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Green Knights rally emphasizes safety

  • Published
  • By Carl Bergquist
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  Members of the Green Knights Motorcycle Club, local Chapter 10, held their first annual motorcycle rally Aug. 28 at Maxwell with motorcycle safety the primary theme of the event.

The rally began with a group-ride from Montgomery's Overlook Park to Maxwell's Officer Training School running track. Following the ride, the event continued with comments from club and base officials, a motorcycle safety demonstration by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and slow-ride and tricycle racing competitions.

The 42nd Air Base Wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Mark Repp, reinforced the importance of safety in his remarks to the crowd who gathered for the rally.

"I think it is great you guys have an organization that will help young Airmen who are buying bikes they sometimes can't really handle. I hope they will join the Green Knights," he said. "The Air Force recently suffered the loss of a young Airman who was killed the very day he bought his bike because he couldn't handle a turn and was struck by another vehicle. So, I appreciate everything your group is doing and look forward to some great rides here at Maxwell."

The chief said he has been riding motorcycles since he was 19 years old and owned a Harley-Davidson bike. He said he is also looking forward to joining the Green Knights club in the near future.

Lt. Col. Joseph Abel, 42nd ABW Safety Office chief, said with the increase in motorcycle accident fatalities in the Air Force this year, it is always good to stress safety to riders.

"This is a great event that helps get motorcycle riders more acquainted with their motorcycles and the safety issue associated with them. Organizations like the Green Knights holding rallies like this is bound to improve the safety awareness of riders," he said.

The newest member of the Green Knights Chapter 10 is 1st Lt. Jill Levy of the 42nd Force Support Squadron. She joined just two weeks ago and is thrilled about her membership. She said she took the motorcycle safety course while at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in 2008, but it took her "awhile to get up her nerve" before buying a bike.

Lieutenant Levy reminds prospective riders that the Maxwell-Gunter Basic Rider Course has motorcycles available for use by students, so anyone interested in learning to ride should take the course.

Green Knights vice president Doug Brown of the Maxwell-Gunter Fire Department said the club plans to have many more events like the rally. He said in addition to emphasizing safety, the rally was held to promote the club and build membership.

"We are trying to get the word out that we are here, and that we promote safe riding," he said. "All rides include an excellent safety briefing. We also brief the individual rides in full, and an experienced rider leads the ride. Joining the club helps builds a network of riders both locally and throughout Green Knights chapters around the country and the world."

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies Gil Robinson and Joe Love attended the rally to put on a demonstration of the training and testing they as motorcycle officers have to go through to be on the MCSO motorcycle squad.

"We are here today to demonstrate a riding course called the 'Intersection,' sometimes called the 'Iron Cross,' and also to show how to safely change lanes on a motorcycle," Deputy Love told the group. "Head and eye coordination are especially important. Where ever you look is where the motorcycle is going to go, so it is important to always look in the direction you want to travel."

Deputy Robinson said the training course they have to take and pass has nine stages, and throughout the nine stages, a rider can only knock over six marker cones before failing the course.

"When you go through this course, there is an element of fear because it is tight and hard, but you develop a mindset that you want to do it, and that takes you through it," he said. "The course teaches us how to ride our bikes safely and properly so we can do our jobs."

The next Green Knights meeting will be held at the Golden Coral restaurant on the Eastern By-Pass, Sept. 19 at 7:30 am. For those interested, a club-ride to Six Flags Over Georgia will follow the meeting. For more information about the Green Knights, call Doug Brown at 953-5870 or e-mail him at: douglas.brown@maxwell.af.mil.