thedrifter
01-29-09, 07:32 AM
APS Marines hone martial arts skills
1/26/2009 By Sgt. Elsa M. Portillo , Marine Forces Africa
ABOARD THE USS NASHVILLE (LPD 13) — The sounds of grunting and the stench of sweat permeates the air in the USS Nashville (LPD 13) well deck most afternoons. The Marines aboard are staying fit and keeping their mission of training host nation security forces in the forefront by regularly participating in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP).
The Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG) Marines will receive a two-fold benefit from their MCMAP training while on ship. They will maintain a fresh understanding of the techniques they will be passing on to the Africa Partnership Station 2009 host nations, and they will also have the opportunity to advance up the belt system.
“I think it’s great that we’re going to be teaching this skill,” said Cpl. Thomas Sahagun, advisor, MCTAG. “People look to us Marines as the forefront in technology or the evolution of the battlefield, so teaching other people Marine Corps martial arts is really great. I think it will give them a boost in confidence, a different way other than using guns or other weapons to deter a riot since that’s what they do a lot of is riot control.”
Giving Marines another weapon is exactly what MCMAP does. It gives Marines an option when reacting to a situation and not just an absolute response involving deadly force.
“I think it brought back more of a warrior ethos to the Marine Corps,” said Cpl. Peter S. Garcia, advisor, MCTAG. “Granted, line training was pretty much go and take out the enemy, but MCMAP also shows Marines the escalation of force, not necessarily to just seek out and destroy but to use that escalation of force for anything not just combat.”
The flexibility of the techniques used makes this program an asset in a variety of situations and builds a sense of confidence in the process.
“I’ve noticed it’s brought confidence to a lot of Marines,” said Garcia, a Dayton, Ohio native. “They see some of the more difficult techniques, like ground fighting. A lot of Marines aren’t used to going to the ground unless they were wrestlers, so you see that confidence. You see that strength coming from the individual as they progress through MCMAP.”
Mental and ethical conditioning are just two parts of the MCMAP equation. The third is physical. It adds to the overall conditioning of a Marine in conjunction with their regular physical fitness and water survival training, said Sgt. Alvin F. McLean, advisor and MCMAP instructor, MCTAG.
“You don’t have combat on a PT (Physical Training) field,” he said. “You have it in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan; therefore, you as a warrior have to be able to fight in any circumstance. Therefore, the water survival, PT and combat conditioning make you a more well-rounded warrior.”
Being able to work through difficult situations, whether it be mentally, physically or morally, is a necessity. The martial arts program hits all these areas in order to better prepare Marines for any situation, Garcia said.
“There’s that instinct in combat,” he said. “You are not just kicking down doors and shooting everything you see. You have to be able to flip back between the conscious and subconscious.”
This split-second decision making is critical during an altercation, whether it be during combat or not. Therefore, McLean is hoping to share these skills with his shipmates as well as take away some valuable lessons of his own.
“One of the missions for APS is to instruct foreign military on MCMAP,” said McLean, a Nanakuli, Hawaii native. “However, while aboard ship, I may have time to teach some of the Navy here. Learning how to teach students without any knowledge of MCMAP will provide me with experience I can take to the foreign nations.”
It may have been an additional learning tool for McLean, but it was also just good, plain fun training for one particular Sailor.
“It was interesting, fun and challenging,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Angel R. Ferro, hospital corpsman, USS Nashville. “I liked the forward shoulder roll the best. I am going to follow up and do it again.”
The Marines aboard Nashville are taking part in Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2009. Nashville is serving as the flagship for APS 2009, an international initiative designed to foster enhanced maritime safety and security in west and central Africa.
Ellie
1/26/2009 By Sgt. Elsa M. Portillo , Marine Forces Africa
ABOARD THE USS NASHVILLE (LPD 13) — The sounds of grunting and the stench of sweat permeates the air in the USS Nashville (LPD 13) well deck most afternoons. The Marines aboard are staying fit and keeping their mission of training host nation security forces in the forefront by regularly participating in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP).
The Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG) Marines will receive a two-fold benefit from their MCMAP training while on ship. They will maintain a fresh understanding of the techniques they will be passing on to the Africa Partnership Station 2009 host nations, and they will also have the opportunity to advance up the belt system.
“I think it’s great that we’re going to be teaching this skill,” said Cpl. Thomas Sahagun, advisor, MCTAG. “People look to us Marines as the forefront in technology or the evolution of the battlefield, so teaching other people Marine Corps martial arts is really great. I think it will give them a boost in confidence, a different way other than using guns or other weapons to deter a riot since that’s what they do a lot of is riot control.”
Giving Marines another weapon is exactly what MCMAP does. It gives Marines an option when reacting to a situation and not just an absolute response involving deadly force.
“I think it brought back more of a warrior ethos to the Marine Corps,” said Cpl. Peter S. Garcia, advisor, MCTAG. “Granted, line training was pretty much go and take out the enemy, but MCMAP also shows Marines the escalation of force, not necessarily to just seek out and destroy but to use that escalation of force for anything not just combat.”
The flexibility of the techniques used makes this program an asset in a variety of situations and builds a sense of confidence in the process.
“I’ve noticed it’s brought confidence to a lot of Marines,” said Garcia, a Dayton, Ohio native. “They see some of the more difficult techniques, like ground fighting. A lot of Marines aren’t used to going to the ground unless they were wrestlers, so you see that confidence. You see that strength coming from the individual as they progress through MCMAP.”
Mental and ethical conditioning are just two parts of the MCMAP equation. The third is physical. It adds to the overall conditioning of a Marine in conjunction with their regular physical fitness and water survival training, said Sgt. Alvin F. McLean, advisor and MCMAP instructor, MCTAG.
“You don’t have combat on a PT (Physical Training) field,” he said. “You have it in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan; therefore, you as a warrior have to be able to fight in any circumstance. Therefore, the water survival, PT and combat conditioning make you a more well-rounded warrior.”
Being able to work through difficult situations, whether it be mentally, physically or morally, is a necessity. The martial arts program hits all these areas in order to better prepare Marines for any situation, Garcia said.
“There’s that instinct in combat,” he said. “You are not just kicking down doors and shooting everything you see. You have to be able to flip back between the conscious and subconscious.”
This split-second decision making is critical during an altercation, whether it be during combat or not. Therefore, McLean is hoping to share these skills with his shipmates as well as take away some valuable lessons of his own.
“One of the missions for APS is to instruct foreign military on MCMAP,” said McLean, a Nanakuli, Hawaii native. “However, while aboard ship, I may have time to teach some of the Navy here. Learning how to teach students without any knowledge of MCMAP will provide me with experience I can take to the foreign nations.”
It may have been an additional learning tool for McLean, but it was also just good, plain fun training for one particular Sailor.
“It was interesting, fun and challenging,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Angel R. Ferro, hospital corpsman, USS Nashville. “I liked the forward shoulder roll the best. I am going to follow up and do it again.”
The Marines aboard Nashville are taking part in Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2009. Nashville is serving as the flagship for APS 2009, an international initiative designed to foster enhanced maritime safety and security in west and central Africa.
Ellie