JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
At age 4, A.J. Ritterbeck started riding up and down the dirt road by his house in Belle Valley, Ohio, on anything he could find with wheels.
Those moments were just the beginning of a long and lasting love of riding, racing, and eventually teaching motorcycle safety to others here.
"Every childhood picture usually consisted of me riding anything; from a Fisher-Price Power Wheels Jeep, to an adult-size riding lawn mower," said Ritterbeck, a Senior Airman 811th Security Forces Squadron security protective services specialist.
Ritterbeck began competing in motor cross races at the age of 5, gaining knowledge and skill in the sport by choosing to get back up every time he fell; a mantra he carried into adulthood.
"This was something I picked up from my dad," Ritterbeck said. "He rode his motorcycle everywhere, rain or shine. I guess that's where I get it from, and how I know that I will always ride."
Five years ago, Ritterbeck transitioned from off-road bikes to sport bikes.
Shortly after arriving here, Ritterbeck completed all necessary safety training courses and began volunteering as a motorcycle safety instructor and assistant safety representative.
Despite his knowledge of safety, Ritterbeck was involved in a motorcycle accident on a secluded country road in southern Maryland, June 14, 2014.
"It was early on a summer evening, I told myself it was a nice night to ride," Ritterbeck said. "I was traveling about 55 miles per hour down a back road, in a densely wooded area, when a deer jumped out of the trees on my right side."
In that moment, he reacted and decided to brake and lay his bike down on its right side to avoid hitting the deer broadside.
"Hitting a deer at that speed would have been like hitting a wall, causing me to tumble and break multiple bones," Ritterbeck said. "I remembered everything I knew about riding, knew I was wearing all my safety gear according to Air Force instruction, so I decided to chance laying my bike down instead."
As a result, his motorcycle was totaled and he sustained a bruised back and ribs, road rash on his forearms, calves, and back.
After catching his breath and moving himself off the road, Ritterbeck called his mother, then an ambulance. He was transported to a near-by hospital where he underwent standard X-rays, a debridement of his wounds. He was released late that night.
"I absolutely believe Airman Ritterbeck did the right thing by laying his bike down," said Tech. Sgt. Curtis Cockrell, 811th SFS Primary unit motorcycle safety representative. "He made a split-second decision and hitting an object at that speed could have greatly increased the severity of his injuries."
For more information on motorcycle safety, call the Andrews Safety office at 240-612-6380.