Risk Management Magazine

The dust at Fort Hunter Liggett, California, hangs in the air as a fine powder, coating everything and growing finer the higher you climb. The hills do not just roll — they surge upward from the valley floors, carved with winding trails that resemble scars on the landscape. This area feels ancient and unforgiving, where gravity serves as a constant, patient enemy.

Frustrated by a canceled PT session, a driver speeding through heavy rain struck an unseen deer, demonstrating how driving distracted, failing to adjust speed for severe weather, and losing situational awareness can lead to a sudden, violent collision.

As a leader, maintaining unit readiness starts with shielding your Soldiers from the acoustic assault that bombards them every day. Whether from combat weaponry, vehicle stereos or high-powered machinery, this constant exposure does more than just disrupt sleep, produce stress and impair communication — in high enough doses, it causes significant noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).