Ask the Garrison Commander: Mulbury addresses PT on Lyman Road
Col. Douglas Mulbury
Commander, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii
Mulbury
The “Ask the Garrison Commander” program allows Soldiers, civilians and family members to present concerns and recommend outcomes.
U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii directorates and support staff research queries and provide responses to me, which are monitored by a customer management team.
A sampling of these questions that have community-wide impact are published in the Hawaii Army Weekly. Submit questions via the Ask the Garrison Commander email address and through the USAG-HI web link at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/comments/contactgc.aspx. Time-sensitive concerns should be directed to the Interactive Customer Evaluation system at ice.disa.mil.
—
Q: Is Lyman Road an approved physical training route? The mixture of motorized traffic and PT is very dangerous, not only for the amount of privately owned vehicles on this road, but also for the heavy use of truck and military vehicles on this route.
A: Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding the safety of Soldiers and for bringing PT on Lyman Road to my attention. Lyman Road is an authorized running route and is essential to a unit’s ability to conduct cardiorespiratory endurance training, as well as road marches. Simultaneously, Lyman Road also serves as a primary entry point to the installation from Wheeler Army Airfield traffic, as well as visitors, military and civilian workforces.
There is construction ongoing on both South Range and at the Kolekole/Trimble intersection that prevents us from closing Lyman to vehicular traffic.
Since we are limited on fitness training space, it is critical for everyone to optimize Soldier and pedestrian safety with motor vehicle activity. The installation policy on PT routes and pedestrians’ rights and duties establishes safety measures to reduce risk while on the roadways, and especially during PT hours.
The keys to success in areas where Soldiers conducting PT and vehicles come in close proximity are well-informed community members who comply with posted regulatory signs and installation polices.
As units begin longer dwell time between deployments, more traffic on our roadways will increase risk. The need for cooperation, understanding and compliance with established policies and procedures by our Soldiers and motor vehicle operators will be paramount.
Although Soldiers may be in compliance with the policy of conducting PT at designated sites and along approved run routes, they must conduct PT safely and in a manner that shows consideration and respect for others with whom they must share the road.
They should not cross the center line or take up more than one lane of traffic. They should not run in a formation with more than three files. Wherever possible, they should use the sidewalk along Lyman Road.
Darting in and out of traffic or committing other unsafe acts is not acceptable Soldier behavior.
If you observe this type of behavior, you need to identify the unit and its leader and make the appropriate corrections.
The same holds true for drivers who fail to observe the posted speed limit or who fail to remain alert to units and individuals moving around the installation. We must be vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe environment for all.
To help create awareness and attention to this issue, we recently instituted an aggressive information campaign. Our PT policy has been the subject of several recent articles in the Hawaii Army Weekly, addressed in my Ask the Garrison Commander column, and discussed at various Installation Action Council meetings with all major subordinate commands, as well as during Facebook town halls.
Also, the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii command sergeant major routinely addresses this matter with new company commanders and first sergeants during the Commander/First Sergeant Course.
Thanks again for your input and concern. The safety of our Soldiers and all pedestrians is an important matter, one we all take very seriously, one we are all responsible for, and something we are working hard to maintain.
A complete copy of Policy Memorandum USAG-HI-1, with the subject, “Authorized Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield Physical Training (PT) Routes and Pedestrian’s Rights and Duties,” can be found at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/command/documents.htm?tab=1.
—
To submit an “Ask the Commander” question, send an email to AskTheCommander.usaghi@us.army.mil. For more information, call Rosie Stone (655-9033) at USAG-HI’s Customer Relations Team, or call Aiko Brum (656-3155) at USAG-HI Public Affairs Office.
Category: Ask The Commander, News, Standing Columns
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
