THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509130416
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
An accident that cost an aviator his ring finger has prompted the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station here to ban jewelry, including beloved wedding bands.
About 230 spouses of Air Station employees received a letter last weekend from Capt. Stan Walz, the commanding officer, asking for their cooperation.
``Many of us pledged never to remove our wedding rings when we were married, and many others are just in the habit of wearing some special keepsake or memento,'' Walz wrote.
``You can demonstrate much greater love and genuine concern by reminding your spouse to leave rings and jewelry at home when going to work.''
The request came after a helicopter flight mechanic lost a finger in an July 25 accident on the hangar deck.
Petty Officer Third Class Rusty Brackin explained Tuesday he was working on machinery when he dropped a screw and jumped off a 30-inch platform to retrieve it.
His wedding ring caught on a hook and severed his finger. ``It was stripped within a second,'' Brackin said.
The finger was reattached at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital, but later was amputated.
Fellow aviators at the Elizabeth City station took up a collection after the incident and had Brackin's mangled ring restored to look like new.
Brackin said he now wears the band on a chain around his neck - but not to work.
Not so for Lt. Dan Casey, who said he keeps his wedding ring on his dogtag chain. Casey, the air station's public affairs officer, said Tuesday that this is the first time that personnel at any Coast Guard base have been told to leave jewelry at home.
Walz has asked the other four commands at the Elizabeth City Coast Guard complex, as well as bases nationwide, to prohibit jewelry at work, Casey said.
Both Casey and Brackin said just about everyone at the air station has complied with few complaints and now comes to work with ring-free hands.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT GENERAL INJURIES by CNB