Lose your mind, lose your finger Published Aug. 14, 2008 By Lt. Col. Geoff "Mako" Maki 52nd Fighter Wing Safety SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- For those of us Sabers lucky enough to be parents, we can all relate to the euphoria that we feel with that first precious view of our newborn child. One of the first things new parents often do while listening for that initial healthy cry is to quickly assess the well-being of their baby by checking for 10 fingers and 10 toes. After that confirmation, the stress level declines and we can then move on to the celebration of the new addition to our family. One of our many duties as Saber supervisors is to ensure that every Airmen here in the 52nd Fighter Wing keeps those 10 fingers and toes while under our supervision. Unfortunately, we have been failing as of late. In fact, the 52nd FW has sustained 13 hand lacerations since Oct. 1, 2007, four of which occurred during the ongoing 101 Critical Days of Summer. Recently, two Airmen have lost portions of fingers to accidents in the work place; one of these mishaps occurred on a night shift during a paper shredder repair the first week of August. In safety circles, the result of these two recent mishaps is known as "permanent partial disability." In more familiar terms, we know it as "lost combat capability." Regardless of what your job is, don't think for a second that you do not have a direct effect on Saber combat capability. When Sabers are assigned a target in the Global War on Terror, there is a distinct "kill chain" that, like it or not, extends back to each and every one of us. Even if you're not the one pulling the trigger or hitting the pickle button, our combat capability absolutely depends on you maintaining your link in the kill chain - that is you being motivated and attentive at your job every day, being a good wingman or supervisor, and ready to give the Saber-standard 110 percent. If you are fortunate enough to supervise Airmen, understand that it is not sufficient to neatly hang your Safety Policy letter on some tired bulletin board in the unit. On the contrary; we must get out and about, visibly leading our organization and not hiding behind a computer monitor tending to e-mail all day. Furthermore, as our most recent mishap indicates, we must be visible at all hours and shifts. Get out and lead by example and get your eyes on your Airmen in every facet of what they are doing for the mission. As Airmen, we cannot let inattentiveness or complacency prevail. The price to pay for errors and accidents is simply too high, whether driving to work or performing our primary duty. We must realize when we are tired and losing focus or simply pushing too hard to get the mission done. In the air, if pilots recognize a dangerous situation developing, we use three key words to stop it immediately: "Knock it off!" Without question or hesitation, these three words cause every pilot to cease all tactical maneuvering until the situation is rectified and safety is again assured. Don't hesitate to call a 'Knock it off' yourself or even for your wingman if something doesn't seem right. We need every Saber to refocus on attention to detail to curb this alarming trend. Be a good leader, supervisor, and/or wingman and help stop this loss of combat capability. At the very least, help us to send all Sabers to their next assignment with the 10 fingers and toes they arrived here with!