GAO: Marines Need More Training; Clearer SOPs, Oversight Needed to Stem Fatal Vehicle Mishaps
By: Gidget Fuentes
July 16, 2021 3:14 PM • Updated: July 16, 2021 6:18 PM
Fatal, serious accidents involving tactical vehicles could be prevented if the Marine Corps implements stricter oversight, enforces standards and ensures drivers and others get more realistic training, according to the Government Accountability Office.
“Driver inattentiveness, lapses in supervision and lack of training were among the most common causes of” reported accidents from Fiscal Year 2010 to 2019 that killed 22 Marines and 101 soldiers, the GAO stated in a report released July 13. The report reviewed mishaps and Marine Corps and Army service-level actions. It found “gaps” in driver training, formal instruction, unit licensing and follow-on training.
While both services have safety practices in place, “units did not consistently implement these practices,” the agency concluded in its 103-page report. “The Army and the Marine Corps had not clearly defined the roles or put procedures and mechanisms into place for first-line supervisors, such as vehicle commanders, to effectively perform their role. As a result, implementation of risk management practices, such as following speed limits and using seat belts, was ad hoc among units.”
https://news.usni.org/2021/07/16/gao-marines-need-more-training-clearer-sops-oversight-needed-to-stem-fatal-vehicle-mishaps
