Risk Management Magazine

As Soldiers, our jobs are inherently dangerous. One moment of inattention can have deadly consequences. Thanks to my unit’s commitment to safety, I had the training and situational awareness to recognize my buddy was in danger.

Shortly after the collision, my friend pulled up next to my car, yelling at me to respond. He’d seen the whole event transpire. All I heard was his muffled voice, but I couldn’t respond. I was dazed and confused. Once I came to, I looked at him in relief because I realized that if he could see me, I must have survived, which gave me an overwhelming sense of relief.

A major component of any training — military or civilian — is risk reduction. The only way for it to be effective is to implement risk management and not get careless. Years ago, my unit had an incident that could have turned fatal.