Charleston hosts its first motorcycle safety instructor course

Published April 23, 2006
By Tech. Sgt. Mary Hinson
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. -- Eleven Department of Defense personnel graduated from the first Motorcycle Safety Instructor Course hosted by Charleston Air Force Base March 29 through April 5.

The purpose of the eight-day course was to train the rider coach candidates on how to conduct motorcycle safety courses at their respective bases, said Bob Simpson, Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider coach trainer.

According to Senior Master Sgt. Jaconda Lightburn, 315th Airlift Wing ground/weapons safety manager who set up this course, Charleston volunteered for the course after the Air Force Safety Center sent out a message asking for bases to host the event. Once Charleston was chosen as one of 10 bases worldwide to be a host this year, the safety center contracted the job to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, who upon request, will teach classes wherever they are needed, said Mr. Simpson, who came down from New York for the training.

This was the first time a Reserve unit had hosted the instructor’s course, added Sergeant Lightburn.

To be eligible to participate in the course, rider coach candidates had to be proficient in all areas of the skills test they would be giving the students. Additionally, the candidates were given a written evaluation, had to teach a course and do a practical instruction on the range for a beginners’ course.

“Teaching the students was the best part of the course,” said Senior Master Sgt. Tony Levine, 315th Operations Support Squadron and one of five rider coach candidates from Charleston. “I just wanted to set a good example.”

Before this course, personnel who wanted to get a base pass for their motorcycles had to go through their safety office to sign up for training at Trident Technical College – space and money permitting, said Sergeant Lightburn.

Now that the base has a total of six qualified instructors, including one previously trained, the intermediate and experienced classes can be taught by Team Charleston personnel, saving the government the cost of paying outside sources, she added.

“Now that spring and summer are coming, more people are riding motorcycles,” said Sergeant Levine, who has been actively riding for five years. “Now we are able to conduct more classes.”

The importance of motorcycle safety courses came about when approximately 360 Department of Defense deaths occurred worldwide in one year, said rider coach candidate Peter Lyle from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. The beginners’ course trains new riders through written and skills tests on topics such as stopping quickly and cornering.

Volunteering to be an instructor was a decision Sergeant Levine made from personal experience. When he was part of a sport bike riding club, a member was killed doing unsafe practices on a bike.

“It drove me to want to teach others the correct procedures and skills of riding,” he said. “
Instructors must teach two classes within two years and complete professional development classes in order to stay qualified, according to rider coach candidate Maj. Randle McBay, 59th Medical Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The beginners’ course students only complete the two-day course once to be eligible to ride their motorcycles on base.

Now there are more instructors, the safety office is working towards having more classes available. For more information or to sign up for a course, contact the 315th Safety Office at 963-2428.