MPs strive to hit the roads safely this holiday season

By Julia LeDouxDecember 5, 2014

MPs strive to hit the roads safely this holiday season
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class David J. Parthemore, 289th Military Police Company platoon sergeant, checks the headlights on a car during a safety inspection of the vehicles of Soldiers assigned to the company Nov. 24, 2014. Between 120 and 130 vehicles were inspect... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
MPs strive to hit the roads safely this holiday season
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Raymond M. Richardson, a kennel master with the 289th Military Police Company, checks the tire tread on a car during a safety inspection of the vehicles of Soldiers assigned to the company Nov. 24, 2014. Between 120 and 130 vehicles we... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Safety is paramount as Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall service members, families and others take to the highways to celebrate the holiday season.

To help drive that message home, the 289th Military Police Company/947th Military Police Detachment, 4th Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) held a vehicle safety check for its Soldiers Nov. 20. The event was led by Capt. Christopher Figueroa.

"It's the most heavily traveling time of the year," said 1st Sgt. Mark Haliburton. "The chance for accidents increases, but with prevention and this safety initiative, we can limit the risk to our Soldiers."

Approximately 120 to 130 vehicles were inspected during the check, said Haliburton. Automobiles lined up in the parking lot in front of Spates Community Center on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base and made their way through seven stations, where everything from brakes to registration papers were examined by the company's senior leaders.

"We developed a plan to successfully check every vehicle using senior leaders to prevent any shortcomings and shortcuts with vehicle and safety inspections," he said. "We got with different agencies to get guidance on what to check on."

Tires, headlights, parking lights, turn signals, backup lights, license plate lights and four way flashers were examined, as were windshields, windows, wipers, seatbelts, mirrors and brakes.

"It seems like each station is taking between five and six minutes per vehicle," Haliburton said.

Pvt. Jessica Thomas said she appreciated getting her car inspected, even though she recently purchased her brand new vehicle.

"My car is brand new and I'm definitely excited to go home," she said.

Haliburton said if a vehicle was found to have a violation, the Soldier would be given a time frame to correct it or be prohibited from driving on the installation by the commander until the violation is taken care of.