Airmen attend safety briefing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tiffany Colburn
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Whenever there is a fatality in U.S. Air Forces in Europe, command leadership gets together to review the lesson's learned so they become more than just lessons learned.
The latest review was on May 18. The exchange brought together bases from across Europe to participate and share their experiences.

"Every wing in U.S. Air Forces in Europe participates either directly or by video teleconference. Additionally, the squadron commander who experienced the fatality delivers the briefing," said Major Anderson 39th Air Base Wing Chief of Safety.

At Incirlik, we invited Airmen from across the base to sit in and observe the review.

"Chief Antwine and the first sergeants did the legwork to make sure the briefing room was full of young Airmen who can take the message back to their units," said Major Anderson.

The briefing gives Airman a different outlook on their actions, and helps them think ahead before making decisions.

"There are many ways that I benefited from this past safety briefing, but just to name a few I learned how even a single drink can change your life as well as your friends and family in a matter of seconds," said Airman 1st Class Hailie Ivey, 39th Services Squadron. "I also learned that every time you and your friends go out you always need to leave together just like you came together and always have at least one person in charge to make sure the group is following through with a set plan for the night."

The safety briefing is an eye opener for Airman and allows them to witness the realities of inappropriate and unsafe decisions.

"The safety briefing really highlighted the fact that fatalities are a big concern in our Air Force. It's not just something you hear about," said Airman Bryon Ragland, 39th Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment apprentice. "Watching the commanders brief the events that led up to the fatality really made me not want to be the reason people have to sit through a briefing talking about why I'm no longer alive."