thedrifter
12-19-08, 09:03 AM
21st Signal Brigade upgrades to Combatives Level II
Staff Sgt. Lisa Garcia 21st Signal Brigade
FORT MEADE, Md. - The Soldier's Creed demands that "I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat."
In standing ready, many units are adapting and changing the way they train.
Expanding their knowledge of Combatives, gaining confidence in self defense and, for some simply having fun, the 55th Signal Company Combat Camera of the 21st Signal Brigade recently conducted their Combatives level II instructor certification training at Fort Meade, Md.
As with all areas of training affected by the lessons learned from the War on Terrorism, the Army has changed its approach to hand-to-hand combat. The techniques, called Combatives, are the accumulation of a variety of martial arts styles, the majority of which stem from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, with a focus on ground based grappling. The purpose is to provide Soldiers a means to act within a weapons restricted environment or event. They must be prepared to use different levels of force when the use of deadly weapons is unavailable.
"If I find myself on a combat patrol and [my weapon] became disabled I now have the proper training to take out an enemy in hand-to-hand combat," said Spc. Patrick Wood, of the 55th Signal Company.
An additional benefit to Combatives training is that it will develop and instill the Army value of personal courage and improves self-confidence.
"It makes you not afraid to get close and fight the enemy if needed. It builds your confidence," Spc. Crystal Madriz, 55th Signal Company said.
"I am excited about Combatives in the Army today. Think about all the martial arts systems you have seen out there in the civilian world. We are creating and sustaining warriors on the battlefield with a comprehensive and dynamic program which ultimately saves lives.
"Combatives also does a great job of building individual Soldier confidence and the warrior ethos.
One of the sayings that Matt Larsen likes to use is 'The defining characteristic of a warrior is the willingness to close with the enemy.' Philosophically, that 'enemy' could really be any adversity in life. Combatives, just like other martial art systems, helps build character and confidence. I think we do it in a very unique way," said Maj. Kevin Leavitt, Army National Guard, Europe Command, operations officer.
"It teaches you moves that are effective in fighting any type of enemy," Spc. Charles Probst, 55th Signal Company said.
"I believe the value of Combatives is not simply learning a living and expanding martial arts system, but incorporating the immediate aggressiveness inherent in the practical exercises that a Soldier can call upon when necessary. That is the obvious life saving, combat relevant and ready aspect of the Modern Army Combatives Program.The other side to the training is the competitive venue," explained Maj. James Pete, 21st Signal Brigade adjutant, Fort Detrick, Md.
"We saw a little of that just last week as Sgt. 1st Class Jared Roy and his team from 53rd Signal competed at Fort Benning's All Army Combatives Tournament," said Pete who was introduced to Combatives as a Basic Officer Leadership Course, Phase II Instructor at Fort Sill, Okla. in 2005.
Like the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program that's been in existence since 2002, the Modern Army Combatives Program provides a developmentally structured system for lethal and nonlethal methods of engagement at close quarters combat. Larsen, a retired noncommissioned officer from the 75th Ranger Regiment, developed and published field manual 3- 25.150 while establishing the U.S. Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Ga.
Soldiers who graduate from the level three and four Combatives instructor certification courses will receive recognition through a Military Occupational Specialty identifier (H3B and H4B respectively). The Marine Corps has a colored belt system similar to many Asian martial arts: tan belt, gray belt, green belt, brown belt and black belt.
"I would like to further my training in Jiujitsu and one day go to Level III," said Wood level II Combatives certified.
The Army and Marine Corps operate in an environment where conflict may change from low intensity to high intensity over a matter of hours. Marines and Soldiers are also engaged in military operations other than war, such as peacekeeping missions or noncombatant missions, where deadly force may not be authorized.
During noncombatant engagements, Soldiers and Marines must determine if a situation warrants applying deadly force. To make the right decision, they must understand both the lethal and nonlethal close combat techniques needed to handle the situation responsibly without escalating the violence unnecessarily.
Recently, the Air Force has had to make adjustments to its training methodology as well. The War on Terrorism has brought duties previously geographically separate from the enemy within dangerous proximity. The Air Force has adopted a hand-to-hand combat system similar to the Modern Army Combatives Program in 2008.
The Modern Army Combatives Program provides a very professional and closely dictated set of rules that allows Soldiers all over the Army a basis for skills competition.
The All Army Combatives Tournament is thought to be where the best MACP fighters from Army units all over the world gather together in friendly competition to determine who is, in fact, the best.
According to the Website,
www.moderncombatives.org, "Combatives, started in 2002 as a way to promote the efforts, training methods and techniques of the Modern Army Combatives Program as created by Matt Larsen."
Training in Combatives is physically demanding and at the same time, mentally demanding.
"It builds endurance also," said one Soldier in the 55th Signal Company said.
"Combatives is great way to physical fitness. Core building, cross training, and total body workouts are the latest rage in the fitness world. Combatives training by its nature builds a solid body and core while increasing real fighting skills," Leavitt said.
Combatives training is making a difference. "It is saving lives on the battlefield. However, there are other ways that Combatives makes a difference. For example, I have personally used it to help prepare Military Training Teams to 'go downrange'. Getting a group of senior NCOs and officers together for the first time and trying to get them working as a team can be a challenge, especially when you only have four weeks. Combatives proved to be a good 'ice breaker.' It got them talking and interacting quickly. It broke down the barriers and they immediately began to form bonds of trust. I watched this unfold over a period of a couple of hours, not days, in a Combatives class," Leavitt said. Sgt. 1st Class Stormy Graham, Fort Detrick's level 2 Instructor said, "The Soldiers like the Combatives training so much that we are trying to see if we can hold their training monthly instead of quarterly."
Graham said "hand-to-hand is traditional and Combatives is more relevant to today's Army." "It's a modern approach to take the enemy out."
