LANGLEY AFB, VA. –
With many 1st Fighter Wing units assigned to temporary duty locations all over the country and around the world during the 101 Critical Days of Summer, 1st FW leadership wants all Airmen and supervisors to be especially careful.
Brig. Gen. Burton Field, 1st FW commander, emphasized the point during his recent series of commander’s calls.
“Summer’s a critical time for us,” he said. “It’s the Air Force’s favorite time to kill ourselves. We need to recognize that it’s not the best time for us. When we go TDY, all of that is exacerbated.”
J.R. Dunn, 1st FW Safety Office ground safety manager, said the problems people run into on TDY are a more relaxed atmosphere combined with a lack of their usual support structure.
“It’s a typical TDY mentality that goes back years,” he said. “People tend to let their guard down, and do and try things they wouldn’t do at home. Your spouse isn’t there to go, ‘Hey, hold on there, slick.’”
New and different things to see and do often attract adventurous Airmen during TDYs, but Mr. Dunn said it’s important to do them with the proper training and preparation.
“People don’t take the time to get the proper training,” he said. “It’s risk management. Getting training is key, and you should wear all the necessary personal protective equipment.”
Although off-duty recreation concerns leadership, the biggest concern involves the units going TDY to Savannah, Ga.
“Savannah is a concern for us because of people driving back and forth between there and home,” Mr. Dunn said. “Personal motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer. We don’t want someone getting off work Friday evening and trying to make it back to Langley for the weekend.”
General Field said he wants and expects Airmen to have a good time during their TDYs, but he also wants them to come back from those TDYs safe.
“I expect you to work hard and play hard,” he said. “But, I also want you to recognize that there are risks out there. Use some common sense.”
Watching out for yourself is not good enough, according to General Field and Mr. Dunn. You have to watch out for your wingmen and the Airmen under your command too.
“We need to make sure we watch out for ourselves and each other,” General Field said. “It’s so easy to go out and be in situations that get us into trouble. If you are a supervisor, you’re a leader. Go out there and be a leader on or off the job.”
“You need to talk to each other, be that wingman and ask the right questions,” Mr. Dunn added. “‘What happens on TDY stays on TDY’ isn’t true when it comes to safety. It all comes back.”