Risk Management Magazine

According to Army statistics, there have been, on average, 288 Class C and D parachuting mishaps annually over the past five years. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify some hazards associated with inexperienced personnel on airborne operations.

During my time at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, I have seen many mishaps and near misses. One, in particular, sticks out more than the others. Here’s what happened.

It only takes one incident to shake up an entire command. The mishap below, which occurred several years ago in my old battalion, sure got the attention of leaders at every level. Commanders, command sergeants major and first sergeants were all scrambling to identify the root cause of the mishap and restore morale in the unit. I wrote this article with the hope that it will help commands emphasize the importance of two basic tasks — conducting preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) and developing driver training programs at the unit level.