Safety Officers - Questions

Scerio · August 15, 2016

I have a few questions about the Safety track:

-What is the day in and out for a safety officer?

-What is the possibility of going to AIC?

-Are there any additional flying duties associated with this track?

CharyouTree · August 15, 2016

I'm not a safety officer (yet?), but:

Manage the commanders safety program. Hopefully there's one already in place you can just pick up and continue.

There are no additional flying duties for safety officer (i.e. there's no extra flying just because you're the safety officer). The good news is that you're also not supposed to get ANY additional duties on top of safety officer. Whatever that's worth. (No pubs officer, UMO etc).

I'd suggest if you're on tap for ASO you have a chat with someone in person.

I'd guess AIC would be as likely as IE is for stands.

Scerio · August 16, 2016

I'm not a safety officer (yet?), but:

Manage the commanders safety program. Hopefully there's one already in place you can just pick up and continue.

There are no additional flying duties for safety officer (i.e. there's no extra flying just because you're the safety officer). The good news is that you're also not supposed to get ANY additional duties on top of safety officer. Whatever that's worth. (No pubs officer, UMO etc).

I'd suggest if you're on tap for ASO you have a chat with someone in person.

I'd guess AIC would be as likely as IE is for stands.

Thanks for the response. Seems like an interesting track to me. I guess I am curious about AIC because that seems like closing the loop to the big picture of safety.

CharyouTree · August 16, 2016

Thanks for the response. Seems like an interesting track to me. I guess I am curious about AIC because that seems like closing the loop to the big picture of safety.

Like anything else, be a performer, make your request, and needs of the Army... One younger safety guy I know got it. Not sure about the other two I'm familiar with.

I had to turn down the safety course this morning. Not extremely happy about that. Would have been my third track. Maybe some other time. Couldn't get all of my professors to agree to let me take off 6 weeks mid semester, and I AM graduating in December, so...

Scerio · August 17, 2016

Naturally!

Sorry to hear you couldn't track ASO, but I suppose finishing that up is a prevailing circumstance.

Having two tracks - does picking up another supersede your last track? Or are you doing all at the same time?

CharyouTree · August 17, 2016

Naturally!

Sorry to hear you couldn't track ASO, but I suppose finishing that up is a prevailing circumstance.

Having two tracks - does picking up another supersede your last track? Or are you doing all at the same time?

Do whatever is required at the time, but it kind of depends. I've always been a TACOPS/AMSO, even before I went to the school, my SP had me doing those duties. (Mainly managing the AMPS computers, but also the less formal things: updating CMWS and APR-39. No threat briefs, or anything; not that I ever did one of those outside of the school).

I volunteered for a tour at Rucker as an IP, and got the IPC enroute. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't serve as one when I got back to my unit (nothing I did, just reasons that aren't important here.) I went to the fixed wing recently, so while yes, I've been tracked as Stands in the past, it's not helpful presently. (Though would be if I had gotten the IE course, I think... I should try to get that...)

I was recently put into the AMSO slot for the detachment, and would probably be in it even if I had gotten the safety course. That was mostly luck to get because the originally intended person couldn't take it, due to other courses, and my commander wanted to keep the resource. I believe he turned it over to the BN after I texted him the bad news, today. We currently have an ASO, and I believe our new AGR hire is going to have to take it, as we don't have a "full time" ASO.

They're both W-4 slots, so no big deal on the promotion front (I won't try to explain guard promotions here unless you insist). For me, it was mostly an opportunity to get the course for civilian reasons, and maybe, just maybe, be eligible for an AGR or tech safety position down the road. The 6 weeks of pay wasn't a bad motivator either.

edit: basically, you don't lose your old track. You just become more qualified. You shouldn't ever be say, the ASO AND the SP. But you can be the ASO and do IP stuff, or be TACOPS, and do MTFs.

Edited August 17, 2016 by CharyouTree

brackac · August 20, 2016

I'm a BN ASO. It's hard to really explain the daily life of a safety officer. The primary mission is to support the Commander's training program/mission execution by effectively recommending risk mitigation so as to minimize the loss of personnel or equipment, all while accomplishing the task. What does that mean in the real world? I spend my day trying to prevent every little scratch, dent, cut, or bruise while allowing my unit to push their comfort zone in order to become more proficient. Here is what I did today; Phone meeting for future aerial gunnery ops, DPW/Corps of Engineers meeting in regards to hangar fire suppression systems testing and installation, Garrison safety meeting for storage of thousands of pounds of explosives in a newly developed training environment, and completed a risk assessment for an upcoming BN Ball; and today was a DONSA.

The life of a safety officer is hectic and mundane, all at the same time. It's very heavy on regulations, and you are expected to be the SME on a multitude of topics, everything from OHSA and ANSI to EPA, all while adhering to Army Regs. You have to accomplish all of this while being a PIC/SME in your aviation career. It's a rewarding career that consumes a lot of your time if done correctly, but you do take a lot of ballbusting from the other guys in the unit. Everyone hates on the ASO.

brackac · August 20, 2016

Upside to being an ASO? You can walk out of the Army into a very very well paying job. Every major corporation has a Safety Officer; Formula 1, NFL, Amazon, Microsoft, and Universal Studios all have Safety Officers. You're not limited to just working for the EPA or a construction company.