MARINE CORPS AIR STAION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron “back in the saddle” safety competition is scheduled to have its winning concept produced into a poster to be displayed around the station this month.
The purpose of the competition was to give Marines and sailors within H&HS a chance to submit concepts about safely starting the new year.
“It was definitely a good idea to get the Marines and sailors of the squadron involved in submitting their concepts on safety,” said Sgt. Daniel K. Brown, H&HS combat camera staff noncommissioned officer in charge. “Someone else’s idea of safety could be completely different than mine, so it helps having safety concepts sent in from as many people as possible.”
The winning concept was submitted by Chief Petty Officer Gerald A. Rawlins, H&HS facilities maintenance chief. Rawlins’ idea, “safety 365,” focuses on the concept of being dedicatedto safety every day.
“I want a safer station,” said Rawlins. “When people see this poster it should stick that each day they need to be prepared.”
The competition focused on the “back in the saddle” concept in hopes of better preventing accidents both on and off station after the extended time off most Marines and sailors have through the winter holidays.
“Without proper safety, there is a greater chance of people getting injured,” said Rawlins. “The point of having this poster up will be to remind everyone on station how important it is to keep safety in mind every day.”
The concept of the poster is to give those service members a chance to think in their own minds what safety is.
“It shouldn’t take some long speech to get the idea of safety into the minds of the Marines and sailors,” said Rawlins. “When they see the poster for safety 365 and they think of the concept, they should be able to figure out their own ideas on safety.”
Concepts were submitted by September of last year to be prepared by the beginning of the coming year.
The idea for the safety poster had to give the best overall representation of what safety should be to all Marines and sailors in order to have a chance in winning.
“Safety doesn’t just involve the basics we think about every day,” said Brown.“It’s more than physical protection and (operational security). Every situation has a different safety issue and every job has its own safety requirements.”
Concepts submitted were reviewed by the H&HS chain of command before the winner was chosen.