The Asian Age http://www.asianage.com/
7 Febuary 2006 International More US troops die in bike crashes than in Afghan - By AP Camp Lejeune (North Carolina), Feb. 6: More American troops have died on US roads in off-duty motorcycle accidents than have been killed fighting in Afghanistan since September 11, 2001, safety records show. Military commanders in North Carolina say the deaths are largely the result of boredom, bonus pay, and adrenaline to burn off after troops return from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 350 troops have died on motorcycles since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Compare that to 259 killed while serving in Afghanistan. Nearly 1,000 more troops have been injured on motorcycles. Marine Lance Cpl. Mark Strickland, 24, was one of five Marines from Camp Lejeune who were involved in serious motorcycle crashes in October. Four of them had been home just a few weeks from combat in Iraqs deadly Anbar province. Three of the Marines were killed and another lost a leg. "When the doctor told me that he was dead, I told him that wasnt acceptable, it just wasnt acceptable," said Ms Andrea Strickland, 22, the widow of Mark Strickland. "I said, He just got back from a war zone, and youre going to tell me that he died doing something he loved?" Lt. Gen. James F. Amos, commander of the Camp Lejeune-based II Marine Expeditionary Force described the crashes in October as "a cold shot to the heart" and ordered a crackdown. The following month normal base operations were halted to focus on safety, particularly for motorcyclists. Camp Lejeune also added safety programmes and re-emphasised existing ones. These include a mentor programme Mr Amos created that is being considered as a model for the entire Marine Corps. The Army has not been immune to off-duty motorcycle deaths, with more than 40 in the fiscal year that ended on September 30. The Army chief of staff issued a memo that urge experienced riders to cut the accident rate by mentoring beginners. __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com
