Oceana Rodeo Showcases Motorcycle Safety

By MC3 Antonio P. Turretto Ramos, NAS Oceana Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Military motorcycle riders roared their engines May 4, 2012 during the 'Wake the Base Ride' beginning at Dam Neck Annex and ending at the main gate park of Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana. The group ride marked the beginning of the Motorcycle Rodeo sponsored by the Safety Office at NAS Oceana.

"We get a lot of riders from NAS Oceana, Dam Neck and Norfolk together for this event at the beginning of the riding season to remind these guys to ride safe," said Dave Ruhl, safety specialist and motorcycle safety coordinator for NAS Oceana and organizer of the event. "Every man and woman is important to the Navy. Operational readiness is affected when we lose Sailors. That's what we're here to prevent."

The overall purpose of the Motorcycle Rodeo is to encourage riders of all experience levels to create a positive peer pressure to get the training available through the Navy Safety Office, wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and mentor less seasoned riders.

"I became a CMC because the most important thing to me in the Navy is our Sailors, our people and our families and there's nothing more important than making sure they do this [ride motorcycles] safely. We lose so many Sailors to motorcycle accidents, this requires leadership to be out here and show how important this is," said NAS Oceana Command Master Chief Bill Smalts.

While the motorcycle rodeo is designed to bring riders together to encourage a safe riding environment, it's also fun. The rodeo includes events like the slow-speed race and the cone-weaving race, as well as a bike contest. Many of the riders come just to see all the other bikes, and this year, about 150 riders came out for the rodeo.

"A lot of them [younger riders] I think look up to our experienced riders and those who have been riding for a long time. That causes them to want to ride and they get out here and see that mentorship and that leadership and peer pressure is a big deal," said Smalts.

All Sailors who ride motorcycles must complete the Navy's Basic Rider Course (BRC) to ride on base and out in town.

"If people have the training, then less people will have mishaps. This year we have had a significant drop in motorcycle fatalities compared to 2008," said Lt. Cmdr. Richard Stafford, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106's command motorcycle safety representative as well as the motorcycle mentorship coordinator. "Getting out the word and exposing people to other people that are abiding by the rules and abiding by the training is valuable because it makes mentors available to new riders. Everyone here is doing the right thing. This is a positive use of peer pressure."

Motorcycle safety representatives (MSR)s play an important role at the command level to make sure that service members who ride motorcycles receive the proper rider safety training. MSRs also track and document each rider's progress. Sailor's are subject to disciplinary action if they fail to meet the safety requirements established by the Navy.

Depending on the type of motorcycle the rider chooses, additional training may also be required, as well as refresher courses, every three years. Also available through the Navy Safety Office are the experienced rider course (ERC) and military sport bike rider (MSRC) course.

"The training we provide makes Sailors knowledgeable of the risks, so they can manage those risks and stay safe. I expect Sailors to walk away from my course with a sincere desire to grow old and be able to watch their children grow," said John Gifford, Region Traffic Safety Instructor at NAS Oceana.