Bravo's Got Bikes- 1-4 Infantry Regiments Initiative for Hohenfels Soldiers

Photo By Sgt. Audrequez Evans | U.S. Army Pfc. Blake Johnson, assigned to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, rides a bicycle at the Hohenfels training area, Germany, April 12,2020. Johnson checked out the bike from 1-4 Infantry Regiments Bravo Company as a part of their initiative to fix and repurpose broken and abandoned bikes for Soldiers to use. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Audrequez Evans)  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

04.12.2020

Story by Spc. Audrequez Evans 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany – Spring is here, COVID-19 is being combated by the world and Bravo Company of 1-4 Infantry Regiment has started a program to get loaner bikes to Soldiers who need them. Bicycles are not far and few here at Hohenfels given the large amounts of trails, but sometimes there Is the random bike left without a rider. Therefore, the senior leadership at 1-4 IN started a simple and effective initiative to help save these bikes and help out the Soldiers as well.

"I am an avid rider myself and I just took it upon myself to start the program,” said First Sgt. Mark Riley, senior leader of Bravo Company 1-4 Infantry Regiment.

Riley ‘s intentions are to collect discarded bikes around Hohenfels and repurpose them for the Soldiers to borrow.

"I am doing all the repairs myself as of now until I get more people on board," said Riley. "My initiative is just to get Soldiers outside more, enjoy the fresh outside of the barracks also to give them a quicker way to the store than having to walk all the time.”

Given that Soldiers living on base are restricted from leaving due to Covid-19, this is an opportunity for Soldiers without bikes to be able to borrow one.

“Checking out these bikes are super easy to do, and they give me an opportunity to stay fit other than just running,” said Pfc. Blake Johnson, a Soldier assigned to the protocol office. “My friends and I are so grateful that we can check out bikes because facilities like the MWR are now closed because of COVID-19, this option is the best alternative.”

Johnson adds that Riley’s imitative can be seen taking the bikes out for recreation such as climbing the many beautiful hills that Hohenfels has to offer, taking in the spring air on a nice cool day and taking trips to and from the many food establishments on post.

The best part about this program is that it is totally one hundred percent free. Normally a soldier would have to purchase a bike if he or she wanted to ride, and with the abundance of abandoned bikes there is no need to go to such lengths making the Soldiers at Hohenfels life a little easier.

"Additionally, we have a lot of bicycles get left behind when soldiers PCS/ETS and they either get thrown away or just sit and go to waste," Riley said. "This is a good way to recycle these bikes and put them to good use while saving soldiers money from buying new ones."

• Date Taken: 04.12.2020
• Date Posted: 04.16.2020 04:50
• Story ID: 367354
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE