Motorcycle safety is not child’s play and Marines are reminded to be safe during the upcoming holiday weekend.
General James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, calls fiscal year 2008 a particularly deadly year in ALMAR 037⁄08, attributing this description to 23 fatal motorcycle mishaps alone; as a result he has directed that all Marines, sailors and civilians attend a safety stand-down prior to Labor Day.
Base and tenant activity service members and civilians will have four opportunities to attend the mandatory stand-down, which is being held today in the Base Theater at Little Hall: 7:30 – 9 a.m., 9:30 – 11 a.m., 1 – 2:30 p.m., or 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Conway issued additional guidance for the stand-down in White Letter 05-08 to all commanders. He charged leadership to prevent losses on motorcycles and in private motor vehicles.
‘‘This leadership begins with you and flows through your chain of command,” Conway wrote. ‘‘In White Letter 02-08, I empowered noncommissioned officers to take charge of the safety of their Marines and sailors by actively exercising full authority and accountability over their Marines. I ask that you continue to support them with this task. These leaders know their Marines and sailors best.”
In keeping with the guidance set forth by the commandant, the stand-down will focus on motorcycle and private motor vehicle safety, PMV and motorcycle safety requirements from ALMAR 014-08, and mandatory inspections.
The Headquarters and Service Battalion safety officer, Capt. Jennifer Chancy, explained the sessions will each consist of five segments that focus on the commandant’s guidance. The sessions will open with remarks from Base Commander Col. Charles Dallachie and will include discussions of actual motorcycle fatalities and a video account from a Marine officer who survived a motorcycle accident. Safety Division’s Driver Training has arranged to have a law enforcement officer come in to talk about rider responsibilities.
‘‘The stand-down is a really good opportunity to get Marines to think about safety before they get on the road so they have a heightened sense of awareness to the dangers and they are better prepared to react,” Chancy said.
The commandant has directed that all Marines complete a vehicle safety inspection before the Labor Day holiday regardless of whether they plan to travel this weekend.
‘‘Marines traveling on (Interstate) 95, locally, are just as at risk as those who will be leaving the area,” Chancy said. She noted that the Auto Hobby Shop will be conducting free vehicle inspections today and Friday.
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