Physical Training
Training
Combatives
For you personally, you can never have too many tools for your toolbag, so I commend you on actively training.
My question would be, do you feel it would be a practical replacement in a 11 week or less certification system?<-(probably less with how we are structured). Do you have a program outline I could look at?
I have only heard rumors as to what the Army plans to do if it does scrap the current program. From what my Level 3 instructors have told me, they are going to a basic set of 16 core moves that every Soldier is supposed to learn. I can only laugh when I think of what those are going to be. REGARDLESS, the people who hate the current program are the ones that are scared, plain and simple.
I do believe that some people try to become MMA fighters, and that is not the purpose of the program. At Fort Hood's fight house, there are a group(of great guys first of all) that work there and that is all that they do...train for amateur MMA fights and teach basic combatives.
I'm a huge fan of the program, but it's probably because I'm combat arms and I'm sort of wired that way. The Support and Service Support MOS's are the ones that hate it(for the most part), because they didn't sign up for the Army to actually do the fighting.
As far as Leaders being "down" on the program. This is a whole other discussion. You want to lead Soldiers but pick and choose which programs you support???? I almost got into a fist fight at WLC because this supply SGT told me he didn't need to learn or be able to teach his Soldiers Land Navigation because he's supply and that's not his job. So if someone doesn't support the SHARP program can they just choose not to enforce it? C'MON MAN!
Be a damn leader and stop being an individual letting your personal opinions influence how you train and lead Soldiers. I'm really getting worried about the state of our branch.
I tend to agree with the train of thought that MACP is too focused on the "Sporting" aspect of MMA. I have routinely seen Soldiers in some areas attend Lvl I training, cop an attitude with a local in Hawaii, and the next thing that happens is the leadership visits them in the Hospital.
We need to get back to the mentality that Hand to Hand combat is to kill or be killed. If an enemy gets me in the mount, I am not going to try and "shrimp" my way out of it, I will pull out my knife, and stick the pointy end into the other guy until he's done.
I agree with you SFC Brummett. All soldiers should be at least Level 1 certified. I feel it is an important aspect in the Army.Yes, there are injuries that occur with combatives. However, the lessons that the classes teaches us is great. Not only technique for fighting, but the discipline we learn from it.
I am level 2 at the moment. Been trying to get Level 3 for a long time.
Of the documented cases, some were just the immediate hand to hand action to create space to employ the primary weapon system! Some was weapons retention... These are cornerstones of combatives and is a big difference between "MMA" and MACP.
Benefits of the system are not measurable. The SME's are able to provide Tactical training that is both relevant and aligns with the commanders METL. Think of MP's, can they employ weapons while working the road on a military installation. Sure they can, but combatives is a way to give them more tools for there toolbag, to give them options other than shoot. Everyone likes to say use OC or the X26, but when your taken off your feet and you've never been on your butt you may panic and use the next level force... Think medics doing AVPU and the patient panicking, you must be able to gain positive control of the patient to prevent injury to yourself and possibly the patient. Again, the list can go on and on. Im not saying everyone is doing the right thing, but there is more to combatives than MMA, Competitions and Certification....
This is where the SME's come into play. They need to be out there engaging units to tell them "hey, I am so n so, here is what I can do for you". On the other side of that coin, leaders need to engage the SME's with what kind of training they think would help facilitate there mission.
You do bring a good point, we as an Army lack people with the motivation to get out there and do this. It takes some brainstorming to come up with ideas of "how do I make this training relevant to this unit?" What situations and circumstances have to be met for a 92A to do combatives? That takes a good leader to read the METL, engage a combatives SME and ask them "here are the tasks I have, what can you do for me?"
***(I personally think we as SME's should be approaching you, but in the absence of initiative, you as the leader must take charge)
It is after all the Army's program, and it will only be as good as you want or allow it to be. SFC Jackson is the POC at 25th last time I checked, you should contact him and ask him "what can you do for me!"
Again, a patient who is confused and in a panic is not gonna be taken down. That is the absolute last resort. There are laws against this. You can be charged with battery. I could lose my nursing license, etc.
To retrain a patient either physically or chemically is a very big deal. For me to say in any official statement that I utlized my Army Combatives Skills to take down the patient is going end up being a bad day for me.
(posted again because Im having trouble editing)
Again, a patient who is confused and in a panic is not gonna be taken down. That is the absolute last resort. There are laws against this. You can be charged with battery. I could lose my nursing license, etc.
To restrain a patient either physically or chemically is a very big deal. For me to say in any official statement that I utlized my Army Combatives Skills to take down the patient is going end up being a bad day for me.
Also we do PMDB training every Friday. It's a pretty big deal.
All I will say is maybe you can bring in a LVL IV SME so he can see you operate and offer any advice and or resources to help you facilitate YOUR training.
The bottom line is we are all one force, with one common goal being to be the very best at what we do.
The purpose of the MACP program is to give a Soldier a basic fight plan. No plan and your dead or worse yet your battle is dead because you failed to act. It is to instill the warrior spirit and confidence in a Soldier. I don't care if you have a 300 PT score and are an expert at the range. If you dont have the willingness to close with and destroy the enemy, your no good to me and all those numbers mean nothing.
SSG/P
Have you gone through at least lev 1 or lev 2 training? I was a MACP instructor. I never failed to motivate or impress the importance of this training on any sceptical Soldier. There is literally a practical application for all areas of your life.
I do see how the MACP program can be misrepresented by some instructors. I am sorry if that was your experience. I ask you to look at the purpose of the program. Analyze the fundamental value it has with some critical thinking. There is no better way to learn about what kind of man you are than to challenge another man in a combatives setting. You learn very quickly that a real fight requires a real plan, some basic knowledge.
(R)MSG March
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