Battle for Confidence

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Jake Lundberg Headqaurters and Headquarters Company, 82nd Airborne Divison, helps Pvt. Robert Williams of 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regimine, gear up for battles against students of the Modern Unarmed Combatives Class Mar 09.  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

03.11.2006

Courtesy Story

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FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Why would a paratrooper volunteer to get punched and beat up for a week? The answer is simple: one day it could save his life.

The hand-to-hand combat techniques taught at Modern Army Combatives classes teach paratroopers to defend themselves in life-or-death situations where they might not have direct access to their weapons, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Rezentes the Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge of Combatives for the 82nd Airborne Division's Operations Section.

The 82nd held a MAC level one class March 6th- March 10th at the Ritz-Epps Gym. The class was made up of 40 Paratroopers from throughout the Division. There are four different levels of MAC.

Inside the humid gym where the class took place, the students took turns squaring off against each other on the blue and red wrestling mats. During one match, an instructor with boxing gloves on swung a punch at the student he was competing against.

"Put you're guard up," Rezentes yelled from the sidelines.

The student immediately threw his fists up in front of his face to block an incoming blow. In the background, the other students, dripping with sweat and out of breath from their own matches, cheered on their fellow classmate and shouted out moves for him to use that could help him win the match.

In a combat situation MAC is an important skill to know because sometimes paratroopers" Rules of Engagement do not always offer them the chance to shoot first, said Rezentes.

"In the case of clearing a room, if a Paratrooper has a weapon malfunction, does he really want to take a knee in the door and (fix the malfunction)?" asked Rezentes. "No, he'll want to drive forward and engage the enemy with whatever means available. In a case like this, it could be hand- to- hand combat."

"I thought that learning MAC would be a good skill to have," said Spc. Chris T. Stallings 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. "It's good to know how to defend yourself without a weapon."

With the intensity of the class and the constant moving around, MAC provides a great work out for the Paratroopers, said Rezentes.

"If someone were to ask any one of the Paratroopers going through the class right now, they would probably tell them that they've been more smoked than they get when running on Ardennes Street," said Rezentes.

"The class has taught me how to keep going even when I'm physically exhausted," said Pfc. Brendan T. Quisenberry, 2-508th PIR Learning how to defend themselves with MAC will naturally build up the Paratroopers" confidence, said Rezentes.

"You should see the transformation of the paratroopers from the beginning of the week to the end," said Rezentes, "They walk out of here on the last day with a puffed up chest, it's a great sense of accomplishment."

In addition to attending MAC classes, any paratrooper can compete in the All American Combative Tournament during All American Week. The schedule for the Tournament will be put out at a later date.

For more information on MAC classes and MAC schedules you may contact the Division G-3 go to www.allamericanet.bragg.army.mil (G-3 section).

• Date Taken: 03.11.2006
• Date Posted: 03.11.2006 11:39
• Story ID: 5678
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US