A tragic wake-up call for U.S. Forces, Japan

  • Published
  • By Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright
  • Commander, U.S. Forces, Japan, and Fifth Air Force
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  The weekend of May 11-13 was quite simply one of the deadliest ever for U.S. Forces in Japan. 

We suffered the tragic loss of four of our active-duty team members. While the circumstances of the three separate incidents are all under exhaustive investigation, some things are already clear: 

· These four young men will be dearly missed by their family, friends, and fellow warriors. They are irreplaceable. 

· Some of these tragic deaths may have been preventable. 

· It's impossible to over-emphasize safety and personal risk management in our operations and daily lives. 

The tragic loss this weekend is a somber wake-up call. Statistics on fatal accidents teach us that we must work tirelessly to build and maintain a culture of safety and responsible choices. Always. We need to take care of each other on and off the job. And in the end, each one of us must exercise the discipline of unwavering professionalism to do our own part in preventing mishaps and fatalities. 

Commanders and supervisors at all levels need to emphasize safety every day. The most important element, though, remains you, the individual. Take the very few seconds necessary to fasten seatbelts. Use alcohol responsibly, but never drink and drive. When you're fatigued, take a break. And when you're under stress--personal or professional--accept support from your ship mates, wingmen, fellow Soldiers and Marines, and from our network of health and wellness providers and chaplains. 

This weekend, the U.S. Forces, Japan team lost two Soldiers, a Marine, and a Sailor. One died on a motorcycle. Two died in a car accident. One may have had a momentary lapse in judgment that resulted in a permanent heart-breaking outcome. Please remember them and their families and resolve to think safety and practice safety every moment of every day. We must do everything possible to win the fight to keep our force safe and alive.