Seven days to perfection … or some tragic déjà vu? Published Aug. 26, 2024 By Robbie Bogard Air Education and Training Command Safety Directorate JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Flashback to day 100 of the 101 Critical Days of Summer last year. At that point, Air Education and Training Command had remained fatality free during this high-risk period. As my wife and I lounged on the couch as part of our relaxing holiday weekend, my cell phone rang. I looked at it and noticed the caller ID revealed the name of one of my occupational safety managers. I answered the phone, and instead of my normal hello, I stated authoritatively, “You better not have any bad news for me!” The OSM responded somberly, “I can’t tell you that … we had a motorcycle fatality this morning.” AETC came up one day short from a fatality-free Critical Days of Summer. … One day! Moreover, when this preventable tragedy struck, it devastated the member’s family, unit and friends, as they all went into a heartbreaking period of mourning. Fast forward nearly a year, and I feel a sense of déjà vu … or perhaps a little PTSD. AETC lingers seven days from a fatality-free Critical Days of Summer with Labor Day weekend fast approaching. Labor Day, on Sept. 2 this year, marks our celebratory end of summer (although, summer in South Texas feels like a never-ending marathon). The Air Force as a whole hasn’t been as fortunate as AETC this summer. Department of Air Force-wide, 12 Airmen have died in preventable mishaps. These mishaps range from drownings and pedestrian deaths, to automobile, motorcycle and utility vehicle tragedies. The 101 Critical Days of Summer spans a 14-week period. As of today, the Department of the Air Force has experienced nearly one fatality per week. How can we prevent future fatal mishaps and get the men and women of AETC through the 101 Critical Days of Summer fatality free? We can start by heightening safety awareness and exercising risk management concepts, both on and off duty. The Air Force Chief of Staff’s Integrated Risk and Readiness Campaign kicked off Aug. 1 and is still underway. There’s one lesson from the campaign we can all apply to remain mishap free: “Risk Management Made Easy.” Believe it or not risk management truly translates into an easy concept; it’s just harder to get people to buy into using it. Understanding how simple risk management can be makes it easier to employ. Simply ask yourself: What can go wrong? How can it happen? What are the consequences? How likely are they? And how can we reduce risk? So, as you plan your Labor Day weekend activities, whether that be an outing to the beach, a motorcycle ride, a trip to see family several states away, or completing a needed chore around the house, think about how easy risk management is to apply. Ask yourself the questions above and take any actions you can to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, which just might save yourself or others from injury or death. A dozen lost lives this Critical Days of Summer adds up to 12 too many. Let’s strive to not have any more in the DAF … and to keep AETC at that elusive zero!