DAVID SAN MIGUEL
Directorate of Communication and Public Affairs
U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center
As the new fiscal year is set to begin, starting off on the right foot should be every commander’s goal, especially when that position may define his or her leadership.
The absence of a clear understanding of the unit’s status and capabilities could short circuit a leader’s opportunity, doom the unit to mission failure, result in damaged equipment or the death of a Soldier or employee.
If that’s not enough, today’s military environment comes with a multitude of detractors that may limit a leader’s success, or worse, impact their unit’s readiness posture. Combined with all the potential hazards associated with seasonal changes, assessing an organization’s safety climate on a routine basis can be a game changer.
Budgetary constraints, personnel reductions and heightened adversarial threats abroad dictate unit commanders use whatever means at their disposal to safeguard their organizations and protect both Soldiers and government employees.
The Army Readiness Assessment Program is a web-based initiative designed to help commanders understand and evaluate their unit’s safety climate and culture. In fact, a recent change to Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety Program, now mandates battalion-level commanders assess their unit’s readiness through ARAP within 90 days of assuming command. Being able to measure initial results against those collected 12-18 months later gives commanders an opportunity to see how their leadership influences safety climate from one season to the next.
The ARAP process incorporates a survey to assess the organization using several key focus areas: organizational process/climate, resources, supervision, and safety programs. Immediate feedback is then provided to commanders to help address the root causes of accidental loss, gain perspective as to why individuals accept unnecessary risk, and direct limited resources while saving lives.
“At the click of a button, 24/7, you’re presented with critical, unfiltered information from across the organization that impacts your overall safety program,” said Charlie Mahone, chief, Programs Division, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center. “Armed with this, you can focus limited resources where they can provide the most return on investment by reducing accidents and saving lives.”
Historical ARAP data show units scoring in the bottom 25 percent account for more than twice the number of fatalities and Class A accidents than units scoring in the top 25 percent.
“Ask yourself, where do we stack up this season?” Mahone said. “Take the ARAP assessment and continue to lead the way while preserving our nation’s resources.”
For more information on ARAP, visit https://arap.safety.army.mil.