MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (April 20, 2006) -- A Marine driving home on a four-day weekend slows down to make a turn off the highway, but his break lights are out. The driver of the car behind him doesn’t have enough time to slow down and slams into the back of the Marine’s vehicle, severely injuring the Marine.

Because of scenarios like this, the Marines with Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division conducted a battalion-wide vehicle safety inspection before their Easter 96 weekend.

Marines with the battalion’s Truck Company inspected horns, mirrors, lights, brakes, tires, exhaust systems, steering and seat belts.

Sgt. Michael T. Yonker, 22, a quality control inspector with Truck Company, said they were conducting a quick check of the vehicles for safety.

“We wanted to be sure that every Marine driving this weekend have safe vehicles to travel in,” he said.

Yonker’s job in the Marine Corps is to inspect the quality and safety of all military vehicles, so this duty was not a big change for him.

“Before this inspection, every section and company within the battalion was doing their own inspection,” he said.

According to Yonker, the battalion’s decision to have this inspection was worth it.

“There have been a few Marines that had brake lights and tail lights out,” he said. “It’s a good thing we caught that before they left this weekend, because they could have been pulled over or worse, injured.”

They also found a Marine with an over-heated vehicle, which was another instance where the inspection worked out for the best.

“We sent that Marine to get his car fixed before we signed off on his inspection,” he said. “The Marine went, had his vehicle fixed and we re-inspected it.”

Marines were not permitted to go on liberty until their vehicle had been properly inspected.

The Marines being inspected agreed that the inspection was important for this 96.

“A lot of Marines like to travel during long weekends, and this inspection will prevent a lot of potential accidents,” explained Cpl. Benjamin S. Pantzis, 20, a Marine whose vehicle was inspected. “If maintenance on your vehicle is not up to par, something bad could happen that could have been avoided by a simple safety inspection, so I think this was important.”

Cpl. Karl S. Wilson, a mortarman with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment who was helping out with the inspection, summed up the idea of the battalion’s vehicle inspection.

“The importance of the inspection,” said the 25-year-old. “is that if you take the right steps to insure your Marines are safe, then they have a better chance of arriving home and back to Camp Lejeune safely.”

Ellie