First Army Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Thomas G. Miller, together with the First Army G-1/Safety Office, sponsored the First Army Commander\'s Motorcycle Safety Ride May 30. About 20 riders and a few passengers met at the headquarters building that morning as their wish was granted for a beautiful day to ride. Mr. Ken Tweedy, Ride Captain and First Army G-6 VTC Facilitator, led the group through a detailed safety briefing followed by vehicle and equipment pre-ride checks.
The intent behind the ride was to expose riders to the varying traffic situations one may encounter as a motorcyclist in the Atlanta region. The ride captain led the group through country two-lane roads, small town intersections, congested four-lane secondary roads and down a small stretch of the interstate.
"One of the keys to having a successful unit and Army motorcycle rider's program is to ensure that all leaders are fully aware of what their Soldiers are doing," said Staff Sgt. James Jett, Installation Management Command, Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem Motorcycle Safety Specialist.
To heighten each rider's awareness even further, upon returning to Fort Gillem, kickstands were dropped at Marchman Lake where they conducted an informal after action review and read through several motorcycle safety center accident reports that have been posted by the U.S Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center.
The USACR/Safety Center provides Army leaders with "actionable knowledge," real-time information about accidental fatalities which have been approved for release by the USACR/Safety Center. This information is provided to general officers, brigade commanders, select Sergeants Majors and the Safety Community in the form of Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs). The PLRs provide a synopsis of each incident: Unit, date of loss, description of the activity at the time of the death. Engagement Tips for Leaders and a purpose statement and method to provide feedback are also included.
"Quite often, very few leaders actually know that some of their Soldiers even own a motorcycle, and when they find out, it's sometimes too late to educate the Soldier/rider on the requirements," said Jett.
"As a rider, you've got to know yourself and know your equipment. Each one of us has limits and it's very easy to fall into bad habits and break those limits. But it's all about what you, as an individual, chooses to do each and every time your get on your bike," said Tweedy.
The group was comprised of a mixture of cruisers, sport bikes and touring models. Riders of all ages. Building friendships and confidence and all within safety's sake - First Army safe is First Army strong.
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