Staff Sgt. Mary S. Katzenberger
4th IBCT, 3rd Inf. Div.
Showing Soldiers the great degree to which alcohol can impair their ability to function was as simple as handing each troop a set of impairment goggles to wear during a safety stand down conducted Aug. 17 by 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
The event- held in the 3/7 Inf. motor pool at Fort Stewart- was held to ensure that the battalion’s Soldiers continue to think about and practice safety as they reintegrate back to Garrison operations after completing a 12-month tour to Iraq.
Soldiers laughed as their battle buddies struggled to walk heel-to-toe along a line of tape affixed to concrete, or staggered off course during a simulated field sobriety test. Other Soldiers joked about how many cones they collided with while operating the Simulated Impaired Driving Experience go-kart. And a third group of Soldiers teased one another incessantly as they consistently threw baseballs to the far left of a canvas ball catcher.
Spc. Cory R. Tanner, an infantryman assigned to Company D, 3/7 Inf. Regt., said he hoped the events showed fellow Soldiers just how much alcohol impairs their coordination and judgment so they think twice before driving motor vehicles while under the influence.
Spc. Nathaniel T. Emond, a combat medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3/7 Inf. Regt., agreed that spending the day focusing on safety was important.
“You’ve got to double-check around here,” Emond said. “As safe as you’re driving there’s always other people around that are going to be doing what they want to do.”
Once each company completed the events in the motor pool, the Soldiers assembled inside the battalion headquarters building and attended presentations on everything from preventing drunken driving to the safe operation of personally owned weapons. The laughter and fun experienced outside quickly faded as leaders reported the grim statistics on the number of Soldiers who are killed each year due to performing unsafe acts.
First Lt. Heritier N. Diakabana, safety officer for HHC, 3/7 Inf., said that safety briefs and safety stand downs are a critical component of the Army’s mission to maintain and grow the force.
“Just that one little piece of information, [when] put out, can prevent an accident from happening,” Diakabana said. “It’s up to leaders to ensure that Soldiers are educated and informed.”
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