Marines take on motorcycle madness.

[Swoop]

May 6, 2008:

Both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps have been having a growing problem with motorcycle accidents, outside of combat. Over ten percent of army and marine personnel own a motorcycle, and that number has increased rapidly since the invasion of Iraq.

The reason for all this is the large amount of money many troops find themselves with when they come back from Iraq or Afghanistan. In combat zones, there aren't too many things you can spend your money on. Then there's the extra pay for being there. It adds up. If the trooper isn't married (and about half are not) many arrive back home with up to $50,000, or more, in ready cash. This leads to temptation, and that temptation often takes the form of a hot new bike. Many troops return jacked up on combat and all the fast road movement they experienced in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Last year, 93 military army personnel were killed in automotive accidents. Most of these were soldiers, while 19 were marines. While the military has been able to reduce automobile accidents, motorcycle deaths keep climbing.

With the increase in motorcycle owners, came in increase in owners groups. There are now nearly a hundred motorcycle clubs for army and marine bike owners. Attempts are being made to use these clubs as a way to get the message out on the need for safer riding. The marines have also made it mandatory for everyone to register their bike with their commander. In other words, every battalion commander has a list of marines who own bikes, and is expected to make sure these young maniacs get safety training. Another problem is that, higher gas prices have encouraged bike owners to use them year round, instead of just during the Summer. In those parts of the country with freezing Winters, that means increased accident potential because of the ice and shorter daylight hours.

Troops have also used those big paydays to buy SUVs and small trucks. The accidents for those are also up, but not nearly as much as for motorcycles. While pounding away, as only the military can, on safe driving, the brass have also realized that they have to zero in on the twelve percent of the troops that have bikes, and convince them to concentrate more on safety.

[007XX]

Get them all married...that'll fix it!

[Cajun]

yeah interesting alot of the other motorbike forums i am, are full of guys in iraq and Afghanistan.

Wanting to know what is the best mod they should be buying for there bike, to get more hp, for when they get back home.

[bungbung]

I see quite a few marines at work, one fella bought a Dodge Viper when he was 22 years old. How long do you think they'll last on a bike given the lack of training or 250cc rule on their brand new litre bike?

[EJK]

Are we talking about the movie "Jarhead"??

[jrandom]

Gene-O-Kleen. Evolution You Can See! (tm)

[Swoop]

The US forces are taking things seriously.
The USAF already have programmes in place for bikers to further their skills.

Possibly cheaper to run those programmes than spending money training new people...

[Fudmucker]

So the USA is worried about their servicemen riding motorcycles, but doesn't think anything of sending them into IRAQ..? Most odd, that...!

[KiwiRat]

So the USA is worried about their servicemen riding motorcycles, but doesn't think anything of sending them into IRAQ..? Most odd, that...!

Not really when you think about it.

The Army, USMC, or whatever, want to keep their personnel safe so that they can do what they joined up to do.

Die in combat.

[James Deuce]

It costs a shitload to train a groundpounder these days and their equipment ranges from about $20000 to $300000 in value. Add to that the peculiar US penchant for making everybody a "specialist" and you start having issues where units are sent into action with no one who knows how to use a grenade launcher or a SAW for instance. All because they fell off a motorcycle.

Quite frankly if I was CiC I'd ban them and make purchasing one or hiding one at your Mom's place a Court Martial offence. 20 days in the stockade and a pay and grade cut.

It ISN'T ironic that they "die in combat". Their job is to be the baddest thing on the battlefield, and you can't be that with limbs missing or lying in a hospital bed with no feeling below the waist.

I wouldn't want adrenalin junkies in the frontline so you could use the purchase of a motorcycle to cycle the offender into a desk job. 20 days in the stockade and a pay and grade cut as well of course.

[McJim]

Fly 'em to Whenuapai Air Base and let them all have a few days of RRRS.

That's what I say.

[swbarnett]

Quite frankly if I was CiC I'd ban them and make purchasing one or hiding one at your Mom's place a Court Martial offence. 20 days in the stockade and a pay and grade cut.

No boss has the right to dictate to an employee what they can or can't do in their off time. If my boss did that I'd resign instantly.

[scumdog]

One of the Aussie armed forces branches already have rider training in place for exactly the problem on the first post.

[KiwiRat]

It ISN'T ironic that they "die in combat". Their job is to be the baddest thing on the battlefield, and you can't be that with limbs missing or lying in a hospital bed with no feeling below the waist.

If you are referring to my post Jim, there was no irony intended. If you read my post, it is just a very stripped down version of your post.

I spent 12 years in the Armed Forces, so I know exactly what the deal is.

Peace.

[James Deuce]

If you are referring to my post Jim, there was no irony intended. If you read my post, it is just a very stripped down version of your post.

I spent 12 years in the Armed Forces, so I know exactly what the deal is.

Peace.

No I wasn't, though I expect most people would read it that way.

I've about had it up to "here" with people making light of the average Grunt's commitment or reasons for doing what they do or that they operate in the field like a Klingon. No one thinks it is a good day to die. The whole point is stay alive and make the other poor bastard die. With apologies to George S Patton.