CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 JEFFREY DUGGER
Alabama Army National Guard

It was a wintry Friday and I was attending the second day of my Aviation Safety Officer’s Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Since I lived just 200 miles away, driving home on weekends to be with my wife would be easy — or so I thought.

I’d filled out all the proper paperwork and given it to the class instructor. I wanted to make sure I covered all the requirements before I started out on my drive. To my dismay, my planned departure time of 4 p.m. came and went and I was still sitting in class. It was almost 5 p.m. when the instructors finally gave us our safety briefing and released us. It was getting dark and, to top it all off, very cold. But at last I was free and ready to hit the road. I made a quick call to my wife and told her I was on my way.

The trip took me north on U.S. Highway 231, a multilane road that makes for speedy travel. I was enjoying the radio and keeping my mind entertained when about 12 miles north of Troy, Alabama, I noticed a strange vibration coming from the back of my truck. I wanted to check it out, but it was dark and there wasn’t a good place to pull off the road. I slowed down until I finally found a section of the shoulder where I could safely stop.

I turned on the truck’s hazard lights, got out and walked to the back to find my right-rear tire was going flat. I started digging out the tools I’d need for changing the tire. The one thing that I didn’t have, however, was a flashlight. Then I remembered my mother had given me an all-in-one vacuum-tire pump-flashlight-emergency flasher the previous Christmas. I laughed when I opened it and thought to myself, “I’ll never use this.” Was I ever wrong! I was glad I’d put it in the truck before driving down to Fort Rucker. At least I could see what I was doing.

As I jacked up the vehicle, I heard the hiss of a tire going flat — but it wasn’t the one I was changing. I turned to look at the sound and gasped. The right-front tire was also going flat! The clock was ticking, so I made a quick decision to change the flat I was already working on and return to Troy to find a tire repair shop. But then I realized I had another problem. Where would I go in Troy to get a flat fixed at 6 p.m. on a Friday evening?

As I pulled in to Troy I found a shop, but the sign out front said “Closed.” I noticed some movement inside, so I got out and knocked on the glass door. Fortunately, the manager was still closing up the shop. With some talk and a lot of understanding, he fixed my tires and sent me on my way.

Lessons learned
I came away from this trip with a new outlook on a simple task I’d ignored that night but now routinely perform. First, before I start a long road trip, I inspect my vehicle and check for things which, if left unattended, could leave me stranded on the highway. Second, I always ensure someone knows my travel plans and route. Third, I leave early enough so I’ll have plenty of time to arrive safely. Fourth, I now make sure I have an emergency roadside kit and a flashlight. Last, but not least, I try to prepare for the unexpected. After all, it’s usually the unexpected that leaves you stranded on the side of the road.