Soldier’s hobby leads to combatives success

Photo By Vincent Abril | Pfc. Clayton Quinalty, a wheeled vehicle mechanic, assigned to Headquarters Support Company, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and native of Fort Smith, Ark., receives his medal from Sgt. 1st Class Luis Romero, an aircraft components repair supervisor and master combatives instructor, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, from Washington Heights, N.Y., for winning second place in the middleweight class during the 2nd CAB combative tournament Feb. 6, 2014, in the Community Fitness Center on Camp Humphreys.  

CAMP HUMPHREYS, SOUTH KOREA

02.07.2014

Story by Sgt. Nicole Hall 

2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - When it comes to practicing or training in martial arts, some soldiers find passion in it.

Pfc. Clayton Quinalty, a wheeled vehicle mechanic, assigned to Headquarters Support Company, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and a native of Fort Smith, Ark., is a martial arts enthusiast who competed in the 2nd CAB tournament Feb. 5-6 at the Community Fitness Center at Camp Humphreys.

“My love for practicing jiujitsu, opened my eyes to combatives,” Quinalty said.

Quinalty began practicing jiujitsu while he was in college, prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army. Having a martial arts background helped him greatly, because he was already aware of some hand-to-hand fighting techniques.

Early on in his tour to Korea, Quinalty started attending jiujitsu classes where he would meet the person who helped him explore his interest in Modern Army Combatives. Combatives is a tool that the United States Army created in 1995 to train leaders and soldiers how to defeat the enemy in close quarter, hand-to-hand combat.

“I’ve known Quinalty for a year and a half, and although he doesn’t know everything yet, he is an outstanding grappler for his level of certification,” said Sgt. 1st Class Luis Romero, an aircraft components repair supervisor and master combatives instructor, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd CAB, 2nd ID, and native of Washington Heights, N.Y.

When Quinalty is not teaching a combatives class as a level one instructor, he practices to compete in both combatives and jiujitsu tournaments.

Quinalty’s potential has shined through on many occasions; he has placed high in multiple tournaments throughout Korea during his 16 months in country.

“I definitely would have to say that Sgt. 1st Class Romero is one of my mentors,” said Quinalty. “He has helped push me to become a better fighter. He also inspires me to want to compete and always bring my ‘A’ game.”

Quinalty also credits Spc. Michael Torres, native of Houston, signal support systems specialist and certified level 3 combative instructor, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd CAB for the positive influence he has had on him since arriving in Korea.

Soldiers that win the 2nd CAB tournament, can advance to the 2nd ID, then 8th United States Army and finally the All Army tournaments in Fort Hood, Texas. Quinalty placed second in the men’s middleweight class during the 2nd CAB tournament and will be advancing to the 2nd ID tournament in March.

“I’m OK with the way the tournament turned out," said Quinalty. “Someone had to win and today my opponent was the better fighter. I am going to work on strengthening my leg technique for the 2nd ID tournament.”

In the near future, Quinalty plans to become certified in level three combatives and continue to teach other soldiers to fight.

“My goal is to continue learning combatives and ultimately make teaching my main job in the Army,” he said.

• Date Taken: 02.07.2014
• Date Posted: 02.20.2014 21:41
• Story ID: 120932
• Location: CAMP HUMPHREYS, KR
• Hometown: FORT SMITH, AR, US
• Hometown: HOUSTON, TX, US
• Hometown: WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY, US