Risk Management Magazine

Firearms training is one of the most common military activities practiced by all Soldiers. Weapons proficiency is a hallmark of combat readiness during which the principles of risk management (RM) are thoroughly planned, rehearsed and executed. However, an often-overlooked hazard associated with firearms training can be found in the process that follows every live-fire event — weapons cleaning.

It was just another routine training flight in the local Fort Liberty flying area. We were conducting a night team flight supporting the local Air Force combat controllers in what is known as the Northern Training Area (NTA). All was well and, upon the conclusion of our mission, we landed to kick out the left-seaters to give the guys a face-to-face debrief on how it went for both sides.

Why is it important to know your route? That is a pretty loaded question, both in the military and civilian worlds. Nowadays, it’s easy to determine the best route to a destination, as just about everyone has a smart phone with GPS or a map app. All you need to do is enter an address or city and you will be presented with a few different options on how to get there.