MCMAP Training/Advancement

[Sgt Leprechaun]

"There I was, in a heavy firefight, running low on ammo, when my squad leader kicked down the door to the room and yelled...

GET OFF THE DAMN PLAYSTATION AND DOWN TO THE MOTOR POOL!"

[commdog7]

It is not mandatory to advance in belts but nobody is going to stop you either if you really want to progress in your training. You might not be able to do it during working hours but nothing says that you can't take initiative and find an instructor who is willing to do an hour a day during your lunch break or even after you're cut loose for the day. I earned two of my belts while working 18+ hours a day in Iraq so the opportunities are there for you if you make time.

This statement is not 100% true. Since I made it to the fleet, I have the determination to upgrade my belt. The reason I am still a tan is because everywhere I go, my command tells me I am not allowed to do MCMAP. No I'm not injuried and no I'm not in any trouble, the only reason the I am not allowed to train for a higher belt is because of where I am stationed. When I was in Iraq, it was a Group order that none of us could practice MCMAP. I guess too many Marine had been injuried, and therefore it was banned. Shortly after returning, I found myself in Africa and later Cuba. Both of these places ban MCMAP, I know, I have asked repeatedly. I would love for the opportunity to upgrade, but no matter how bad I want it, it is ultimately my commands' decision.

It all depends on where you are stationed and what your command says about it.

[0231Marine]

That's weird because as recently as August when I was in Iraq as a contractor, the Marines I was stationed with were doing MCMAP. And a good friend of mine earned his brown and black belts while stationed at Gitmo last year.

It seems to me that if your command is telling you no, then there is some other reason for it. The Marine Corps is not going to ban MCMAP on certain bases because it's to dangerous when they are trying to get everyone to qual and upgrade their belts. That just doesn't make sense at all. I'm still under the belief that if you can find someone to instruct you, then do it. It's stupid to ban (which I don't think is the case) MCMAP because someone might get hurt. That's like saying, "well the O-Course is banned because someone might fall off of that rope."

I'd ask to see the order about MCMAP being banned on your base and if they can't produce one, tell them to shove it.

[slider1578]

I'm going to have to agree with commdog. My unit back in 06 wouldn't let us do MCMAP and some other things because they didn't want us getting hurt and removed from the program before we got our security clearances and moved off to the next duty. Now they reversed that and we do it all the time. Kind of weird but I'm happy we do it now.

[Box kicker 101]

Yeah im out in Iraq right now and there pushing everyone to upgrade now cause once we get back to the rear the tempo of everything is going to moving faster (like usuall) and there will be no time which is during working hours..............me personally ive gotten my belts after "working hours" if theres an instructor around and if there willing to work with you usually they can be flexible with hours just keep a log of your trainer hours and you can even jump around to different trainers

[Hbomb]

If you google Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) there is most of the info you were asking about. Hours of training per belt, hours of sustainment training required between belts, secondary MOS, ect....
MCMAP MAI(tan tab)(Martial Arts Instructor) courses are taught at the Reg schools level. 3 weeks long, formal school & learn to be an instructor of the MCMAP to marines in Bn, company, plt, ect....
MCMAP MAIT(red tab)(Martial Arts Instructor Trainer) courses are taught at the MACE(Martial Arts Center of Excellence in Quantico. 7 weeks long, formal school & learn to be an instructor of MAI's at Div/Reg schools or Bn, company, ect....

CMC has set criteria for combat arms MOS's and all others as far as advancement goes. Look on the Google.....

Any MOS can be green, brown, black.... there are waivers for everything. case in point: Two cpl's in my black MAI course 5 yrs ago.....

If you dont know, dont spout off.

[Achped]

Wow, someone fibbed to you. The way to advance is to take a class for the next higher level and at the end of the class take a prac app test. It will depend on how much work your unit has to accomplish and whether of not it is pertinent to your personal training. I.E. will it help you in your specific MOS.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the MOS part. Grunts are usually tan/grey, and the POGs at the CLB or CLR level are black belt instructors.

It doesnt have to do with MOS, it has to do with, as you said, "how much work your unit has to accomplish", and grunts definitely dont have time to do MCMAP, not only that but its pretty much BS anyways. You try doing a counter to the round kick in full PPE with a rifle slung around your body...aint gonna happen.

[Petz]

they have made it official, MCMAP is required for advancement... check with your admin shop to get the specifics.

EDIT: as you were... your S-2

[themostwanted1]

What HBomb said was completely correct. My PLT Chief right now instructed at MACE for 2 years. Hes got 3 reds tabs on his belt. Hes a bad bad man. That being said, there are a few things I would like to clear up.

If you are an NCO, you need to be at least a green belt. That is MCO.
If you are an 03, you need to be at least a green belt, regardless of rank. That is also MCO.

Any Marine of a higher belt can instruct MCMAP. Being an instructor just allows you to test out a Marine for a particular belt. So if you have a willing Marine of a higher belt who is locked on about MCMAP, get him to school you up PROPERLY. Then find an instructor to test you out.

[Achped]

Are you serious? When did this happen? I know SNCOs who've been in for 14 years that are tan belts, before we deployed my entire battalion short of just a few Marines were tan belts. We all got promoted. There has to be a loophole or its not strictly enforced.

[Achped]

0231 Marine, its true. We were not allowed to do MCMAP for a few months because the number of MCMAP injuries was getting too numerous. I heard this straight from the MO's mouth.

[0231Marine]

Not calling you a liar, just passing on my experience. I just know what was passed down from the CMC and if your unit doesn't want to comply, then that's on them. Either way, just wanted you to know I wasn't try to dispute the claim.

[Petz]

there is a drop dead date for this MCO to be in effect... I think it's some time this year.

it's intended to allow ample time to get to where you need to be... cause think of the upward progression stoppages because of not having the right belt.

and my understanding is that SNCOs will be required brown at a min. and any higher will be used to set them apart from their peers towards promotion... similar to awards.

[PaidinBlood]

The whole thing got out of hand maybe...somebodys pet project (MCMAP) got out of hand and nobody was paying enough attention to it so they pulled down their pants and showed us who's boss. I (TAN BELT KILL) will not attempt to discredit the whole MCMAP system because I just haven't seen too much of it. I'm just saying why wait 10 years and then all of a sudden require all kinds of mandatory voluntary participation? It is what it is. I wish we'd had time for more hand to hand/martial arts stuff, but mandatory McSlap isn't the answer. How about T3 and what not? Train up the leaders and turn them loose on their minions. Let a couple hard chargers from every company go off to school and get hazed then bring it home. Once again, formal documentation gone totally apeshi t. And the colored belt system? Totally un-Marine. Next will be 550 bootlaces auth. for 1st class CFT'rs. Let the Army have all the codes badges ribbons and traditional hoo-yahs. let Marines do their jobs...

[commdog7]

I heard something about MCMAP being mandatory for promotions a few years ago. What p!sses me off is that everywhere I go, they won't let us do MCMAP because we might get "hurt". The short time that I was in the rear, we didn't have MCMAP classes going. When I was in Iraq, MCMAP was forbidden (group order)- the same with the MSG program. I have continuously asked to do MCMAP, but my command has always said 'no', and now that it's a requirement... I think it is BS. I am still a tan belt. I am not happy that this will prevent me from picking-up.