As we approach the Labor Day holiday, I would like all of us to pause for a moment and think about what’s important in our lives.
Ask yourself how your life, or the lives of your family and friends, would change in the aftermath of a terrible mishap. Each year we emphasize safety during the Critical Days of Summer because historically, the majority of fatal mishaps occur during this period.
Unfortunately, since the start of the Memorial Day weekend, the Air Force lost 12 Airmen this year to preventable mishaps. Four of these fatalities
happened in U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
• Each loss changed the lives of friends and family forever.
• Each loss affected a flight, squadron, group and wing.
• Each of the four USAFE fatalities was a huge loss to the USAFE family.
Though it is always difficult to accept the loss of anyone under any circumstance, it is even more difficult when that loss was due to risky or reckless behavior. When friends or family know about reckless behavior and are unwilling or unable to stop it, it becomes harder still.
Remember to draw upon the wingman concept to help keep each other safe and to ensure we are doing our jobs correctly.
We must apply this belief to every situation. Being a good wingman is about more than being the designated driver. It is about influencing performance and preventing mission failure.
Please take the time to help those who take on too much risk or partake in reckless behavior. We do not want to lose another Airman to a preventable mishap.
Each of you is far too valuable to your friends, your family and the Air Force.
All that said, you should all enjoy the holiday weekend with your family and friends and take advantage of these last days of summer. The point is to do it safely and make smart decisions about how you choose to enjoy yourself.
Thanks again for your incredible service.
Twitter
Facebook
News for the Ramstein, Kaiserslautern, Landstuhl & Baumholder military communities in Germany 
As we approach the Labor Day holiday, I would like all of us to pause for a moment and think about what’s important in our lives.
Ask yourself how your life, or the lives of your family and friends, would change in the aftermath of a terrible mishap. Each year we emphasize safety during the Critical Days of Summer because historically, the majority of fatal mishaps occur during this period.
Unfortunately, since the start of the Memorial Day weekend, the Air Force lost 12 Airmen this year to preventable mishaps. Four of these fatalities
happened in U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
• Each loss changed the lives of friends and family forever.
• Each loss affected a flight, squadron, group and wing.
• Each of the four USAFE fatalities was a huge loss to the USAFE family.
Though it is always difficult to accept the loss of anyone under any circumstance, it is even more difficult when that loss was due to risky or reckless behavior. When friends or family know about reckless behavior and are unwilling or unable to stop it, it becomes harder still.
Remember to draw upon the wingman concept to help keep each other safe and to ensure we are doing our jobs correctly.
We must apply this belief to every situation. Being a good wingman is about more than being the designated driver. It is about influencing performance and preventing mission failure.
Please take the time to help those who take on too much risk or partake in reckless behavior. We do not want to lose another Airman to a preventable mishap.
Each of you is far too valuable to your friends, your family and the Air Force.
All that said, you should all enjoy the holiday weekend with your family and friends and take advantage of these last days of summer. The point is to do it safely and make smart decisions about how you choose to enjoy yourself.
Thanks again for your incredible service.