Navigating the complexity of military protocol, especially when it comes to ground accidents within the U.S. Army, involves detailed procedures and documentation. Among these is the DA Form 285-W, a key piece of documentation designed for the Technical Report of U.S. Army Ground Accident. This form plays a vital role in summarizing witness interviews, an essential step in the investigation process. Its usage is governed by DA Pamphlet 385-40, and it falls under the oversight of the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army (OCSA). The primary aim of the DA Form 285-W is to collect comprehensive witness statements, including personal information, details of the accident, and promises of confidentiality, if applicable. Specifically, this form includes fields for the witness's name, occupation, grade, date of birth, contact details, and the date of the interview. It goes further to inquire about the witness’s experience, location at the time of the accident, and the name and grade of the interviewer, ensuring a thorough record is maintained. Additionally, the form addresses the delicate issue of confidentiality, outlining the conditions under which a witness can request that their testimony be kept private, a feature that underscores the military's commitment to responsible information handling. Significantly, the form also includes provisions regarding the use of witness interviews, strictly limiting them to accident prevention purposes to safeguard against potential misuse. This formal approach ensures that all investigations are conducted with the utmost integrity, focusing on safety and prevention without compromising the rights and confidentiality of those involved.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Da Form 285 W |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 30 sec |
| Other names | 14b, OCSA, army da form 285r, APD |
TECHNICAL REPORT OF U.S. ARMY GROUND ACCIDENT |
REQUIREMENTS CONTROL SYMBOL |
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SUMMARY OF WITNESS INTERVIEW |
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For use of this form, see DA Pamphlet |
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1. NAME OF WITNESS (LAST, FIRST, MI) |
2. OCCUPATION/TITLE |
3. GRADE |
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4. DATE OF BIRTH |
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5. ADDRESS (Include ZIP Code) (If military, include organization)
6. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Duty/Work)
7. DATE OF INTERVIEW (YYYYMMDD)
8. EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND
9. LOCATION AT TIME OF ACCIDENT
10. INTERVIEWER (Name and Grade)
11.Promise of confidentiality. A promise of confidentiality can only be offered in Limited Use Investigations, which normally are not ground accidents. For exception, see AR
a.Was a promise of confidentiality offered to the witness? blk 15. If no, read blk 14b to the witness.)
b. Confidentiality was requested by the witness. |
Yes |
Yes No (If yes, read blk 14a to the witness and complete
No (If Yes, interviewer sign and date statement below.)
THE WITNESS MADE THIS STATEMENT UNDER A PROMISE OF CONFIDENTIALITY.
SIGNATURE OF INTERVIEWER |
DATE (YYYYMMDD) |
12. SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW
13. DATE OF ACCIDENT (YYYYMMDD)
DA FORM |
PREVIOUS EDITION IS OBSOLETE. |
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APD PE v1.00
14. GENERAL WITNESS INFORMATION BRIEFING (Interviewer must read appropriate instructions to the witness)
a. Promise of confidentiality offered.
(1)This accident investigation board has been convened under the provisions of Army Regulation
(2)This may be just one of a number of investigations being conducted regarding this accident; collateral or legal investigations may be ongoing as well. Those investigations are entirely separate from a safety investigation and are also required to inform you of their purpose and of your legal rights.
(3)This safety investigation is being conducted for accident prevention purposes only. Within the military, pursuant to AR
(4)Nonconfidential witness interviews may be released to the public pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request. If you wish to protect your interview from public release outside the military, then your interview must be pursuant to a promise of confidentiality. Confidentiality means that your interview will not be released to the public or outside DoD safety channels.
(5)Whether your interview is confidential or not, the chain of command will review the final accident report, which may include a summary of your interview, but the chain of command may only use the investigation report and the interviews for safety and accident prevention purposes.
(6)If you ever have knowledge that your witness interview was used by the Army for anything other than accident prevention purposes (for example, disciplinary action against an individual), you should consult with your local Judge Advocate Defense Counsel Office and request that the Command Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, be notified at DSN
(334)
(7)The promise of confidentiality is available to you if you desire it. Do you desire
it?
b. No promise of confidentiality offered.
(1)This accident investigation board has been convened under the provisions of AR
(2)This may be just one of a number of investigations being conducted regarding this accident; collateral or legal investigations may be ongoing as well. Those investigations are entirely separate from a safety investigation and are also required to inform you of their purpose and of your legal rights.
(3)This safety investigation is being conducted for accident prevention purposes only. Within the military, pursuant to AR
(4)The chain of command will review the final accident report, which may include a summary of your interview, but the chain of command may only use the investigation report and the interviews for safety and accident prevention purposes. The interview summary may be released to the public pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request.
(5)If you ever have knowledge that your witness interview was used by the Army for anything other than accident prevention purposes (for example, disciplinary action against an individual), you should consult with your local Judge Advocate Defense Counsel Office and request that the Command Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center, be notified at DSN
15.AVAILABILITY OF PROMISE OF CONFIDENTIALITY FOR "LIMITED USE" REPORT OF INVESTIGATION
a. Pursuant to AR
military (to the public, newspapers, attorneys, etc.) under the Freedom of Information Act. If you wish to protect your interview from release outside of the military, then your interview must be pursuant to a promise of confidentiality.
b. If you do not wish a promise of confidentiality, you may decline such below. In that case, your interview will still be used in the military only for purposes of accident prevention, but it may be released outside of the military in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Please indicate which option you desire by initialing one of the choices below:
I request a promise of confidentiality. I understand that the results of my interview will be used within the military only for the purposes of accident prevention, and will also be protected from public release outside of the military under the Freedom of Information Act.
I decline a promise of confidentiality. I understand that the results of my interview will be used within the military only for purposes of accident prevention. I also understand that the results may be publicly released outside of the military under the Freedom of Information Act.
Name of witness (Print Name - do not sign)
DA FORM |
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APD PE v1.00