Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow was awarded the 2005 Gen. James L. Jones Safety Award by the Navy League of the United States, April 4, after being chosen by a special awards board that decided the base topped others in making safety paramount.
"It was the employees on base who reduced mishaps. That's why we won the award, and they should be the ones congratulated," said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Parker, base safety specialist.
According to ALNAV 031/06, the Gen. James L. Jones Safety Award was started to help encourage Marine units and individual Marines to implement certain programs within their organization to decrease unnecessary injuries and fatalities, as well as help Marine installations establish a culture that was obsessed with safety.
After a board reviewed units' submissions, they found MCLB Barstow most deserving of the award, stated the ALNAV.
In Parker's submission to the Navy League, he included different programs that were implemented and accomplishments on base during fical year 05, which contributed to the base's overall appeal to the board, he said. Such changes and accomplishments include: the "Arrive Alive" program, a commitment to implement the Voluntary Protection Program and numerous training classes given to all base employees.
It has been these programs and changes, and some others, which have contributed to the base's overall decrease in mishaps, said Parker.
In 2000, the Secretary of Defense made a goal for the Department of Defense to have all safety mishaps that occur on government installations be cut in half by the end of FY 05, Parker said. MCLB Barstow actually was able to exceed the reduction goal.
For the past four fiscal years, MCLB Barstow has been decreasing their installation mishaps by 15 percent each year, said Parker. By FY 05, the installation managed to decrease mishaps by 60 percent, which exceeded the goal set forth by the secretary by 10 percent.
Probably the most notable accomplishment for the base though, would have to be the extremely low occurrence of class 'A' and 'B' accidents on the base since FY 98, said Parker.
Class 'A' and 'B' accidents, refer to the seriousness of the accident, Parker said. The two classes usually are characterized by the loss of life of an individual, or an accident that is one step below death, which includes loss of limb or bodily function and so forth.
The base has had zero occurrences of class 'A' and 'B' accidents in on-duty military ground mishaps since FY 98, recreational mishaps since FY 00 and personal motor vehicle mishaps since FY 01.
To accomplish something of that nature is quite amazing if someone were to think about all of the dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle riding that takes place around this base, said Parker.
Parker attributes the earning of the safety award to the efforts of the employees on base,. Although the training was given, and the education was passed on, it was the implementation of what was taught that reduced the base's mishaps. It would only be beneficial if the base were to continue doing what they were doing, said Parker.