908th kick starts motorcycle safety course

  • Published
  • By Public Affairs Office
  • 908th Airlift Wing
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  The 908th Airlift Wing held its first stand-alone Basic Riders Course (BRC) in June, with eight participants, both military and dependent.

The 908th, in conjunction with the 42nd Air Base Wing Safety Office, shares the range and training motorcycles to accomplish the four different training courses under the Motorcycle Safety Foundation guidelines. The courses are the BRC (two days), BRC II (six hours), Advanced Riders Course (eight hours), and the Sport Bike Course (eight hours). 

Participants Master Sgts. Marty Ashley, Otis Luke, and Mike Freeman; Tech. Sgt. Jarvis Capers, Staff Sgts. Matthew Chandler, and William Kernels; along with Joel Beach, Suzy  and Griffin Weed had to pass a four-hour block of classroom instruction and test as well as 22 different riding skills practices and test to graduate, and did so in fine fashion.

The 908th is the first tenant wing in AFRC to have a fully trained/certified cadre of RiderCoaches.

The RiderCoaches for the 908th are Chief Master Sgt. Lynn Whited, Master Sgt. Matthew Chandler, Staff Sgt. Joe Peterson, and Maj. Carmel Weed. The Wing Motorcycle Safety Representatives are Staff Sgt. Thomas Mendiola and Senior Master Sgt. Terry Shook.

If you ride, it is imperative you take and pass one of these courses so your loved ones have access to your military benefits if something were to happen to you while operating a motorcycle. If not, then there's no guarantee that benefits will be afforded if proper PPE and Certification are not utilized by the member while riding.

This training is available for dependents as well, but military members take precedence for all courses.

Class dates for the 908th:

BRC II: Oct. 3

Class dates for the 42nd ABW:
BRC I: Aug. 15-16, Oct. 21-22, Nov. 7-8
BRC II: Sept. 24, Nov. 21
ARC: Aug. 27

To register for any 908th courses, go through your supervisor and unit motorcycle safety representative for approval. Then contact SMSgt Terry Shook in the 908th Safety Office at terry.shook@us.af.mil.

If you wish to register for any 42nd ABW courses go through your supervisor and unit motorcycle safety representative for approval.  To register for a 42nd ABW course contact the safety office at Maxwell (953-2001), or contact Jim West at james.west.35@us.af.mil