![bgwolf[1]](http://usacacblogs.army.mil/cgscstudentblog/files/2012/04/bgwolf1-448x272.jpg "bgwolf[1]")
From 1030 until 1150 on 12 April 2012, BG William T. Wolf and CSM Rick Stidley, the Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major of the US Army Combat Readiness / Safety Center at FT Rucker, AL spoke to ILE Classes 12-01 and 12-02. BG Wolf also serves as the Director of Army Safety. Throughout the presentation, the command team’s two main goals were clear: to inform Soldiers about safety trends and training tools, and also to influence field grade officers to help shape the mindset of Soldiers across the force to prevent off-duty accidents. BG Wolf and CSM Stidley used slides to organize the brief into five key sections.
BG Wolf opened with an appeal for help from senior leaders. He quickly noted there was not a silver bullet technique to reduce accidents. However, the key was leader involvement and leader relationships at all levels, which would continue to achieve results. Second, BG Wolf framed the presentation from a historical perspective. He explained the safety center originated from an aviation focused background, but today the safety center comprehensively accounts for all accident causes and informs and educates the entire force on prevention. He highlighted that off-duty accidents for recently redeployed Soldiers are not caused solely due to prolonged exposure to a combat theater. Therefore, as his third point of emphasis, BG Wolf stated that while on-duty accicent numbers remain steady or decline, off-duty accidents continue to rise. The current off-duty accident percentage of 21% is slightly less when compared with last year, although six months remain in the fiscal year. BG Wolf used this statistic to reinforce his main message: junior leaders need mentoring and coaching from senior leaders to shape the mindset of Soldiers to further prevent off-duty accidents. He discussed that chapters three and four of The Red Book discuss stresses of the force, which young leaders need to understand. BG Wolf also emphasized that spouses have a role and should be included in education, thereby increasing the prevention of accidents.
Next, CSM Stidley described many of the continuing or growing safety trends throughout the Army. He highlighted many areas including negligent discharges of personally owned weapons, improper use of nutrition supplements, sports injuries and of course improper operation of personally owned vehicles. The use of seatbelts and control of speed remain the two biggest accident causes in vehicles. CSM Stidely stressed that leaders must hold Soldiers accountable, but that accountability must extend to all ranks, not just lower enlisted. Finally, BG Wolf and CSM Stidley explained recent training initiatives to prevent not only off-duty accidents, but on-duty accidents as well. BG Wolf highlighted standardized MRAP home station vehicle training as well as in theater training to increase awareness of improper electrical use through Task Force Safe and Task Force Power initiatives. The command team emphasized the training tools avaiable to units and individual Soldiers alike through the Safety Center webpage and toolkit.
However, with all of the training requirements and resources one issue that was not addressed until the question and answer period was training management. BG Wolf commented on the ability for training managers to track requirements and status through the Digital Training Management System (DTMS). Through the understanding of safety as a critical value especially in today’s Army, field grade leadership will be even more critical in training Soldiers, as well as communicating the necessary mindset to prevent accidents and preserve human resources.
MAJ Ryan Mayfield, ILE Class 12-01, SG 16C
4 Comments on "BG William T. Wolf and CSM Rick Stidley speak to ILE students"
BG Wolf and CSM Stidley rightly identified our inability to influence the mindset of our Soldiers as the primary reason why on-duty accidents numbers remain steady or in decline, while off-duty accidents continue to rise. As an institution we have been able to successfully develop systems that help leaders to establish control measures to mitigate on-duty accidents. On the other hand our Soldiers off-duty risk mitigation is something that requires more than completing a risk assessment form, it requires leadership. As field grade officers we must strive to develop company level leaders capable of influencing Soldiers to do the right thing. For one thing, we must ensure that our junior leaders know their Soldiers beyond their name, rank, and home of record in order for them to successfully identify risky behaviors. Second, junior leaders must understand their Soldiers personalities and how they react to specific stress factors. Finally, as field grade officers we must go out to the field and expose our self to those junior leaders not only to serve as role model but also to show that we genuinely care.
BG William Wolf and CSM Rick Stidley spoke to an auditorium of senior military Officers about safety and the causes of accidents. The Safety Center command team identified the surface causes of most accidents involving Soldiers to be indiscipline, bad decisions, and bad choices. Most of the data presented and the demographic statics were not surprising to much of the audience. However, their proposed method to change Soldier behavior was unique. Changing behavior is critical since leaders cannot watch over every Soldier every minute of every day. BG Wolf and CSM Stidley presented a three-tiered message delivery approach to change Soldier behavior in order to prevent accidents. They argue that leaders must present a message (from senior leaders to first line supervisors) and integrate it with peer and family member buy-in to reinforce the message. Soldiers are more likely to change their behavior and act more responsibly due to the influence of close friends and family members rather than just words from the unit leadership. It is imperative that leaders create a unit where Soldiers know they are cared about and that their personal actions affect more than just themselves. This environment can only exist when unit leaders make the effort to include family members and young Soldiers in embracing safety concerns for all Soldiers within the unit.
Although the topic of safety is one that struggles to motivate people, I believe BG Wolf and CSM Stidley were effective in getting their message across. BG Wolf acknowledged that there is no perfect technique to address the topic of safety; however, by asking for our help as leaders, he made an important connection with his audience. Of particular note in their presentation was the statistics of preventable mishaps, such as deaths caused as a result of automobile accidents where Soldiers did not wear their seat belts. The statistics highlight instances where we as leaders can have a direct impact on the lives of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines by taking an interest in their lives. However, taking an interest goes well beyond the desire to keep these men and women alive and healthy for the job they perform. Good leaders take a genuine interest in their people because they care for them on a much broader level. Our service men and women know when we are checking a block when we talk to them about safety, and they know when we actually care. As leaders, the help we give BG Wolf is by taking a genuine interest in people. As a Junior Officer in the Navy, I remember growing up with the practice of “intrusive leadership”, a phrase that struck a chord with me used by then Chief of Naval Operations, ADM Vern Clark. Call it what you will, but we have an awesome opportunity to affect lives in a positive way, and we should seize it.
Two of the points that BG Wolf and CSM Stidley stressed that I believe are important and are keys in the continue saftey of soldiers and their families are: 1) the messages and preventable measures need to get to the lowest rank. This is the responsiblity of all leaders. With the growing number of young NCOs in the Army it is key to get them the proper training on mentoring their Soldiers. 2) The concept of a Band of Brothers/Sister on and off duty is important. We have taken care of each other in combat, we need to continue it now that we are home.