Exercise good judgment on, off duty Published June 4, 2009 By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Williams 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Travis Memorial Day weekend is typically an indicator summer time is upon us and it's also the weekend we launch our Critical Days of Summer Campaign. This year's campaign will last 109 days and will end Sept. 7. Unfortunately, during this campaign we will not reach our goal of zero accidents and fatalities. Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 states, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven: A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance ..." Adversely, our Critical Days of Summer campaign historically has proven to be a time to weep and a time to mourn over untimely mishaps and fatalities. Summer is usually filled with beautiful weather, parties, barbecues, vacations and a host of other outdoor activities which have proven to be a breeding ground for increased safety mishaps, fatalities and opportunities for reckless behavior. During the Air Force's last 11 summer campaigns, we lost an average of 24 Airmen and even though last year we experienced one of our safest summers ever, we still lost 17 Airmen. The Air Force is two weeks into this year's campaign and we've already experienced two fatalities; one occurring here at Travis. Our Airmen and their families are one of our top priorities and we need everyone to accomplish our mission. Most of the accidents and injuries occurring this time of year are avoidable if our Airmen employ the proper risk management. We must ensure Airmen at all levels understand the importance of smart personal risk management and being a good wingmen. But it takes leadership involvement - from the top of the member's chain of command down to the lowest level ... we all have a role. Leaders at all levels must focus their attention on a sound, disciplined approach to mitigating risk, and the importance of educating our Airmen on making responsible choices. Making responsible choices isn't just about safety; it's a mindset that should guide our way of life. Our Airmen are the most highly-equipped, prepared and trained Airmen ever in the history of our Air Force and yet, we struggle trying to convince some of the importance of exercising good judgment on and off-duty. Helen Keller once said, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." Team Travis we can do something; be a good wingman and mitigate risk on and off-duty. If each one of us will do something to be a little more safety-concious, we can make 2009 the safest summer on record. Have a great weekend and as always; be safe, make responsible choices and I'll see you around campus.