Marines

Lejeune motorcycle safety video nets award

16 Aug 2007 | Lance Cpl. Patrick Fleischman Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

There have been four deaths and eight injuries of Camp Lejeune Marines while riding motorcycles since October of 2006

In an effort to reduce these deaths and injuries the Marine Corps Installations East Department of Public Safety and II Marine Expeditionary Force’s Department of Safety and Standardization educate Marines and provide commands information for safe riding practices.

“Take Charge,” a motorcycle safety video organized by these groups to relay messages, like riding safety and proper use of personal protection equipment, received the award from the Motor Cycle Safety Foundation for “Outstanding Media.”

Made by Marines for Marines, the fast-paced, 22-minute, media-rich video is targeted for riders ages 18-26, said Col. Donald Anderson, assistant chief of staff for Marine Corps Install-ation’s East Installations Safety and Security Department.

“We wanted to create an upbeat and dynamic film that stresses to the viewer that they have a personal responsibility while riding,” said Anderson, who has ridden motorcycles for more than 40 years.

In addition to personal responsibility, the film delivers strong messages about the use of PPE, traffic laws and Department of Defense regulations, he said.

These messages will have relatable impact through stories provided by Marines, who were both motorcycle riders and passengers involved in life- changing accidents ending their Marine Corps career.

“You have to keep the viewers attention with stories that relate to them,” said Bud Yoakum, a producer for Mission Critical Media, who produced the film.

A viewer’s attention span for a video lecture averages between 18 and 24 minutes, he continued.

“We developed this DVD with the intention of making those minutes count,” said Yoakum. “This new DVD format, which helped us win the award, is completely self-contained, making it an ideal tool usable anywhere.”

Instructors can load this DVD to watch the film, play short two to five minute films about specific messages and use their remote control to navigate through a menu-based lecture with questions for the viewers, said Anderson.

“During the course of development we were presented with some very high-tech ideas, but we wanted to make relaying the message simple by putting the lesson and film on a single easily transportable DVD,” said Anderson. “Leaders can play this anywhere from a conference room on Lejeune to a ship out at sea.”

Communicating that message to the Marines abroad is critical, said Anderson.

When a Marine goes to Iraq to serve, comes back and loses his life in a careless accident, it is truly sad, but these educational aids help reduce the number of fatalities, said Anderson.

Moving forward to help prevent other unnecessary mishaps, these groups plan to produce another film about the deterrence of underage and binge drinking in the Marine Corps, concluded Anderson.

For more information about how to acquire this film for your unit or other Marine Corps related safety information contact Base Safety at 451-5725.