CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 ROBERT BREW
B Company 2-158
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 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 outlook.

Work didn’t come to a complete halt out here in Washington due to the 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 matrix accordingly. I had discussions with a briefing officer and my final mission approving authority. I ensured that 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 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 in order to not have my poor planning displayed for all the world to see. I had to suffer the worst of all fates and admit that I needed another person’s help in pushing my disabled vehicle. My kids even helped me. It was a bonding event.

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 waters were thrown in the back for that unlikely event. 

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.