Ellie
Staff Sgt. Lisa Garcia 21st Signal Brigade
FORT MEADE, Md. - The Soldier's Creed demands that "I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat."
In standing ready, many units are adapting and changing the way they train.
Expanding their knowledge of Combatives, gaining confidence in self defense and, for some simply having fun, the 55th Signal Company Combat Camera of the 21st Signal Brigade recently conducted their Combatives level II instructor certification training at Fort Meade, Md.
As with all areas of training affected by the lessons learned from the War on Terrorism, the Army has changed its approach to hand-to-hand combat. The techniques, called Combatives, are the accumulation of a variety of martial arts styles, the majority of which stem from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, with a focus on ground based grappling. The purpose is to provide Soldiers a means to act within a weapons restricted environment or event. They must be prepared to use different levels of force when the use of deadly weapons is unavailable.
"If I find myself on a combat patrol and [my weapon] became disabled I now have the proper training to take out an enemy in hand-to-hand combat," said Spc. Patrick Wood, of the 55th Signal Company.
An additional benefit to Combatives training is that it will develop and instill the Army value of personal courage and improves self-confidence.
"It makes you not afraid to get close and fight the enemy if needed. It builds your confidence," Spc. Crystal Madriz, 55th Signal Company said.
"I am excited about Combatives in the Army today. Think about all the martial arts systems you have seen out there in the civilian world. We are creating and sustaining warriors on the battlefield with a comprehensive and dynamic program which ultimately saves lives.
"Combatives also does a great job of building individual Soldier confidence and the warrior ethos.
One of the sayings that Matt Larsen likes to use is 'The defining characteristic of a warrior is the willingness to close with the enemy.' Philosophically, that 'enemy' could really be any adversity in life. Combatives, just like other martial art systems, helps build character and confidence. I think we do it in a very unique way," said Maj. Kevin Leavitt, Army National Guard, Europe Command, operations officer.
"It teaches you moves that are effective in fighting any type of enemy," Spc. Charles Probst, 55th Signal Company said.
"I believe the value of Combatives is not simply learning a living and expanding martial arts system, but incorporating the immediate aggressiveness inherent in the practical exercises that a Soldier can call upon when necessary. That is the obvious life saving, combat relevant and ready aspect of the Modern Army Combatives Program.The other side to the training is the competitive venue," explained Maj. James Pete, 21st Signal Brigade adjutant, Fort Detrick, Md.
"We saw a little of that just last week as Sgt. 1st Class Jared Roy and his team from 53rd Signal competed at Fort Benning's All Army Combatives Tournament," said Pete who was introduced to Combatives as a Basic Officer Leadership Course, Phase II Instructor at Fort Sill, Okla. in 2005.
Like the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program that's been in existence since 2002, the Modern Army Combatives Program provides a developmentally structured system for lethal and nonlethal methods of engagement at close quarters combat. Larsen, a retired noncommissioned officer from the 75th Ranger Regiment, developed and published field manual 3- 25.150 while establishing the U.S. Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Ga.
Soldiers who graduate from the level three and four Combatives instructor certification courses will receive recognition through a Military Occupational Specialty identifier (H3B and H4B respectively). The Marine Corps has a colored belt system similar to many Asian martial arts: tan belt, gray belt, green belt, brown belt and black belt.
"I would like to further my training in Jiujitsu and one day go to Level III," said Wood level II Combatives certified.
The Army and Marine Corps operate in an environment where conflict may change from low intensity to high intensity over a matter of hours. Marines and Soldiers are also engaged in military operations other than war, such as peacekeeping missions or noncombatant missions, where deadly force may not be authorized.
During noncombatant engagements, Soldiers and Marines must determine if a situation warrants applying deadly force. To make the right decision, they must understand both the lethal and nonlethal close combat techniques needed to handle the situation responsibly without escalating the violence unnecessarily.
Recently, the Air Force has had to make adjustments to its training methodology as well. The War on Terrorism has brought duties previously geographically separate from the enemy within dangerous proximity. The Air Force has adopted a hand-to-hand combat system similar to the Modern Army Combatives Program in 2008.
The Modern Army Combatives Program provides a very professional and closely dictated set of rules that allows Soldiers all over the Army a basis for skills competition.
The All Army Combatives Tournament is thought to be where the best MACP fighters from Army units all over the world gather together in friendly competition to determine who is, in fact, the best.
According to the Website,
www.moderncombatives.org, "Combatives, started in 2002 as a way to promote the efforts, training methods and techniques of the Modern Army Combatives Program as created by Matt Larsen."
Training in Combatives is physically demanding and at the same time, mentally demanding.
"It builds endurance also," said one Soldier in the 55th Signal Company said.
"Combatives is great way to physical fitness. Core building, cross training, and total body workouts are the latest rage in the fitness world. Combatives training by its nature builds a solid body and core while increasing real fighting skills," Leavitt said.
Combatives training is making a difference. "It is saving lives on the battlefield. However, there are other ways that Combatives makes a difference. For example, I have personally used it to help prepare Military Training Teams to 'go downrange'. Getting a group of senior NCOs and officers together for the first time and trying to get them working as a team can be a challenge, especially when you only have four weeks. Combatives proved to be a good 'ice breaker.' It got them talking and interacting quickly. It broke down the barriers and they immediately began to form bonds of trust. I watched this unfold over a period of a couple of hours, not days, in a Combatives class," Leavitt said. Sgt. 1st Class Stormy Graham, Fort Detrick's level 2 Instructor said, "The Soldiers like the Combatives training so much that we are trying to see if we can hold their training monthly instead of quarterly."
Graham said "hand-to-hand is traditional and Combatives is more relevant to today's Army." "It's a modern approach to take the enemy out."
Ellie