Photo By Staff Sgt. Jaime Avila | U.S. Army Reserve and Canadian military police stretch prior to an unarmed...... read more read more
MCGREGOR RANGE COMPLEX, N.M. – If someone was running toward you with the intention of hurting you, would you know how to react?
Defending yourself from an attacker is not always an easy thing to do, but with the proper training and practice, defense is possible.
For U.S. Army Reserve and Canadian Forces military police participating in Exercise Guardian Justice at McGregor Range Complex, N.M., the opportunity to learn techniques to help defend themselves came by way of a two-day unarmed self-defense class July 19-20, 2013.
The 200th Military Police Command conducts Exercise Guardian Justice, with oversight provided by the 11th MP Brigade this year. The exercise provides training on the handling of detainees and Prisoners of war, which is historically a military police task.
“Today we’re instructing the unarmed self-defense techniques,” said Sgt. Erin B. C. Johnson, a Chicago native and USD instructor with the 822nd MP Company from Arlington Heights, Ill. “We went over specific techniques for soldiers to use when there comes a need for them to defend themselves in any kind of situation when it comes to detainee operations.”
The training emphasizes the importance of safety and avoiding injury to MPs and detainees – with the focus not on fighting but on avoiding physical altercations.
“Some of the techniques we go into would be movements on how to get away from a detainee,” said Johnson.
With unarmed self-defense, you’re never actually striking or physically hurting the detainee, you’re trying to get away from the physical situation, she added.
Because MPs are responsible for the well being of detainees they watch over in detainee facilities, participants were constantly reminded their job is not to hurt detainees, but to make them comply with orders.
“Some of the stuff we teach are pressure points which are very effective,” said Staff Sgt. Kyu Hwang Huh, a Vernon Hills, Ill., native and USD noncommissioned officer in charge with the 822nd MP Company.
“By applying these joint locks and pressure points, we’re able to make the detainee become compliant without having the situation get out of hand, and at the same time without causing bodily harm to the guard or the detainees,” he added.
The training not only serves as a physically defensive tool the MPs can use out in the field, but as a mental tool that prepares them with the knowledge to defend themselves.
“It prepares the soldiers mentally because this way they know some techniques that will help take down a detainee and protect themselves,” said Sgt. Edier F. Hurtado, a Miami native and USD instructor with the 724th MP Battalion out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “It gives you that positive mentality that you will be able to deal with any situation.”
Instructors provide the MPs with a set of techniques they can practice and use if necessary.
“The training is basically so that if we’re getting attacked by a detainee, we’ll know how to protect ourselves, distance ourselves and get help,” said Spc. Juan Trevizo, a Kerrville, Texas, native and MP with the 83rd MP Company out of El Paso, Texas. “I think it’s really good training so far. It could be really useful if you practice it. If you go home and do not practice, you’re going to forget it. If you practice it and something does happen, it will be second nature and you will use the techniques.”
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.24.2013 21:37 |
| Story ID: | 110757 |
| Location: | MCGREGOR RANGE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Hometown: | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | KERRVILLE, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | MIAMI, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | VERNON HILLS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 330 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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