Risk Management Magazine

By the time Nicolas Laboy slammed on his motorcycle brakes, it was already too late. The Honda CBR 600 wobbled hard and fell over, and Nicolas skidded across the road until he and the bike crunched against the pickup truck.

There I was — right in the middle of all the action as the 101st Airborne Division rolled through Iraq in its quest to remove Saddam Hussein from power. As dramatic as that may sound, we also did a lot of uninteresting tasks during my time in Iraq, such as setting up assembly areas in the middle of the desert.

I grew up in central Maine, so you can imagine winter sports were an integral part of my life. With nearly six months a year of snow, I learned at a young age that snowmobiling could be a great way to get rid of those winter blues. I also learned the importance of wearing the proper personal protective equipment and being prepared for the unexpected.