Distinguished Motorcycle Safety Award: 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office

By Staff Writer

436th Airlift Wing Safety Office
Dover Air Force Base, DE

The 436th Airlift Wing (AW) Safety Office, Dover Air Force Base (AFB), DE, led by Col Matthew S. Huseman, garnered the Air Mobility Command’s 2021 Distinguished Motorcycle Safety Award.

Their motorcycle safety efforts included innovative training with no Class A or B mishaps.

The office directed the 16th Annual Motorcycle Safety Day and coordinated a runway ride, fortifying training for 113 attendees and increasing training statistics by 20 percent, and hosted a Delaware state trooper, increasing safety awareness for more than 100 riders.

They launched the wing’s first motorcycle mentorship program, reducing mishaps from Fiscal Year 2020. They were lauded for developing selection criteria for squadron mentors and conducted a mentorship-morale ride during Safety Down Day, training more than 150 riders. The wing developed a comprehensive mentorship guide, trained 24 motorcycle training representatives on program elements, and created a cadre to prevent future mishaps. They established a mentorship ride risk assessment process, integrated risk management principles at the squadron level, and ensured safe routes for mentorship events.

The office promoted information sharing and safe riding by inspecting 18 squadron programs for 178 riders, identifying 35 deficiencies, and issuing 15 recommendations.

The office worked with the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles on rider courses and provided three additional Basic Rider Course 2 courses for Dover AFB members, decreasing a 175-rider, 2-year training backlog.

They organized a best motorcycle contest for more than 500 attendees, inspiring enthusiasm for the wing’s safety programs.

The office advanced the learning and safety education continuum by guiding the 50-member Green Knights motorcycle club and providing four tutor rides. The 436 AW was lauded for crafting a thorough preseason training program with the Green Knights that reached 178 riders.

They partnered with the State of Delaware to validate training, ensured immediate mishap response, and armed leadership with timely information.

The office revamped the motorcycle safety representative training, providing a unique one-stop shop, enabling 46 representatives to boost Motorcycle Unit Safety Tracking Tool usage from 70 to 90 percent.

The office orchestrated a Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, and Stand demonstration and prepared more than 100 riders for an organized ride, equipping Airmen to inspect bikes.