Risk Management Magazine

In the domain of Army Aviation, where precision, adaptability and safety intertwine, a trifecta of principles — conservative response, mature decision-making and effective risk management — guides pilots and aviation professionals through the labyrinth of operations. At its core, the conservative response methodology epitomizes the mantra of "Safety First." It urges pilots to err on the side of caution, particularly when confronted with uncertainty or ambiguity.

Many of the articles in Risk Management magazine tell a story about a less-than-smart decision a co-worker, leader or subordinate made at some point in the author’s career. In this story, however, I am the happy idiot who made the mistake and taught the entire platoon an important lesson.

As we approached a hill, the convoy began to slow. Several of the other vehicles had difficulty getting up the slick roadway, but the entire convoy eventually made it to the top. We then started down the 5-percent-grade decline, which wasn’t a problem. The hazard turned out to be the sides of the road, which were about 6 inches lower than the center.