Risk Management Magazine

Have you ever seen a horny gorilla? Yeah, I didn’t think so. But now that I’ve got your attention, I’d like to share a story — and I assure you it’s not about randy primates.

I’d just delivered the aircraft to the civilian customers, and they couldn’t wait to get into the air. After discussing our planned route, I decided to not file a flight plan. That decision almost came back to bite me.

In April 1989, two Soldiers were killed when they hit an oncoming vehicle. They’d both been drinking and neither was wearing a seat belt. They’d been on their way to pick up a fellow Soldier and bring him back to a party. However, they never returned. What happened changed my life forever. I was their platoon sergeant.