Risk Management Magazine

In the quest to be the best-trained, best-equipped military in the world, Soldiers and equipment are pushed to the limit during grueling exercises and operations. We cannot forget, however, that we must always consider and integrate safety into any activity, both on and off duty.

We’ve all been there — that “will-I-make-it” moment. If you’re lucky enough to have avoided that experience, then you’ve heard it from the mouths of others — probably accompanied with a few nervous chuckles. For most, it’s the first time, and hopefully last, as well as a valuable learning point.

It was the last month of our deployment and things were pretty routine. My back-seater and I were sitting in our Apache on Mustang ramp in Kandahar, Afghanistan, preparing for an air assault. We were on the auxiliary power unit, ensuring all our systems were functioning, when something caught my eye.