STAFF SGT. MICHAEL MCBURNEY
3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia

Have you ever made a decision that felt insignificant, only to realize minutes later it might be the one that gets you killed? I have, and it left me with a lesson learned about the importance of risk management, personal accountability and the terrifying indifference of nature.

It was a postcard-perfect Hawaiian Saturday. I had arrived on Oahu the day before, just ahead of my wife and daughter, who were due to fly in on Monday. Eager to explore all the island had to offer, a few friends and I headed out to Waimea Bay, which is renowned for its stunning cliffs, golden sands and legendary swells. While Waimea is iconic, it can also be deadly, especially when the ocean is in a foul mood.

That afternoon, we were a few drinks in, celebrating nothing in particular other than our arrival at our first duty station, which just so happened to be in paradise. Fueled by alcohol and a false sense of security, I looked toward the deceptively calm water and felt an irresistible pull. I stripped off my shirt, sprinted across the hot sand and plunged into the ocean. My friends, however, remained on the beach, drinks in hand, enjoying the idyllic weather. After about 30 minutes of swimming, I decided it was time to head back. There was just one problem: As I swam toward the shore, I wasn't getting any closer.

Within seconds, a cold dread washed over me. The water wasn't just tugging at me; it was dragging me out to sea. I had unknowingly swum into a rip current. Every stroke was a futile effort, bringing me no nearer to the beach. Panic began to set in as my muscles grew heavy, my breathing became erratic and my intoxicated brain struggled to formulate a plan. I was too far from my friends for them to hear my calls for help and, to make matters worse, there was no lifeguard on duty.

The ocean doesn't care how strong you are, how many drinks you've had or if you have a family waiting for you. It just pulls. Fortunately, by some miracle, or perhaps a flicker of instinct, I remembered something I had once read: "Don't fight the current. Swim parallel to the shore." With what little strength I had left, I stopped struggling against the current and angled my body sideways. The resistance eased slightly. After what felt like an eternity but was likely only a few minutes, I finally escaped the grip of the current and managed to crawl onto the sand, about a quarter mile from where I had entered the water.

That incident was more than just a close call; it was a stark lesson in the failure of basic risk management. Looking back, I can see multiple points where I could have avoided the situation entirely. I shouldn't have been swimming after drinking, especially in an unfamiliar area. I also should have ensured a lifeguard was present, and swimming with a buddy would have kept me from being out there alone. I later learned that the ocean surrounding the island can be extremely rough, which significantly increases the risk of rip currents.

In the end, a series of small, poor decisions nearly led to a catastrophic outcome for my family and me. These days, I take risk management more seriously, not just for myself, but for those around me as well. That day at Waimea Bay taught me a lesson I will never forget: Respect the ocean — and never underestimate the power of a few bad choices.

FYI

Rip currents are a threat to everyone who enters the ocean, especially weak or non-swimmers. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), rip currents are responsible for more than 100 drownings every year in the United States and account for over 80 percent of water rescues on surf beaches. If caught in a rip current, the NWS recommends the following advice.

• Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
• Never fight the current. Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of.
• Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle — away from the current — toward shore.
• If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim toward shore.
• If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving and yelling for help.

The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center’s water safety webpage has a wide variety of tools and resources to help keep your Soldiers safe when swimming, boating, canoeing or paddleboarding. Check it out at https://safety.army.mil/OFF-DUTY/Sports-and-Recreation/Water-Safety.