JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Don’t look now, but the 101 Critical Days of Summer kicks off this weekend. Air Education and Training Command achieved the holy grail of summer safety last year … zero fatalities! It’s looking to repeat that success again this year.
Notching back-to-back summers without losing anyone to a preventable mishap fatality is a tall order, according to Kyle Baum, AETC Occupational Safety manager. This proves to be especially tough in a command that boasts nearly 60,000 active duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian and contractor personnel and trains more than 293,000 students per year. Making matters even more challenging, many of these students fall between the ages of 18 and 25, the highest risk group.
The 101 Critical Days of Summer safety campaign focuses on preventing those historical trends of spikes in accidents, injuries and fatalities from Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26) through Labor Day (Sept. 1). These mishaps not only impact individuals and their families, but also mission readiness and force lethality.
“We are definitely thankful everyone in First Command made it through this high-risk season last year without succumbing to a single preventable mishap fatality,” Baum said. “However, it is no time to rest on our laurels. We want to bring everyone home safely in 2025 as well!”
The Department of the Air Force as a whole saw an increase in injuries during the 101 CDoS in 2024 with 1,477, up from 1,425 in 2023, and lost 10 teammates to preventable mishaps.
“So, we’re under no illusions how tough a task we face,” Baum said. “However, using risk management in decision-making prior to engaging in those summertime activities and being good wingmen by intervening when necessary will go a long way in helping us to realize this worthwhile endeavor.”
To help spread the risk management message throughout the command and Department of the Air Force, the AETC Occupational Safety Division has once again partnered with other major commands and field operating agencies to produce summer safety flyers to be used to increase awareness of high-risk activities across the Air and Space forces. According to Baum, the flyers will be distributed strategically throughout the 101 CDoS campaign.
“Sure, achieving a goal like zero fatalities takes a little bit of luck, especially in a command of our size and with more than our fair share of young ‘bulletproof’ Airmen,” Baum said. “But luck favors the prepared. So, we appreciate your stellar risk management efforts in your units and encourage everyone to take care of each other by being good wingmen!”