thedrifter
09-15-05, 07:18 AM
Hard Corps - Marines graduate instructor course
MCAS Iwakuni
Story by: Lance Cpl. Cristin K. Bartter
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan(Sept. 9, 2005) -- Twenty-seven Marines graduated from the three-week, Marine Corps Martial Arts green belt instructors course, Sept. 9.
Each Marine had to pass three written exams, martial arts drills, cohesion drills, combat conditioning and field drills.
“The Marines go through all three components of the martial arts program which consists of mental, physical and character discipline,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Causey, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 S-3 training chief and MCMAP instructor trainer. “The biggest things they develop are their character and leadership.”
To be in the course Marines must be at least a corporal, Professional Military Education complete, perform a 225 or above physical fitness test, and must be within height and weight standards.
“The green belt instructors course is much more rigorous than your typical PT program,” explained Cpl. Edward Rosario, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron defense messaging systems chief and MCMAP green belt instructors course student. “If you can’t do drills, low crawl, run around with a sandbag or log, and then grapple for an hour you aren’t going to make it through this course.”
“This is a volunteer course,” added Gunnery Sgt. Dan Ryley, H&HS aircraft rescue fire fighting section leader and instructors course student. “These Marines are more than willing to push their bodies, minds and themselves past the level of capacity that they are not used to. Once they complete the course I will be able to look at them and say ‘you did something.’”
If the Marines had to choose their favorite portion of the training it would be the times when they were given the chance to apply their techniques on each other.
“The Marines grapple and free spar a good portion of this course,” said Causey. “They tend to enjoy that stuff more because that is what they are trained to do. Ultimately, as a martial artist, you want to be able to fight.”
“The sparring and the grappling are all part of the combat conditioning that we do,” said Ryley. “It all goes back to the physical discipline that we were taught in the classroom. To get better we have to go out there and apply the techniques that we were taught. The only way we can apply the techniques we were taught is by putting the gear on and getting down n’ dirty.”
Graduating from the course, the tables then turn. The training will no longer be about them. They will be the instructors for junior belt holders.
“This is the only part of being a green belt instructor where it is about the Marines in this class,” said Causey. “After that it is about them going out there and taking care of young Marines and training them. Once you’re an instructor it’s not about you anymore; it’s about giving back and training somebody else to make them better.”
Marines who may be interested in the course must be prepared for some intense, hard corps training.
“My biggest piece of advise for Marines interested in the green belt instructors course is you have to be physically fit when you come out here,” said Ryley. “Any Marine can take this course; they just have to be able to push themselves past their comfort zone, out of that little box that Marines tend to put themselves in. If you push yourself past that zone you may be surprised at what you can do.”
For more information about the green belt instructors course, contact Causey at 253-5682.
Ellie
MCAS Iwakuni
Story by: Lance Cpl. Cristin K. Bartter
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan(Sept. 9, 2005) -- Twenty-seven Marines graduated from the three-week, Marine Corps Martial Arts green belt instructors course, Sept. 9.
Each Marine had to pass three written exams, martial arts drills, cohesion drills, combat conditioning and field drills.
“The Marines go through all three components of the martial arts program which consists of mental, physical and character discipline,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph H. Causey, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 S-3 training chief and MCMAP instructor trainer. “The biggest things they develop are their character and leadership.”
To be in the course Marines must be at least a corporal, Professional Military Education complete, perform a 225 or above physical fitness test, and must be within height and weight standards.
“The green belt instructors course is much more rigorous than your typical PT program,” explained Cpl. Edward Rosario, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron defense messaging systems chief and MCMAP green belt instructors course student. “If you can’t do drills, low crawl, run around with a sandbag or log, and then grapple for an hour you aren’t going to make it through this course.”
“This is a volunteer course,” added Gunnery Sgt. Dan Ryley, H&HS aircraft rescue fire fighting section leader and instructors course student. “These Marines are more than willing to push their bodies, minds and themselves past the level of capacity that they are not used to. Once they complete the course I will be able to look at them and say ‘you did something.’”
If the Marines had to choose their favorite portion of the training it would be the times when they were given the chance to apply their techniques on each other.
“The Marines grapple and free spar a good portion of this course,” said Causey. “They tend to enjoy that stuff more because that is what they are trained to do. Ultimately, as a martial artist, you want to be able to fight.”
“The sparring and the grappling are all part of the combat conditioning that we do,” said Ryley. “It all goes back to the physical discipline that we were taught in the classroom. To get better we have to go out there and apply the techniques that we were taught. The only way we can apply the techniques we were taught is by putting the gear on and getting down n’ dirty.”
Graduating from the course, the tables then turn. The training will no longer be about them. They will be the instructors for junior belt holders.
“This is the only part of being a green belt instructor where it is about the Marines in this class,” said Causey. “After that it is about them going out there and taking care of young Marines and training them. Once you’re an instructor it’s not about you anymore; it’s about giving back and training somebody else to make them better.”
Marines who may be interested in the course must be prepared for some intense, hard corps training.
“My biggest piece of advise for Marines interested in the green belt instructors course is you have to be physically fit when you come out here,” said Ryley. “Any Marine can take this course; they just have to be able to push themselves past their comfort zone, out of that little box that Marines tend to put themselves in. If you push yourself past that zone you may be surprised at what you can do.”
For more information about the green belt instructors course, contact Causey at 253-5682.
Ellie