LANSING, MI, UNITED STATES
11.05.2018
Story by Spc. Samantha Hall
[caption id="attachment_1944" align="alignnone" width="300"]
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard and Director of Military and Veterans Affairs of Michigan receives the Army National Guard State Safety Award of Excellence from Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas Holly, the State Safety Manager of Michigan on November 5 at Joint Forces Headquarters. The award was presented for excellence in the overall safety culture within the state, meeting safety goals and objectives, and meeting the Army National Guard strategic initiatives to preserve the force.
Lansing, MI -- The Michigan Army National Guard Safety Office was once again recognized for their exemplary performance by earning the Director of the Army National Guard State Safety Award of Excellence on October 31, 2018, while attending the Army National Guard Safety and Standardization Conference in Arizona.
“This came from a lot of hard work from a lot of people,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas Holly, the State Safety Manager of Michigan. “It’s good recognizing we’re on the right path.”
The award, specified in National Guard Supplement 1 to AR 385-10, is presented from the Director of the Army National Guard to an Army National Guard State Safety Office which “exhibits excellence in the overall safety culture within the state, meeting safety goals and objectives, and meets the ARNG strategic initiatives to preserve the force.”
In their last Composite Army National Guard Safety Development and Assessment Program inspection in May 2018, the Michigan safety office was marked as the first state to score 100% across the board.
This honor comes after only three years of rebuilding the program from an office emptied from high attrition in 2015; that year, only eight program elements out of 26 passed the CASDAP inspection. Note, however, that critical elements such as Explosives Safety Management, Range Safety, Aviation and Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention were all passing, or “green”, in this inspection.
By the time the on-site assessment phase began in 2018, Holly and his team had created programs recognized as best practices on a national scale.
“The State Safety Office acts as the advisor to the Adjutant General and commanders, so it’s good knowing they’re giving sound advice,” Holly said.