Safety Day at 100th GMD 'convinces' Soldiers to belt up

  • Published
  • By Army Maj. Laura Kenney
  • 100th Missile Defense Brigade
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --  A machine simulating a car making a panic stop at a mere 5 mph "convinced" 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) Soldiers here that wearing a seat-belt was the smart thing to do.

The machine, a "seatbelt sled" appropriately named "The Convincer," was brought by the Colorado Springs Police Department to an all-day Safety Day held at the unit's headquarters here Dec.1. Although the brief ride and violent stop was a highlight of the training, many other events provided both useful information and practical assistance.

Training, planned by unit safety officers Capt. Walter Loyola and Sgt. 1st Class Richard Mach, began with a class on housing safety taught by a representative from Peterson Air Force Base Fire Department. Common causes of household fires were discussed, and a seasonal and startling video was played that demonstrated how quickly a dry Christmas tree could catch fire and ignite an entire room.

Next up was the CSPD's Sgt. Howard Black, who opened the presentation by saying that he viewed the relationship between the military and the police as a partnership for the common good of all Americans.

"I also have a son in Iraq, and there are many Reservists and Guardsmen and women among our ranks, so it is a partnership of more than philosophy," Sergeant Black said.

Black introduced Officer Dave Gilman, who warned the attendees that the photos of drunk driving victims that they were about to see would undoubtedly distress many viewers.

He was right.

The graphic and disturbing photos and statistics were followed by a class on winter driving safety given by Chief Warrant Officer Bob Williams, the Colorado State National Guard Safety Office manager.

"What amazes me is that we've successfully taught our Soldiers to drive safely during the duty day. That is a good thing. But it seems as if the moment they get in their cars to go home, they forget those rules that kept them safe. We're still killing Soldiers, four to every one killed while on duty," he said. "We have to make a behavioral change, so that their brains and skills don't get turned off at the end of the duty day."

Williams also lectured on the importance of inspections for the health and safety of cars and their owners. He then put his money where his mouth was, so to speak, and conducted a complete safety inspection of each attendee's vehicle. And not just paper checks - batteries were tested, tires that were low in pressure were inflated, antifreeze was added when necessary, and all other deficiencies were noted and ordered to be corrected.

The round of instruction ended with an informative class on how to both make a house safer and more economical during the winter months, taught by a representative from a local utilities company.

Feedback on Safety Day was positive.

"People commented that they enjoyed the sense of community that our instructors from the police force conveyed. That's a traditional Guard role, fostering community, and we hope to do more with them in the future, such as a self-defense class. Soldiers also liked the hands-on aspect of this training," said Mach. "We'll do more of it."

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