Safety Brief for a regular two day weekend, really?

When service members quit doing stupid stuff, you'll see a reduction of safety briefs.<br><br>Then again, is it a bad thing to 'remind' our service members once a week to be careful?<br><br>Example: &nbsp;When our kids go out for the evening, do we not go over some 'ground rules' prior to them taking the car or leaving with friends? &nbsp;There's a reason why we do this...we care.

The way I've always looked at and conducted "safety briefs" is as a reminder of our standards as a Soldier.  Not so much of a "don't do this" brief, but more of a you are a Soldier, don't forget it over the weekend, and conduct yourself as one, because everyone else is looking up to you.

I don't think a safety brief is a check the block thing.  I conduct ours at times when soldiers aren't waiting to go home so that they are focused on what I am saying.  The safety brief should be well thought out and address relevant safety concerns.  I have seen units do the check the block.  I prefer to personalize it with a story or a real life incident.  It lets my soldier know I care about their safety.  I never do the "don't beat your...don't do drugs, don't drink and drive, etc."  Because that truly isn't a safety brief, it's whatever the heck that is.

Endured them for 26 years, was a necessary CYA item that had to stand through before getting set loose on the civilian world...I, while a PSG, hated to get called into the 1SGs office when one of my Soldiers got into trouble and would get my ass chewed...Never made sense to me to chew on the PSGs or SL/TC of the transgressor when the individual stood in the same formation and received the same briefing...being a leader was always interesting to say the least, but the 1SG and CSM knew damned good and well that you cannot handhold these knuckleheads 24/7, but they always would go off on the PSG...took all I had at times to maintain my bearing.

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</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">I grew up in a very different Army; an unconventional one,
where soldiers are held responsible for their own actions. I really do not
think grown men and women should be reminded of what they should or should not
do during their free time. Why should I have to remind a soldier, he or she
shouldn’t drink and drive, do drugs etc.? These aren’t new rules/laws, which
were concocted overnight. Just my 2 cents!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
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My work center does an informal safety brief before every single weekend.&nbsp; Always annoys me a bit.&nbsp; I'm a 28 year old E5.&nbsp; Somehow I survived the first 26 years before I entered the military...and I don't remember any safety briefs.&nbsp; <br>

I'm not saying there is not goodness in a well planned and delivered safety brief.  But why does it seem that now a days they aren't given the same attention as they once were. They are always the same: "Don't drink and drive, check, don't do drugs, check, practice safe sex, check, and don't beat your family, check". literally what I have heard in several safety briefs.  When will the Army start holding individuals accountable for their actions and not hammering down on the PSG or SL? Have those leaders counsel their Soldiers on the "don'ts" of a weekend.  That way if something comes up, it's documented that the Soldier was briefed and leaves no question in anyone's mind that that Soldier knows right from wrong and a Senior Leader briefed him. We do this before block leave so why can't we do it before a weekend.  But we have to remember, no matter how much you tell them, Soldiers will do what they want.

But then if/when something happens, the Commander and 1SG can sit back and say "Well we gave them a safety briefing." It's all about covering your forth point of contact, that is all.

SFC Watson, so true!!!

"  guarding dumpsters and raking the sand " , love it !!!