one and only job

[Dutchboy]

As far as NHQ is concerned, Is the Squadron Safety Officer Restricted to do only the Safety officer track or can they have a second track? Is there a way to verify this from national?

[RiverAux]

Never seen anything about a restriction as to specialty tracks.  There have been restrictions as to what other jobs a Safety Officer can do. 

[mdickinson]

I've heard this one so many times, I never get tired of debunking it.

According to CAPR 62-1, the safety regulation, there are two restrictions (and only two restrictions) on safety officers. They are:

1. The unit's safety officer cannot be the unit commander.
2. The Wing Director of Safety cannot hold any additional staff positions.

That's it. There are no other restrictions.

- a safety officer at the squadron or group level can hold any other staff position (except unit commander).
- a safety officer can hold multiple staff positions.
- a safety officer can pursue any specialty track.

CAPR 62-1 is not that long, and not that complicated, so I'm always surprised when it is misquoted / misunderstood.

Hope this helps. By the way, I am the Wing Director of Safety for NY Wing. So I can't hold any other staff positions. But I can (and do) pursue other specialty tracks...

[SarDragon]

IIRC, there used to be a Q in the SUI Guide asking if the Safety Officer had any other assigned positions within the unit. I can't find anything like that in the newest pubs.

[0]

Squadron Safety Officers can wear multiple hats as long as it's not commander.  I know from personal experience.  At first we thought it was that way, once we found out I could hold more positions I also added on AEO.  So it is possible.

[Psicorp]

I forget where I read it, but I did read something in the regs that "the safety officer should have no other duties".  Note "should" and not "shall".   A safety officer of a Wing or Region would have a lot more to do than a safety officer of a unit (one would hope).

[mdickinson]

I forget where I read it, but I did read something in the regs that "the safety officer should have no other duties".

The somewhere where you read was in the old CAPR 62-1. Even then, it applied only to the Wing Director of Safety, not to squadron or group safety officers.

The CAPR 62-1 that came out in April 2006 makes no mention of any restriction. [note, this is a correction to what I wrote yesterday. There is no longer a restriction on wing directors of safety.]

The only guidance it gives on safety officers is:

- Members in command positions should not serve as safety officer. 
and
- Whenever possible, and especially in flying units, members with flying experience should be selected.

[0]

The reason why no one in command positions should also serve as Safety Officer is because Safety is a Command Level position on most org charts.  In some cases the SE reports directly to the CC. 

[Dutchboy]

The reason why no one in command positions should also serve as Safety Officer is because Safety is a Command Level position on most org charts.  In some cases the SE reports directly to the CC. 

I am not looking to be the commander, I am looking to do a non command job in addition to safety(command position)

[0]

Then go for it.  I enjoy doing SE and AE. 

[Dutchboy]

As far as NHQ is concerned, Is the Squadron Safety Officer Restricted to do only the Safety officer track or can they have a second track? Is there a way to verify this from national?

My CC said he heard this from our wing vice commander. Maybe a Wing mandate that says I cannot do it? Is this possible?

[0]

The Wing Kings can restrict Safety to just the one job just like they can make more restrictions on uniform wear and other regulations.