Risk Management Magazine

As a former battalion commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, I encountered dozens of hazards on a daily basis that I and many of the leaders in our organization took for granted. This is not to say we were a high-risk unit or had poor standards and discipline.

Everyone in the military has their own reasons for joining. I volunteered because I needed to support my growing family. I almost ended my life and military career at age 19, however, when I — like so many Soldiers before and after me — rolled a HMMWV.

About a year after graduating from flight school, I was conducting instrument meteorological conditions training at my local airport with an instructor pilot. It was early spring and weather conditions were cloudy, with temperatures hovering at the freezing point.