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Flack vest testing

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- There is a training video used by police forces. The title of the video is Flack Vest Testing by a Fool. The star of the video is a man who is goofing off and asking people to shoot his bullet proof vest...while he is wearing it. The video shows him taking round after round of fire, from a .22 to a .357 magnum. The final shot was from an AR-15 rifle, cousin to the M-16. The bullet passed a few millimeters below the Kevlar vest with its metal trauma plate. It entered the man's lower stomach, passed through his colon, and damaged his spine forever. He has trouble walking to this day ... go figure.

This issue of the Tip of the Sword focuses on Occupational Safety. Flack vest testing is a good poster child for Occupational Stupidity. We are moving at the speed of heat toward our September inspection and we cannot afford the occupationally stupid. Nor can we afford those that get drunk at the club on a Friday night and get into a fight. The fact of the matter is we need every one of you in order to achieve our goal of winning not only the inspection, but winning the peace during difficult times across the world and more especially in our region. All you need to do is turn on the TV and watch yourselves at the tip of the spear ... the Lebanon NEO last week ... some other NEO next week ... it is all happening in our backyard!

Last week we hosted a briefer from USAFE who was sent to us by the Boss to tell us he was concerned with the number of forklift incidents across the command.

The recent rise in forklift incidents has been especially alarming in units that work with munitions ... we are one of those.

Next week we are doing our final dress rehearsal for the September inspection while at the same time packing out a significant portion of our conventional munitions stock-pile. We will have plenty of opportunities to be occupationally stupid and need to strive to be occupationally smart.

You are all heroes until you are not, which is to say you are only as good as your last achievement yesterday. Yesterday we were heroes to a 1,714 displaced American citizens from Lebanon. Today we are heroes for getting back into our battle rhythm to win the September inspection.

Tomorrow, we will be heroes for being occupationally smart while ensuring freedom's future. Get to it!