Written by Sgt. Eric Lieber
Warrior Transition Battalion
Fort Campbell, KY – For the second year in a row, the Fort Campbell Warrior Transition Battalion command team, Lt. Col. Bryan Walrath and 1st Sgt. Daniel Munchbach, pinned the Department of the Army Safety Excellence Streamer to the WTB colors during a ceremony July 3rd, 2014.
In front of the assembled formation of Soldiers and leaders, Walrath explained that the Fort Campbell WTB is still the only unit in the Warrior Transition Command to earn the streamer.
“Not too often do units sustain awards or recognitions. Our unit has done that by recertifying and by getting awarded the Safety Excellence Streamer,” said Walrath.
While most Army organizations earn their streamers for actions in combat, the WTB mission is not to deploy but to heal Soldiers. The Soldiers assigned to the WTB attend medical appointments and prepare to transition either back to a unit or out of the Army to begin their lives as honored veterans.
Walrath explained that WTB leaders, from the top down, work to ensure the battalion is meeting the Army’s safety requirements. This includes instilling a culture of safety to ensure any Soldier, leader or staff member will speak up to stop any unsafe act. Leadership at the company and battalion levels have worked to provide meaningful safety briefings, equipping Soldiers with the knowledge they need to stay safe.
“I am very proud of all our WTB Soldiers and Cadre for maintaining such a culture of safety that we earned this streamer for Safety Excellence two years in a row,” said the WTB’s top noncommissioned officer Command Sgt. Maj. James C. Smith. “It is especially impressive within a battalion of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers who overcome potential safety risks like crutches, medication and long distance travel to appointments. I really have to commend the squad leaders who take such excellent care of our Soldiers here, ensuring the highest standards of safety every day.”
These measures helped the Fort Campbell WTB meet the Army Safety Excellence Streamer requirements of every WTB Soldier completing Composite Risk Management training and the Army Readiness Assessment Program within the last 24 months, while remaining free of Class A and B accidents for 12 or more months.
“The most important part of earning the Safety Excellence Streamer is the lack of any Class A or Class B accidents,” Walrath said.
The Army defines Class A and B accidents as those resulting in an injury causing a permanent partial disablement, an accident resulting in three or more people to be injured or a high property loss or damage value of more than $500,000.
