Active Duty Military Question

Did the motorcycle safety officer counsel you ? and does he know you’re not going to be riding on the road ?

Look over your counseling statement. Do all the classes they want you to do. Do it right. So if anything happens they can’t negatively come after your career...line all your ducks up. Do the trainings and if you get hurt you can still say you did all the trainings.

Generally they don’t want you getting hurt and not being able to do your job. “c y a”

Depends on the command. Luckily mine is pretty easy to deal with. They offer the motorcycle safety course here on Belvoir and supply the bikes for free. I don’t have to take it though.

As an active duty guy (AF) that's been hurt quite a few times while in...just make sure you're wearing gear when you ride so there isn't any of line of duty determination. We have high risk safety forms that we fill out and get signed by our commander just so they have SA on potential risks we partake in. I'm sure the Navy has something similiar.

You're not required to take any MSF courses if you're offroad only. I would highly recommend the BRC though bc it's 2-3 free days off of work and you don't have to do the road test portion at the DMV if you end up wanting to get an M endorsement on your license.

I’m active Navy, you are not required to take the MSF courses for off-road only riding. The MSF offers an off-road course in certain places but is not mandatory like the BRC and ARC are for street guys. Ensure to wear ppe just in case something happens as a reportable incident will most likely trigger an investigation. Some commands may make you submit some sort of “high risk activity” notice to your CO, I would inquire about it with your commands Safety Officer and/or safety Chief.

Not sure if this will help, I am in the reserves and broke some bones and no one asked about the MSF. Just got a profile and followed up.

I used to love when Army and Air Force were major sponsors of SX yet they were both trying to prevent their people from riding MX. Yeah, let's use this as a recruitment tool and then once people get in tell them they are not allowed to do it.

Thank ya'll very much for your service!!!

Your MSO sounds like a retard. None of those classes are required for you to ride moto, nor is a license. You may need to explain to him that a dirt bike is classified as an Off Highway Vehicle, designed for closed course competition, and will not be ridden on the street.

The only thing you need to do is make sure whoever your unit safety rep is is aware that you do a “high risk activity” on your off time. In the AF, we document it on a Form 55 annually. I would actually make sure your branch’s equivalent of that is done, so if you get hurt really bad or die and they do a line of duty determination, all your t’s are crossed and i’s dotted.

Back in the 90's when MC safety started becoming a huge focus for the Army, I got called in to my CO's office to receive my "mandatory motorcycle safety counseling". The Army had decided at that time that all riders had to be counseled in person by their CO. It was comical. The CO asked to see my PPE, including reflective vest, over-the-ankle boots, long sleeve shirt, etc. I tried explaining to him that the purpose of reflective vests is so that car drivers can see you and there aren't any cars on motocross tracks but this didn't really seem to register. Then he asked to see my license, registration, title, and proof of insurance. This was in Japan and he just could not understand that Japan does not title motocross bikes or insure them. He was threatening me with UCMJ over this and everything. Total joke.

I'm AD USAF and all I had to do was a high risk activity waiver approved by my chain of command. You do not need to take a riding course in a parking lot on your mx bike.

The BRC is an easy two days off work to ride someone else’s bike. Food for thought

I'm going back many years.. back then South Africans had to do two years compulsary national service. I had six days left of my service and slipped out on my last weekend to go practice mx. I ended up breaking my femur. As I never put in an application for a "Sports Pass" I was charged with "damage to state property"

It turned out messy and I was eventually given a dishonorable discharge.

Cover all your bases.

In the 90's I had to get a Hazardous Sports Request signed by my Commander because I was racing. It stated that I was only going to race at an amateur level and not anything professional. Then in the 2000's I didn't need anything due to not riding on the street. But I did get grilled by the wing safety office when I broke shoulder. The dude who had no clue about riding was asking some stupid questions and trying to spin it that I could have prevented it. I was getting pissed and kept telling him over and over accidents happen and if he doesn't believe me come out and ride sometime.

No, you do not need a course to ride on a closed track, or even trails for that matter. It’s a hobby, not a mode of travel on the road.

Go Navy. I think your Motorcycle Safety Officer is confused. I just googled Navy motorcycle safety course and OPNAVINST 5100.12H popped up. I’m entirely too lazy to read it but this Instruction should spell out the requirements for the course. Good luck.

I was a GM onboard the CVN71 in Norfolk. Literally left the navy because the moto sucked in the Hampton roads area at the time. If I'd been stationed anywhere else I'd be retired by now lol.

Look up veteran Mx foundation! Being a member is totally worth the $20 fee. 50% discounts on pretty much everything and a great group of people

I went through this in a few different commands when I was in as well. Explain to them that you are off road only, just like an ATV rider. I know it will kill your soul a little bit to say that, but it's okay haha. I also strongly recommend you look into VetMX. We have an extremely cool and supportive nationwide community and a very active private Facebook group. You will pretty much have instant friends anywhere you go, and some promoters also run Warrior class for veterans. It is an extremely cool group to be a part of.

Man this hits home hard...

I joined the Army fresh out of high school. As soon as that bonus money hit it was new CR125, new dodge dakota, and we were off racing again. In a rather short amount of time I had got hurt several times. A broken nose, broken collarbone, minor but nuisance injuries. The first sergeant of my unit told me I wasn't going to be able to ride dirt bikes anymore, I remember literally laughing in his face. I'm 19 years old at that point and no one was going to tell me shit. I fought it as far as I could fight it, eventually ending up in the commanding generals office who told me they couldn't keep me from riding motorcycles. If I was banned from racing motorcycles no one could play softball etc. I went back to my unit with my chest puffed out where they told me "Fine we can't keep you from riding motorcycles, however we can restrict you to post". It wasn't weeks later I was sneaking off on the weekends to race and guess what happened? Broken femur at Cooperland. I was screwed, laid up for 3+ months and facing a possible court marshal. With the extended recovery time I was offered a discharge and I took it.

To be young and dumb again..

I would have been eligible to retire this year.