Traffic laws on military installations

UHBlackhawk

UHBlackhawk

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As parents prepare to head to service academies to drop off their loved ones a word about driving on military installations.
The MP's (Military Police), on most installations are vigilant at protecting base personnel and STRICTLY enforce all traffic laws.
1. Speed limits. On most service academies the maximum speed is 25 MPH. I think Air Force Academy is the exception to this as it is spread out more than the other academies. Anticipate speed limits that are much lower to what you are used to seeing. If you are in a housing area the speed limit is usually 15 MPH or less. As a matter of fact, if you are in a housing area you probably made a wrong turn. Please be careful as there are a TON of kids in the housing areas.
2. Full stop at all stop signs.
3. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
4. If passing a formation of Cadets/midshipmen/soldiers etc the speed limit is 10 MPH.
Don't make the day more stressful by getting stopped.
 
My two kids would stop and come to attention if the National anthem could be heard on the TV. While stationed at a joint Navy / Marine primary flight training squadron, I taught my youngest daughter when asked "what do Marines say"? She would yell out "OohRah". ( in the promotion of interservice cooperation of course). After that when she would see a Marine it was OohRah in her best Chief's bark. Took her with me to work one day and the Major I worked for heard it, grabbed her up and I didn't see her again for two hours. [emoji23][emoji23]
 
ooo rah Senior Chief

Living in Berkeley Manor at MCB Camp Lejeune was three great years. Then they sent me to DC.
 
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Capt MJ said:
If you see vehicles stopped and pedestrians standing at attention, and hear something like bugles, you stop too. Military bases have certain traditional times during the day signaling the start or end of something.
Not all are the same.
Here’s a good sample description from Hanscom AFB.
http://www.hanscom.af.mil/News/Comm...-reveille-retreat-and-taps-is-played-on-base/
Click to expand...
Hanscom AFB! A blast from the past! My dad was stationed there in the mid-late 70s. I still remember the Blizzard of 78!!
 
The Ft Bliss pool was close to the post flag pole. When the cannon went off, everyone would stop what they were doing, come to attention, and face the flag.
 
My experience with military traffic laws: A very long time ago, my then brother-in-law, an AF officer, asked me to drive his car onto the base (long story of why). So I drove up to the entrance, the guard saw the sticker, saluted me (I saluted back, as I’d seen my bro-in-law do), and I proceeded through.

Relieved that I’d pulled off the rouse, I didn’t notice that I was going a few miles above the speed limit, until an MP appeared behind me, lights flashing. I pulled over, sure that I was headed for the brig. After hearing my story, the MP called my bro-in-law, who arrived a few minutes later on his very cool motorcycle. So cool that the MP spent several minutes admiring it. So cool that the MP decided to overlook the infraction — mine and my bro-in-law’s — and sent us off with just a warning.

My heart rate returned to normal. I never did such a thing again. And did I mention that he’s my former bro-in-law? Enough said.
 
They played "Patton" when it first came out at our theatre on base. When that big flag came on the screen everyone stood. We did get a good speech though along with a good laugh.
 
Good call UHBlackhawk! I’ll also add that law enforcement will be waiting to welcome new families in both Fort Montgomery and Highland Falls, the two little towns if you are approaching WP from the south. It can be so hard, after maintaining highway speed for hours, to slow down once you hit the Bear Mountain Circle and then proceed through Fort Montgomery and Highland Falls at the posted speed limits. They will just be doing their jobs, while viewing you as dollar signs!

We’ll always remember the night we moved to WP. The above scenario was in play (maintaining highway speed for hours and then having to slow waaaaay down) and we were stopped by an MP about a half mile from our new quarters. We explained that we were new on post, just moving in, and thankfully he took pity on us and just gave a reminder about the speed limit!
 
Most memorable morning colors...Naval Station Pearl Harbor, where, during the biennual RIMPAC exercise, you stood at attention for US, Canadian, Australian, Japanese, and I think S. Korean anthems. Those were l-o-o-o-n-g ones.
 
The MP's can be very helpful as well. I was visiting my son at Ft. Rucker while he was at flight school, he warned me about obeying ALL traffic laws on base. I was driving down one of the roads while a MP was going the opposite direction, just as he passed me he did a quick U-turn and came up to me with lights and sirens blasting. I pulled over not knowing what I had done when the officer walked up and handed me the camera/case I had left on the roof of my car.
 
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