Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a government motor vehicle (GMV) mishap 17 June 2021 on the installation. During a vehicle movement to the heavy demolitions range, an M1088 FMTV with an attached trailer collided with the rear portion of the lead High-Mobility Engineer Excavator Type 1 (HMEE-I) vehicle. The collision caused significant damage to the front of the M1088, which resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to the truck commander and fatal injuries to the driver. The driver of the HMEE-I also received non-life-threatening injuries. There were no other occupants or passengers in the vehicles and no external witnesses to the mishap. The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is leading a safety investigation into the mishap.

Since 2016, the Army has experienced an average of 12 GMV mishaps per year. This mishap was the fourth GMV fatality of FY21 and below the number of similar mishaps during the same time period last year.


Tactical motor vehicle mishaps are the number one on-duty killer of ground-based Soldiers.
Mishaps commonly occur while traveling to or from a range or other event. Ensure your risk assessment addresses hazards and control measures related to vehicle movement to and from the range/event. Critical issues to address include:

- Drivers trained in accordance with Army Regulation 600-55 – ensure they are trained and licensed on the specific vehicle/variant and appropriately supervised.
- Convoy procedures – pay particular attention to convoy speeds, following intervals and visibility.
- Fatigue – ensure vehicle operators have adequate rest before conducting a mission.
- Real-time risk assessment – new risks can arise unexpectedly during mission execution; leaders must continually assess hazards, develop controls and make risk decisions.

Rehearsals, pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections are key factors for mission success.
The Joint Risk Assessment Tool (JRAT) contains more information and will assist you with the development of your deliberate risk management worksheet: https://jrat.safety.army.mil

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Specialist assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 12 June 2021 in Killeen, Texas, at 1707 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle when he hit the side of a civilian pickup truck that was crossing the highway. Paramedics responded and performed lifesaving measures, but the Soldier was pronounced dead at the scene. The Soldier was reportedly wearing personal protective equipment, had completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse (BRC I) and was enrolled in BRC II. Speed and alcohol use are unknown at this time. This mishap is still under investigation by the Killeen Police Department.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 27 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This preventable mishap was the 14th PMV-2 fatality of FY21 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.


Here are important safety tips to follow when negotiating a curve:

Maintain a space cushion: A space cushion is a buffer around your vehicle that you maintain to allow room to maneuver, if necessary. Know what is in your space cushion, scan frequently and maintain awareness of other vehicles.

- Keep at least a three-second following distance in front of you – make it four or five seconds in inclement weather.
- Avoid distractions, including mobile phones and other devices, which can divert your attention, even with hands-free functionality.
- Aim high when looking out over the handlebars at the road.
- Keep your eyes moving, meaning don't just stare at the road ahead; make sure to check mirrors and other views frequently.
- Leave yourself an out; this means anticipating what would happen if you had to swerve or slam on the brakes.
- Position both hands firmly but comfortably on handlebars.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

An Active Guard Reserve Soldier assigned to the North Carolina Army National Guard died in a mishap 5 June 2021 at 0601 local. The Soldier was at his residence in Creedmoor, North Carolina, when he fell approximately 4 feet off of his open back porch deck. His wife found him and called 911. Emergency medical services personnel arrived and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The preliminary investigation indicated his injuries and death were the result of his fall. It’s unknown at this time if alcohol was involved. The mishap is under investigation.

This is the first Soldier fatality resulting from a fall in FY21.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Specialist assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, died in a PMV-4 mishap 4 June 2021 in Carroll County, Tennessee, at 0115 local. The Soldier was en route to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when he was involved in a traffic accident. He sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The circumstances of the mishap are unknown at this time and it remains under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 30th PMV-4 fatality of FY21.


According to the National Sleep Foundation, about half of U.S. adult drivers admit to consistently getting behind the wheel while feeling drowsy. About 20% admit to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point in the past year – with more than 40% admitting this has happened at least once in their driving careers.
These startling figures show how prevalent drowsy driving is. What drivers may not realize is how much drowsy driving puts themselves – and others – at risk.
Driving while drowsy is similar to driving under the influence of alcohol:

•Drivers’ reaction times, awareness of hazards and ability to sustain attention all worsen the drowsier the driver is.

•Driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08% – the U.S. legal limit.

•You are three times more likely to be in a car crash if you are fatigued.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year about 100,000 police-reported crashes involve drowsy driving. These crashes result in more than 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries. The real number may be much higher, however, as it is difficult to determine whether a driver was drowsy at the time of a crash.

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated that 328,000 drowsy driving crashes occur annually. That's more than three times the police-reported number. The same study found that 109,000 of those drowsy driving crashes resulted in an injury and about 6,400 were fatal. The researchers suggest the prevalence of drowsy driving fatalities is more than 350% greater than reported.

Beyond the human toll is the economic one. NHTSA estimates fatigue-related crashes resulting in injury or death cost society $109 billion annually, not including property damage.


Interventions for Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving affects everyone, especially those under age 25, who make up an estimated 50% or more of drowsy driving crashes.
That means interventions focusing on this age group – males especially – can help reduce drowsy driving among those vulnerable. One such intervention is for parents to incorporate discussions and rules on drowsy driving while completing their parent-teen driving agreements.
Other ways to reduce drowsy driving include:

•Crash avoidance technologies: New and existing safety technologies, such as drowsiness alert and lane departure warnings, can detect common drowsy driving patterns and warn drivers to stay in their lane or take a break.

•Getting more sleep: According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, adults should get seven or more hours of sleep each night.

•Medication labels: A 2015 article by Consumer Reports found that side effects warnings are not always clear; new labeling guidelines may help drivers understand when to drive or not drive after taking these medications.

•Employers: Workplaces with strong off-the-job safety and health programs can include key information on getting sufficient sleep and refraining from driving drowsy.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Private First Class assigned to Fort Stewart, Georgia, died in a privately owned weapons (POW) mishap 9 May 2021 in Savannah, Georgia, at 0159 local. The Soldier was reportedly seen by others in the barracks playing with and loading his POW after consuming alcohol. While en route to get food with another Soldier, he unintentionally discharged the weapon and was struck by a round. The Soldier driving called 911, and emergency medical services personnel arrived and pronounced the wounded Soldier dead at the scene. The Criminal Investigation Division initial report states the gunshot was not intentional, and the incident remains under investigation.

Since FY16, the Army has lost an average of four Soldiers a year to POW mishaps. This tragedy was the fourth POW fatality of FY21.


In addition to never mixing alcohol with firearms, you can manage your risk with POWs if you always THINK weapons safety!

Treat every weapon as if it is loaded.
Handle every weapon with care.
Identify the target before you fire.
Never point the muzzle at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
Keep the weapon on safe and your finger off the trigger until you intend to fire.

The USACRC website contains numerous resources to address POW safety:
https://safety.army.mil/OFF-DUTY/Privately-Owned-Weapons

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF