Combat Edge articles from September 2002

Combat Edge archives from September 2002

Living with things that are not quite right. (Accent on Safety).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Recently, an ACC Senior Airman was killed while trouble shooting a dump truck problem. He took an unwarranted risk and placed his body underneath the bed of the dump truck that subsequently closed and crushed him. While the mishap was the...

Protecting the force.(United States. Air Force's Security Forces)
September 1, 2002... An audible gasp of surprise escapes from the group of Security Forces (SF) members standing behind the firing line as the Mark 19 Grenade Machine Gun unleashes a barrage of 40 mm high explosive fiery death upon its target. Each gun burst is...

You are not cleared for takeoff!
September 1, 2002... "You weren't cleared for takeoff!" are the last words a pilot wants to hear after he departs an airfield. Over the past few years, runway incidents of this type have been on the rise. This is due in part to miscommunication and in part to the...

Serious boom time.
September 1, 2002... After an extended break in my two-ship, flight lead upgrade training program for the A-10, I was scheduled for some X-rides with the squadron commander. I briefed a fight-tank-fight scenario with the boss on my wing. For some reason, I just...

Foreign Objects can become FOD.(foreign object damage)
September 1, 2002... I was headed to Texas on temporary duty. As I sat in one of those big airports, waiting for a long layover to end, I began watching the baggage handlers down below. They move real fast and can load up a jet Pretty Darn Quick (PDQ). Anyway, I...

Who me an investigating officer?
September 1, 2002... It was another cold winter day in Grand Forks, N.D. I was sitting back thinking about my upcoming Christmas leave when the phone rang. It was my buddy from 15th Air Force Safety asking about the availability of investigating officers for a...

Monthly award winners.
September 1, 2002... Pilot Safety Award of Distinction First Lieutenant Peter Henrikson was the red air F-16 on a flight lead upgrade ride with weather solid from 5,000 to 20,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). While holding at 25,000 feet MSL, he noticed his...

Explosive Safety Standards.(United States Air Force)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... There are a lot of different areas of expertise in Weapons Safety, but I wanted to share what I've learned over the last almost 3 years about one particular one, licensed explosives locations. As defined in Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 91-201,...

Ordnance is intended to kill...by design.(unexploded ordnance hazards)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) hazards on the battlefield have an enormous effect on command and control decisions for battle planning. During Operation DESERT STORM, there were a number of Army personnel killed and injured as a direct result of...

Airman safety: every supervisor's concern.
September 1, 2002... As we all start another cold and flu season, I wanted to share the following experience that will hopefully prevent a similar tragedy from happening in your squadron. I had an "outstanding" Senior Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO) get sick...

Dead tired behind the wheel.
September 1, 2002... I had already put around 800 miles behind me, but still had more than 400 to go to get back to my unit by the next morning. No problem... I was young, healthy, and enjoyed driving. I thought all I had to do was drink coffee and keep the car...

It can happen to you.(accidents)
September 1, 2002... All too often we do not learn enough from the mistakes of others. While we will diligently attend safety briefings or intently watch news stories of others involved in accidents at home, on the highway, or at work, we tend to dismiss the...

School's open.(safety measures)
September 1, 2002... The "101 Critical Days of Summer" are now over, and life is getting back to a daily routine that will be followed for the next 9 months. The ones affected the most by the new or revived routines are our little ones. The carefree days of summer...