CHP Visits Constellation Strike Group
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS030512-33
Release Date: 5/12/2003 4:36:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Anthony Diaz, USS Constellation Public Affairs
ABOARD USS CONSTELLATION, At Sea (NNS) -- Crew members aboard USS Constellation (CV 64), who are in the final weeks of the ship's 21st and final deployment, are scheduled to receive a visit from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) prior to pulling into their homeport at Naval Air Station, North Island, Calif.
They spent four months in the Arabian Gulf during the deployment, and in that time, Connie Sailors and Marines played a major role in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Aviators flew 1,300 sorties off Connie's flight deck, which amounted to 4,000 flight hours and more than 1 million pounds of weapons employed.
"America's Flagship" left the hazards of combat unharmed. However, the crew will face new challenges, as reunions and celebrations lie ahead.
Upon their arrival to their final liberty-port visit at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, crew members will have been underway for seven months, and subsequently will have gone seven months without having operated a motor vehicle.
Connie is training its men and women in motor vehicle safety to assist crew members make the transition from the time they spent on pavement barren seas, to the time they will spend in their automobiles, and on U.S. roadways after they return home.
"We'll present training on a couple of different levels through different forms," said Cmdr. Ted Kaehler, Constellation's safety officer. "One point of the training is on the basic Navy requirements for the traffic safety program. The other element of the education is a discussion of the risk factors, and statistics to make the crew knowledgeable in what the threat is, so they can start to make good risk decisions."
Connie is scheduled to return during the summer. Statistically, this is when the number of motor vehicle fatalities that involve servicemembers is at its peak. The Navy Safety Center predicted there would be 48 motor vehicle fatalities, which involved a Sailor or Marine, during 2002's Critical Days of Summer. Unfortunately, however, 73 shipmates lost their lives.
There were 967 Sailors and Marines who died from fiscal year 1997-2001, and 58 percent of the deaths were the result of a traffic incident. Individuals who had an illegal limit of alcohol in their bloodstream accounted for 44 percent of those incidents. In other words, in almost half of the vehicle-related deaths, servicemembers were driving under the influence.
"Driving is a complex risk environment," said Kaehler. "To manage that risk, and to make good decisions you have to have a system. The ORM (operational risk management) process helps you make better decisions. As you improve your decisions, you improve your safety."
According to Kaehler, the warship has invited two officers from the CHP aboard to provide a traffic safety class for crew members.
"CHP is here because we want to focus on the human element, and the human tragedy that's inherent in traffic safety," Kaehler said. "They'll provide more of a face-to-face, from the front lines type of discussion with what's currently happening with traffic safety."
"We want to get the crew back into the mindset of driving again," said CHP Officer Peter E. Mann. "You guys haven't been driving for seven months, so we'll be heavily discussing traffic safety and how it applies to automobiles and motorcycles."
"Our main objective isn't to tell the crew how to drive," said CHP Officer Bradley J. Bohm. "All we're going to do is refresh their memory. We want to tell them what to watch out for when they get back to San Diego, and remind them of changes that may have taken place."
Connie is not the only ship in the Constellation Strike Group that will be trained in motor vehicle safety by the CHP. Mann and Bohm will also be aboard USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), USS Valley Forge (CG 50), USS Milius (DD 69) and USS Thach (FFG 43).
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