If you have a Soldier in your life, you've probably heard them talk about their safety briefings. They are warned against all sorts of reckless behaviors. There's something unsafe that's been going on for decades on Military Installations across the U.S. It's a reckless behavior that's been tolerated and it's as bad as drinking and driving. What is it? It's 24 hour duty and driving.U.S. Army communicates and advises about sleepy driving for Leave/Pass. CLICK HERE TO READ
Why on earth isn't the Army promoting a safe ride home for sleepy Soldiers after 24hour duties? For civilians reading this, you may wonder what I'm talking about. What causes a Soldier to be so sleepy? It's when a Soldier performs a duty that requires him/her to stay awake for 24 hours straight.
The U.S. Army is usually great at promoting responsible behavior. I never thought twice about my husband's 24 hours duty until a conversation I had with my him a couple months ago. It went something like, "Jenn, while driving home I was so tired. A Soldier walked out in front of the truck and I almost hit him." That statement was all it took to wake us up.
I started thinking about all the Soldiers on Ardennes. If you've ever been on Ardennes or Gruber in the morning on Fort Bragg, it's kind of like a reverse 'Frogger'. Soldiers are the frogs and well the cars are the cars. Except in this game the goal is to not hit the Soldiers walking out in the road. Pedestrians have the right of way. They are everywhere. Everyone knows it. We all take special care when driving on post.
After that conversation with my husband, I began picking him up in the morning after any 24 Hour Duty he performs . I give him his safe ride home. I wonder though...what about the Soldiers who aren't married. Or, what about those who have one car, or maybe their wife works and is unable to pick them up. Who is backing up these Soldiers? Who is giving them their safe ride? The answer,no one. It's sleepy russian roulette. One day, a Soldier crossing the street will pay the price.
To the U.S. Army, please start adding a safe ride home to any 24 hour duty. You teach our Soldiers to be all they can be and to persevere through the harshest of conditions. If he were in a war zone, I agree you need to be able to push through , drive, walk, run to your safety no matter how tired. Right now, he is home. Sleepy driving is a risk none of our Soldiers at home need to be taking.
--Jenn
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