIRED, WHICH WILL PLACE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT ON THE RADAR SCOPE OF EACH AND EVERY SAILOR AND MARINE. DO NOT LET IT TAKE THE LOSS OF A FELLOW SHIPMATE TO RAISE THE AWARENESS LEVEL IN YOUR COMMAND. DO NOT WAIT FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE TO GIVE YOU AN INCENTIVE TO REVIEW YOUR SAFETY PROGRAM. 8. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR AMERICA. EACH OF YOU IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR NATION AND TO OUR NAVY. KEEP SAFE - WE NEED YOU! 9. ENSURE THIS MESSAGE RECEIVES THE WIDEST DISSEMINATION AND IS POSTED ON ALL REQUIRED READING BOARDS. RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE GORDON R. ENGLAND, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.// BT