By Justin Creech
Staff Writer
Thursday,March 29, 2012
Fort Belvoir residents and civilian motorcycle riders are no longer required to wear fluorescent vests or jackets while riding on post.
Fort Belvoir regulation 190-5 remains in effect which requires a rider to wear proper eye protection, full-fingered gloves, long trousers and a long sleeved shirt or jacket; the same as AR 385-10, section (4). However, the regulation will no longer mandate riders wear a fluorescent safety vest or jacket.
“What the Department of Defense instruction said is, you couldn’t use the vest mandate to turn people away from DoD installations,” said Fort Belvoir Police Chief Timothy Wolfe. “So, what we have done is accepted what the DoD instruction has said.”
Even though it is no longer required for motorcycle riders to wear fluorescent vests or jackets, Wolfe still recommends they do so for their own safety.
“We still highly recommend that you wear a vest for your own protection,” Wolfe said. “It makes you visible and lessens your chances of being in a traffic accident.”
Civilians who come on post must wear the same protective clothing specified for Soldiers when operating or riding a motorcycle, three-wheeled cycles or mopeds on Army installations or while on government business off the installation.
Resistance to the fluorescent vest or jacket mandate had been met with resistance from riders on post. The decision was made to change the regulation.
“If you can’t turn riders away for it, it caused a lot of controversy,” Wolfe said. “So, rather than have the controversy, we will just equal what the DoD instruction is.”
Wolfe emphasized that the Garrison Commander, Col. John Strycula can still mandate the vests and jackets be worn, but since no other branch of the military carries that mandate it was decided to do away with it.
“The Marine Corps, Air Force and the rest of the branches never had that regulation,” said Wolfe. “You still have to have the helmet, goggles, full fingered gloves, long sleeves and boots. But, they never said you had to wear a fluorescent jacket.”
