Risk Management Magazine

In today’s fast-paced operational tempo and multiple mission sets with multi-national forces, it is important to know how our allies operate in similar circumstances. Likewise, it is important for our allies to know how we operate with regard to mission-essential details that may be required when working together. I state it this way because of a situation my unit encountered while deployed to Basra, Iraq.

It was to be an exciting night in northern Iraq. The mission was a little different from the standard ring route to the north or south of Forward Operating Base Speicher and I was eager to get started.

While attending the Aviation Safety Officer Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, I was reminded of a let’s-not-do-that-again event that occurred while I was deployed to Kosovo in 2012. Such lessons learned situations shaped how I operated as a young pilot in command. Unfortunately, it seems many aviators — myself included — are reluctant to air their dirty laundry.