Chief Of Staff Wants Zero Accidents
 
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper has made it clear that he wants a mishap-free Air Force. General Jumper posted his thoughts on safety in his Feb. 18 "Chief’s Sight Picture" directive.

"Our ultimate goal is zero mishaps," the general wrote. "Some people may think zero is simply too hard to be a realistic goal. To my way of thinking, however, any goal other than zero implies that some mishaps are acceptable. But no mishap is." The Air Force has lost more than 1,000 airmen in accidents during the past 10 years, with off-duty private vehicle accidents being the No. 1 killer.

"Another program, procedure or lecture wont help," General Jumper wrote. "Each of us paying attention will. The right attitude about safety in peacetime is no different that how we feel about surviving in war."

General Jumper established the Air Force Operational Safety Council, chaired by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, to oversee safety matters. The AFOSC will monitor safety performance, examine new or emerging technologies from both the operational and safety perspectives and direct required changes in Air Force safety policy, programs and investment.

"All the oversight in the world wont help if our airmen don't take each other’s safety -- their survival -- seriously," General Jumper wrote.

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