Risk Management Magazine

Each year, hundreds of Soldiers experience cold-weather-related injuries. The responsibility for preventing these injuries is a command and leadership function, as well as a personal responsibility for each Soldier.

Our unit conducted a field training exercise during a drill weekend, and I was given an assigned aircraft to fly. On the first day, we conducted a health indicator test, or HIT check, which resulted exactly in the middle of the range on the HIT card.

While working in the motor pool one day at Fort Hood, Texas, I heard people yelling and running toward the gate. The buzz of activity got me curious, so I went to see what was happening. I couldn’t tell what was going on when I got to the gate, but I later found out a sergeant in my company had burned his eyes.