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Wing promotes safeguards through training, riding

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman James Bolinger
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Despite rainy conditions, the 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office moved ahead with Motorcycle Safety Day June 29.

Events for the day included a briefing at the Base Theater for sport-bike operators and continued with a bike show and burger burn at Eagle's Nest Picnic Area. The day concluded with a group ride down Runway 14 that continued to an off-base location.

"The day is focused on promoting safety throughout our riding community," said Staff Sgt. Harold Joe, 436th AW Safety Office. "In addition to the mandatory (sport-bike) meeting, we wanted to have some fun activities planned to help build a rapport with our riders. We also want some of the more senior riders to build a mentorship relationship with our junior riders."

The sport-bike brief was a new addition to this year's schedule of events. Last year, members attended mandatory briefings with their squadron's motorcycle safety representatives. However, the recent death and then severe injury of two servicemembers associated with Dover Air Force base prompted Safety Office members to add a wing-wide safety briefing.

"Sport bikes are extremely powerful and can lead to deadly consequences if not operated safely and at appropriate speeds for conditions," said Sergeant Joe. "We can't prevent every tragedy, but at least we can make sure our people have the tools they need to make it home safely at the end of the day."

Air Force statistics continue to show members fatally injured on sport bikes year after year, he said. Common threads in mishaps are inexperience and operating sport bikes at a high rate of speed.

The sport-bike briefing primarily centered on risk management, said the sergeant. Just as operational risk management plays a key role in military operations, risk management is a top priority in motorcycle riding.

"We place special emphasis on the importance of wearing the proper personal-protective equipment and being alert and aware while riding on the streets," said Sergeant Joe.
Senior Airman Nate Vanness, 436th Medical Support Squadron X-ray technician, has been riding sport and dirt bikes for 16 years.

"I didn't learn a lot of new information," he said. "But, I used to race my bike before I joined the Air Force. The information was good for new riders."

After the briefing concluded, riders joined Safety Office members for burgers at the Eagle's Nest Picnic Area.

The barbecue gave Dover Team members time to mingle and inspect the nine motorcycles that were entered into the Bike Show.

Airman Vanness entered his Yamaha YsR 50, which he customized by replacing the original 50 cubic centimeter engine with an 80 cc engine.

Airman Vanness said he had to fabricate large pieces of the bike's frame in order to fit the larger engine. He also customized his exhaust and changed the direction the gears switched.

"My YsR is what I raced before I joined," he said. "I bought it at a junk yard and spent more than a year building it."

However, Airman Vanness' bike didn't win the sport-bike award for the show, that honor was garnered by Staff Sgt. Andrew Bishop, 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron. The award for best cruiser went to Richard Bylery, 436th LRS.

After the bike show, more than 30 riders roared down Runway 14 during the group ride.

"The runway ride is something we would like to do annually," said Sergeant Joe. "May is Motorcycle Safety Month so we would like to have the next safety day and group ride then.

"I believe the safety day was successful," he said. "If the briefings affected one person and possibly changed the behavior of one person, it is well worth the effort."