Photo By Spc. Nathan Goodall | Pvt. Daniel L. De Prado, a Miami native, now a Soldier with Command Security...... read more read more
BAUMHOLDER, Germany - “[Combatives presents] a way to help soldiers stay alive on the battlefield. That’s what it’s focused on,” said Spc. Brad H. Flowers, a Houston native, now a radio telephone operator with Command Security Detachment, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Soldiers with the 170th IBCT conducted level one Modern Army Combatives training for certification and mission readiness training here, Nov. 15-19.
Combatives is an Army program that takes the best portions of premium fighting styles from around the world and combines them into one form of mixed martial arts, said Sgt. 1st Class Dwayne L. Beckles, an Oceanside, Calif., native, now the brigade Modern Army Combatives master trainer with HHC, 170th IBCT.
“[It’s designed to] give soldiers a fighting style that will increase their ability to fight in the event that they lose their weapon, or they’re in a compromising situation where the use of a projectile weapon could potentially put civilians or fellow comrades at risk,” said Beckles.
Combatives can be used to detain, incapacitate, injure or kill an enemy combatant. The techniques taught through combatives gives Soldiers an edge in hand-to-hand combat, and the right tools they need to safely handle a situation where lethal force isn’t necessary, said Beckles.
“It allows soldiers to apply a controlled level of force. It gives them choices,” said Beckles.
Controlled force was one of two key learning points that Beckles wanted the soldiers to gain from the course.
“[I want the soldiers to] have confidence in their decision making skills, knowing the right level of aggression for the environment and situation, and to continue to train and strive to advance,” said Beckles.
Beckles emphasized these points to ensure that the soldiers understood how combatives could be used and the advantages of continuing to learn advanced combatives skills.
“They showed us videos of Ultimate Fighting Championship fights, and the kind of tactics and things we are taught actually work in real life,” said Pvt. Daniel O. Camacho, a Bakersfield, Calif., native, now a M240-B gunner with Command Security Detachment, HHC, 170th IBCT. “It’s not just something that you think might work on someone, it actually will.”
The course was physically demanding and soldiers were put to the test in the “full-contact” environment.
“When they have us roll around for 15 minutes straight, switching off between six different opponents, it gets pretty challenging,” said Camacho. “Everybody’s going 100% on you and everybody’s style is a little different, so you have to change your style up to match against theirs. You’re constantly trying to maneuver and defend, trying to beat them.”
Experienced, certified instructors constantly oversaw the course to ensure that the soldiers could properly execute combatives techniques.
“They showed you little things with their hands, with their movements, their body, that the manual doesn’t show,” said Camacho. “Having an instructor there, it made a world of difference.”
“It’s kind of like learning how to shoot a rifle,” said Beckles. “You can read about it all day long, but until you have a coach that knows what he’s talking about and teaches you the fundamentals hands-on, you’re gonna have bad habits. You’re gonna learn a bad technique and you’re gonna be frustrated and potentially get injured.”
Camacho recommended an instructed combatives course for whoever wants to pursue it.
“If they’re prepared for it and they really want to learn, then they should go for it,” said Camacho. “It’s easy to learn but it takes discipline to stay with it, and if they’re willing to work for it they can achieve it.”
“It’s very important for leaders to try to slot soldiers in each position for combatives,” said Beckles. “It goes right with our warrior ethos, being able to defend yourself, your battle buddy, doing the honorable thing; it all goes hand-in-hand. And I think that’s something that leaders and commanders can really pull from. It develops and reinforces warrior ethos. It’s not some guy teaching something out of his back yard. It’s doctrine. It’s combat proven technique.”
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2010 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 60483 |
| Location: | BAUMHOLDER, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 370 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Hands-on hand-to-hand combat training, by SPC Nathan Goodall, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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