TAEGU, South Korea — For the longest time, soldiers who wanted to ride their motorcycles or mo-peds on Army installations in South Korea first had to take and pass a safety course at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul.
Like soldiers and Army civilians worldwide, the Army wouldn’t allow those in South Korea to register their motorcycle unless they’d passed that course. And without registration, they’re not allowed to ride.
That meant a long trip for soldiers stationed in Taegu, Waegwan or Pusan, all far south of Seoul.
But the Army has begun offering the safety course at Camp Carroll in Waegwan.
“They had to either go to Camp Humphreys a couple of years back or go to Yongsan, so they had to travel to take the class,” said Jon Hull, 20th Area Support Group safety officer at Camp Henry in Taegu. “Now we have it available in Area IV for them.”
“It’s free. All they have to do is call,” said Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Porter of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Area Support Group at Camp Carroll.
He’s sergeant-in-charge of the motor pool.
“I get their name, and they show up the day of the course,” Porter said. “And we have motorcycles available, so if they don’t have their own bike, they can use the bikes we have here.”
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation course covers fundamentals of how to ride a motorcycle and basics of motorcycle safety, Porter said. It entails classroom work, a written test and riding on a driving course at Camp Carroll.
Completion of the course is valid Armywide, Hull said.
“It will be good anywhere else if you take the course here in Camp Carroll,” he said.
The motorcycle course runs two days; the mo-ped course one day.
“The regulation on the prevention of motor vehicle accidents requires that a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course be administered to all riders of both mo-peds and motorcycles,” Hull said. “Motorcycle Safety Foundation in the States is basically the certifying authority that the Army uses.”
More information on either course, including types of motorcycles available for use and requirements for clothing and equipment (including helmets) is available by calling either Porter or Patrick Roach at DSN 765-7726 or DSN 765-7717.
Roach is Camp Carroll’s transportation officer.
