Wingman Day activities ahead

  • Published
  • By Mary Lou Gorny
  • Hilltop Times editor
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  "The Air Force Safety program is the best in the world," said LaRue "Soup" Campbell, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group Wingman Advocate, and a member of the committee in charge of Wingman Day activities.

"We have extremely talented military officials and civilian employees whose desire to minimize safety mishaps is first and foremost," he said in the midst of the preparations for May 24 activities.

Planned events for Wingman Day will include briefings and a picnic lunch at Centennial Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A Safety Fair will be set up at the park and activities will follow the lunch with a wide variety of fun demonstrations, displays and booths. A Davis County Sheriff's Office search and rescue presentation will be featured as well as airbag demonstrations, hunter safety education, and camping, rafting, kayaking and boating safety features offered. Fairgoers will also find ATV, motorcycle and safety gear on display and an OSHA Voluntary Protection Program information booth.

Commanders and supervisors will also hand out combined "See Me Save Me" and You Matter pamphlets at all three gates at high volume times.

"In the safety world, the 'Spring Bike Spike' is the sharp increase in the number of motorcycle accidents every year, when automobile drivers don't see our two-wheeled friends," said Lt. Col. Jeff Zemke, 75th Air Base Wing Chief of Safety. This time of year also means some riders skill sets have deteriorated over the long winter months and a review of motorcycle safety skills is recommended.

An important aspect of the day's events will include a mass ride across base as a demonstration of just how many motorcycles there are on the roads. Off-base riders may participate with the group by meeting the group at the Hill Aerospace Museum for a ride through nearby cities and towns. Off-base riders are asked to assemble at the museum at 11:15 a.m. Base riders are asked to assemble at the motorcycle training range near the South Gate at 11 a.m.

Zemke pointed out a recent incident in which a novice motorcycle rider crashed his sport bike motorcycle but was uninjured due to safety gear. The bike will never be the same. The consequences for not getting adequate training and experience can be deadly and Wingmen watch out for one another.

"Being a good Wingman means you have to get personal and know your people," Zemke said as he noted the three components of briefings to be conducted during the day -- the Team Hill You Matter Program, motorcycle safety and the 101 Critical Days of Summer.

"Common sense seems to be at its lowest during the 101 Critical Days of Summer," said the safety director. Zemke strongly recommended planning and adequate training before trying any new or risky activity.

"I am proud to be in the greatest Air Force in the world. You can have the best resources and equipment, but it takes the best people to make the mission happen," he said. "Unfortunately, we have had an alarming number of deaths due to reckless behaviors of our Airmen. It is time to take a short pause and discuss with each other our responsibility ... Knowing and taking care of each other is the basic Wingman Concept, and it applies on the ground as well as in the air."

Zemke praised the Wingman Advocates for their work in reaching out to others and noted the appropriateness of the event. "Wingman Day just gives us a reason to all come together," he said.

Campbell also pointed out the bottom line: "Wingman Stand Down Safety Day is important because we need to protect and preserve our most precious resource - people."

"As part of the Air Force family, we educate and train our family members to observe, respond and act whenever there is an unsafe condition. Training is never one time and done - it is continuous and evolving," he added as he noted the high number of motor vehicle mishaps involving Air Force personnel.

Campbell pointed out the possible effects that even an injury can pose on both families and co-workers adding stress, work load and health costs. "In most cases, any injury of a crew member is accepted by fellow employees. But if you multiply that on a large scale operation, then you have a lot of people not working and others filling the void," he said. That makes it much more challenging to fulfill the Air Force mission.