Most of the hazards that present themselves to Soldiers on a daily basis are road-related according to Lt. Col. James Tovsen, the Multi-National Division – South command safety director.
With the arrival of the 34th Infantry Division, COB Basra is currently overpopulated, he said. The COB currently has three divisions located on it, the 34th ID, the 10th Mountain Division, and the U.K. 20th Armoured Brigade. With all these extra personnel, he explained, the roads are especially over-population.
“Pedestrians are everywhere on the roads without any sidewalks,” he said. “Walking against traffic is probably the best and safest act to follow since it allows walkers to see what is coming their way.”
“Soldiers new to the COB are walking everywhere,” he continued. “Walking around the base allows Soldiers to become familiar with their new home.”
In addition, with the 10th Mtn. Div. receiving all of their vehicles from Camp Victory, Tovsen said more and more vehicles are on the roads here.
Some of the larger vehicles are too big for the roads, such as the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and the over-sized connex movers, he said.
“The roads themselves are narrower than what drivers have trained on,” he added. “The large drainage ditches neatly tucked away on the sides of the road also present a large hazard.”
In the last two weeks alone, Tovsen said there have been quite a few accidents.
One accident involved a connex mover running into a small NTV with two Soldiers inside, though no one was hurt, he said the accident could have been avoided with the use of a ground guide. Another accident involved one of the movers slipping into a large drainage ditch.
The intersections by dining facilities three and four are places Soldiers should always remain aware of their surroundings, Tovsen said. That specific area has more congestion than any other location on the COB.
Tovsen said he has never seen a place with as many road hazards as COB Basra. He expects some of the over-population of the roads, and in turn, the hazards on the roads, to drop by the end of May due to the 10th Mtn. Div. and the U.K. preparing to head home.
“I think the safety goal is to continue to identify the hazards and make improvements to mitigate risks to Soldiers as fast as we can,” he said.
In the mean time, he said, Soldiers should remain alert “because most everyone is new and unfamiliar to the area, risks are higher.”
