AEAGA 23 August 2004
 

MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT: USAREUR 2004-2005 Winter Safety Campaign

This memorandum expires 1 May 2005.

1. REFERENCES

Enclosure 1 lists references.

2.  COMMANDER’S INTENT

The intent of this campaign is to save lives by implementing a combination of both new and proven risk-management techniques while sustaining our efforts in supporting the Global War on Terrorism, operations in the Balkans, and Army Transformation / Global Rebasing.

3. PURPOSE

This memorandum outlines the USAREUR 2004 / 05 Winter Safety Campaign, which will run from 1 October 2004 through 30 April 2005. Enclosure 2 provides a summary of tasks associated with this campaign.

      a.  The purpose of this campaign is to—

            (1)  Support the Army Be Safe campaign by aggressively promoting safety awareness.

            (2) Bring brigade- and lower-level safety programs to standard. This includes ensuring commanders, noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and collateral duty safety personnel are trained and have the tools they need to do their job.

            (3) Provide a comprehensive, proactive means for identifying winter ground, aviation, and off-duty hazards, and for mitigating anticipated risks.

            (4) Implement and monitor risk-mitigation measures in ongoing training and operational missions to ensure the safety of personnel supporting the Global War on Terrorism and Stabilization Force (SFOR) and Kosovo Force (KFOR) tactical operations.

            (5) Achieve the overarching, command-wide goal of ensuring no loss of life and minimal injuries and equipment damage during the winter season. This objective supports the Army Be Safe campaign and the Secretary of Defense goal of reducing accidents by 50 percent.

      b. We must transfer our risk-identification and management efforts from our summer to winter activities and operations. These activities and operations include redeployment, reintegration, reconstitution, and retraining (R4) operations; deployment operations; rear

detachment activities; day-to-day operations; garrison and field training; movement operations; and support activities. Of equal importance is our effort to prepare Soldiers, civilians, and family members for the hazards of off-duty activities. Targeted training, thorough hazard identification, intensive risk management, and strong leadership involvement are critical to this campaign’s success.

      c. We must plan for winter environmental factors. Fewer hours of daylight, low temperatures, freezing precipitation, road ice, and fog all impact operations. Traffic congestion on host-nation roads on Friday afternoons and during winter vacation periods also affects our ability to execute our mission.

      d.  Our junior officers and NCOs are critical to the success of unit safety programs. Higher-level leaders (particularly battalion commanders and their command sergeants major) must be committed and dedicated to accident prevention and deeply involved in the risk-management process to ensure the safety of our Soldiers. Junior officers and NCOs have the support and tools necessary to positively affect our young and maturing Soldier force. It is essential that junior leaders accept responsibility for spearheading unit winter safety programs. Senior leaders must lead this effort by establishing policy and standards, initiating programs, checking program implementation and execution, and enforcing compliance through the chain of command. By working together, our entire chain of command can ensure a safe and effective environment.

      e. During the campaign timeframe, the United States Army Southern European Task Force (USASETAF), the 1st Infantry Division, and a wide range of Corps and USAREUR enabling units will not be here to command and control elements that remain in the central region. In addition, the 1st Armored Division and selected Corps and USAREUR units will be executing the final R4 phases. While I have great confidence in the rear detachment organization and operations of these units, it is essential that we provide leadership and ensure safety is emphasized in their areas of responsibility.

      f. Noted USAREUR elements will be in transition following their deployment, and their safety programs will require strengthening or reconstitution. A major part of this campaign is to certify each unit as “safety trained.” This process is central to bringing units to the highest state of r