Letter to Airmen - Accomplishing the Mission Safely and Responsibly Published March 10, 2015 By Lt. Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II Commander, 18th Air Force SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Mobility Airmen, In my last letter to you, I asked you to call "time out" and re-evaluate how we can safely accomplish our local and global mission. Since then, our wings have held safety down days and the feedback I have received from your leadership has been very positive. We are off to a good start, now I challenge you to continue to maintain that momentum. Safety is a marathon, not a sprint. With that in mind, a regular focus on basic airmanship, personal discipline, and workplace safety must to be part of your daily routine. The stakes are simply too high for you to accept anything less. You are central to mission success. Simply being vigilant, using common sense, and having the courage to speak up when something is not right can break the chain of events that could lead to an accident. You can prevent a fellow Airman from getting hurt or worse due to an avoidable mishap. As I have said before, I take safety very seriously and I expect you to take it seriously too. The lower the mishap rate, the higher our combat capability and the probability of successful mission accomplishment. Safety is a force multiplier. Practice it every day and it becomes habit. Airmen at every level have the responsibility and the authority to ensure the mission is conducted safely and responsibly. Programs and processes are in-place to assist you when it comes time to make the safe call. I empower you to speak up when you see something that puts you, your teammates, or the mission at unnecessary risk. We will never turn a blind eye to your concerns. Thank you for what you do every day. It is my honor to serve beside you!