Keep safety at the forefront Published Nov. 19, 2007 By Col. Steven Harrison 436th AW commander DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- "Safety is paramount" is a catch-phrase you may have heard on more than one occasion. Safety affects everyone on a personal and professional level. Team Dover has a strong safety-based culture, and it is my vision and responsibility to ensure safety is at the forefront of everything we do. Why is safety so important to me? Our nation is engaged in operations where each servicemember is a critical contributor to continued success. Therefore, Team Dover cannot afford to lose any member of the team to a senseless tragedy. A key event in our efforts to promote a sound culture of responsibility is Wingman Day, and Nov. 9 we were privileged to host Meg and John DeCubellis for their depiction of the events leading up to the tragic loss of their 13-year-old daughter, Katie. Their story truly demonstrated the importance of a designated driver or sound "game plan" if you don't have one. I urge everyone to turn to our Airmen Against Drunk Driving program if both of those options fail. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to take a chance, when you consider the consequences or repercussions that could stem from one fatal mistake or lapse in judgment. I thank and applaud each of you for making our Veterans Day weekend a safe one. I'm equally pleased that some of our Airmen and civilians were able to enjoy an extended 4-day weekend. It's imperative to understand that mobility is a 24/7/365 mission ... and Dover's role is critical to the execution of the Global War on Terror. So, for those who were unable to take Tuesday off, your leadership is formulating plans to compensate you for everything you do to make Team Dover the predominant airlift force in the greatest Air Force in the world. Your service is critical, and each of you was instrumental to the team winning the Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award. For that, each of you deserves to share in that reward. Last week, I was very pleased to welcome members from the National Lieutenant Governors' Conference to our base. It was a fantastic opportunity to give this group of civilian leaders a glimpse of the central role the Air Force and Team Dover has had on the GWOT. This event was a huge win for our base, as we gained recognition from Delaware Lt. Gov. John Carney during his speech at the New Jersey and Delaware Veterans Day Memorial address. As we approach the holiday period, let's not lose sight of the importance of Wingmen. With many of our Airmen deployed or scheduled to deploy, we should take a moment to reflect on their service and their families. Some of these Airmen will be spending their first Thanksgiving away from loved ones, and some will miss the entire holiday period altogether. As good Wingmen, let's not forget our extended family, because they are a large part of Team Dover. This week we also received formal notification that Dover will be taking back our position as one of the main hubs supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Part of that decision was due to the opening of our new Air Freight Terminal, but the major reason for the decision was based on Team Dover's rich tradition of excellence. Your efforts to exceed expectations on a daily basis provide the foundation for pivotal resolutions like this one. Taking care of the mission while we're taking care of each other - another reason Team Dover is considered "America's Preeminent Expeditionary Airlift Team!"