CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 ROBERT BREW
B Company, 2-158th Assault Helicopter Battalion
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Soldiers do a pretty good job of integrating risk management into their professional decision-making process. Rarely do you catch us blatantly disregarding written procedures. Rotations to the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center aren’t spur-of-the-moment decisions. They incorporate much planning and forethought at all levels. Off duty, however, we tend to live on the edge. We might do something like fill our hot lawnmowers with gasoline without personal protective equipment or gloves, giving little thought to the risk. Recently, I did an excellent job of demonstrating personal and professional differences from a safety standpoint.
Work didn’t come to a complete halt out here in Washington due to a January/February cold spell. There were a couple of dropped flights, but on the whole, missions proceeded as usual. As a pilot, I poured over the weather briefings and updated the risk matrixes accordingly. I had discussions with a briefing officer and my final mission approving authority. I ensured all systems related to flight in cold weather were fully functional. Meanwhile, I got my truck stuck in the snow 40 feet from my garage with both of my kids in the backseat.
It was as important a mission as any. My oldest son had to go to a sleepover, and I had snow chains and a truck. Did I weigh my rear-wheel-drive truck down in the back and take the time to put on chains so I could navigate the 8-inch snowfall? Absolutely not. That would take time, and chances were the main road would be fine. Why clutter up a simple process of driving to another house in the same city with a bunch of planning?
Luckily, the whole concept of traction saved me from getting stuck far from home. I ended up digging a 40-foot trench back to my garage so my poor planning wasn’t on display for all the world to see. I had to suffer a fate almost worse than death and admit I needed another person’s help in pushing my disabled vehicle. My kids even helped. It was a bonding experience.
I did end up taking my son to his sleepover. I took the time to find one of my hundred sets of gloves and weigh down the back of my truck. I grabbed some salt and a shovel just in case it became necessary later. A few bottles of water were also thrown in the back.
I am capable of making good decisions. We all are. We just need to make sure that when we assess a hazard, we follow through with the rest of our risk management process.
FYI
Snow can turn a quick trip to the store into a dangerous predicament if your vehicle happens to get stuck. Obviously, the best plan is to not get stuck in the first place. But if you do find yourself axel-deep in the snow, AAA offers some helpful tips to get your vehicle back on the road. Check them out at https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/how-to-get-unstuck-from-snow.