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thedrifter
07-01-04, 06:46 AM
Senior DI uses martial arts disciplines to make newest Marines
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 200463012142
Story by Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.



MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(June 30, 2004) -- The company is nicknamed "Disciples of Discipline," so its most senior of senior drill instructors aptly harbors that training mentality with the effectiveness of, say, landing a horizontal hammer-fist strike.

Before he began training his Platoon 1069 recruits three months ago, senior drill instructor Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Vilca completed the Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Course, and from it he obtained fresh leadership inspiration.

Through Vilca's own augmented leadership, he enhances the Crucible's warrior studies on Marine Medal of Honor recipients. He teaches modern warrior studies using newspaper stories telling the heroic actions of today's Marines.

Martial arts is a discipline that company leaders encourage their drill instructors to master because - according to Marine Corps Order 1500.54A - through the fusion of mental and character disciplines within intense, physical application, a permanent change occurs in a Marine regardless of rank, billet, or time served.

Vilca said he has seen the MAI course participation increase throughout his company, and he attributed that boost to Co. D leaders insisting that drill instructors advance a belt during training cycles.

He agrees that drill instructors should seek martial arts training, and he believes recruit training should include more of it. In the last decade, from the creation of the Crucible - a challenging 54-hour test of physical and mental endurance - to the issue of new utility uniforms, recruit training has evolved to improve the readiness of basic Marines. Currently, all recruits must earn a tan belt in the Corps' martial arts program before they become Marines. Tan is the first of 10 belt levels.

According to Vilca, Co. D drill instructors wield their MAI course training to better train the newest Marines. Staff Sgt. Cole V. Walter is a Platoon 1069 drill instructor under Vilca's tutelage and an MAI course finisher. On Vilca's team, Walter is the junior man whose main mission is to stress out recruits.

"Instead of just causing stress," said Walter, "(Vilca) told me to cause stress and teach (martial arts). I believe the recruits are more proficient than other recruits, and (having that proficiency) will make it easier for them to move up in belts and hopefully one day become instructors themselves."

When the next recruit-training cycle commences, Vilca will be elevated as one of two chief drill instructors in Co. D. And like he was for Platoon 1069 recruits, Vilca said he will remain a "Disciple of Discipline." Leg sweeps and choke holds included.

Marine Corps martial arts have mental, character, and physical disciplines presented in systematic blocks for different belt levels. Those disciplines taught at lower belt levels are then reviewed and reinforced during follow-on training and at higher belt levels. Many skills specific to one discipline reinforce the strengths of the other disciplines. This creates a synergistic effect; whereby the program as a whole is stronger than its individual parts. For example, martial culture studies strengthen the mental character of Marines through the historical study of war, at the same time reinforcing the importance of character to a warrior and a martial society. The synergy of all three disciplines, which are inextricably linked - including to the advancement process for ranking belts - makes a complete program.

Source: Instruction 9, Structure and History of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004630121622/$file/DI_lr.jpg

Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Vilca Photo by: Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/DB2B929238E4C86A85256EC300592D31?opendocument


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cjwright90
07-01-04, 07:10 AM
I wish we would have had that training in boot camp in 1985. I was sinceriley disappointed that the only "martial art" training that I got was pugel sticks. I think it is very neccesary for our Marines and all branches that have frontline units, learn some form of close combat martial art. In the case where it gets right in your face, you want to know how to take out him before he takes out you.