Female soldiers in Kuwait say enough is enough

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Kimberly Cooper | Pfc. Tracee Godfrey, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, practices escaping from a choke hold, Sgt. 1st Class Paula Henderson, 1st TSC, uses as the fake assailant during a self defense class at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait June 8.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

06.14.2011

Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Cooper 

1st Theater Sustainment Command

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Women across Camp Arifjan, Kuwait have chosen to fight back against sexual assault. During a three-day self defense class a small group of women learned valuable techniques to defend themselves against any “would be” assailant.

The 197th Fires Brigade, a N.H. based National Guard unit, offered two experts in the field of self defense to lead the class. Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Emery has an extensive background with skills in Jujitsu and combatives along with experience gained from being a former police and corrections officer. Staff Sgt. Anthony Damata also has a deep back ground in martial arts ranging from RyuKyu Kempo, Taekwondo and multiple levels of Jujitsu. With their combined level of expertise, they were able to give approximately one month’s worth of hands-on applicable defense knowledge in just three days.

Day one of instruction included three different escape techniques to include, the bear hug escape, the choke defense and escape and the wristlock defense and escape.“Our primary objective is not to teach you how to beat them up, but to escape,” Emery said as he and Damata went through a series of demonstrations before letting the women practice on one another. While they guided the women and corrected their movements to ensure maximum success with their new skills, they continued to throw pieces of knowledge at the women.

“Predators chose their prey carefully. They target the weak, the ones not paying attention,” Emery states as Damata walked up behind one of the women clearly deep in thought about the words they had just spoken and attacked her by throwing his elbow around her neck just to drive the point home. The woman instinctively began to use the techniques she had just been taught to break free from her attacker, but Damata kept coming back. “If you decide to fight back, then commit 100 percent to fighting back. Don’t half step it,” Emery barks out as she continues her struggle until she is victorious.

Just like the first day of instruction, both instructors worked like a well oiled machine, one barking out bits of information while the other was on the prowl in search for his next victim. Today however, one of them used a protective pad since they were teaching the women how to cause the assailant enough pain they would let go and allow them time to escape. Basic strikes, pressure points and pain compliance were the focus for day two of instruction. “One thing I want you all to remember,” Damata said to the group of women. “Don’t stop hitting them until they let you go. If the first thing you try doesn’t work hit him again and again and again until he lets you go.” While the women practiced kicking Emery in the knee and groin area, onlookers could tell they were remembering Damata’s words. They indeed kept kicking and striking until Emery, the day’s attacker, let them go.

On the final day, the women were able to put all the skills they learned together. Emery came ready to act as the assailant in full protective gear. While both instructors were still offering words of encouragement and correcting the actions of the women, their primary focus was to get them to react instinctively without much help. “I have to remember to head butt,” Spc. Dawn Waites, a Manchester, N.H., native with the 372nd Signal Company, 197th FiB, said after one of her rounds with Emery. “I don’t like to use that technique, because I don’t want to hurt myself and cause myself any pain. It seems more like a street brawl or a man’s fight, but now I realize it’s effective.”

“You have to remember that this is a fight,” Emery pointed out. “Yeah, you might hurt yourself but would you rather hurt yourself by protecting yourself, or end up in the emergency room as a victim?” By the conclusion of the class the women were more than confident in their new found skill set even if the thought of being a possible victim is still a scary one. “In case something ever happened here (in Kuwait) or at home, I would now be confident enough to get out of it,” Spc. Arielle Camire from Rye, N.H., with 372nd Signal Company, 197th FiB, told Emery and Damata at the conclusion of the class. “My confidence has gone up a great deal with all the skills you gave us. I feel very confident.”

Tips: Reduce Your Risk of Becoming a Victim
• Make eye contact it makes people uncomfortable.
• Look straight ahead when walking not at the ground it makes you seem vulnerable.
• Look for lighting and notice if the lighting situation has changed from previous times.
• Don’t walk and talk on the cell phone or have both headphones in or on your ear.
• Stay in well lit, well populated areas.
• Vary your routine don’t become complacent.
• Pay attention to lurkers hanging out in areas they are not normally at.
• Your gut will tell you if something is not right. Listen to it.
To sign up for a self defense class or for more information on class dates contact Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Emery at DSN: 430-6395 or via email at [e-mail].

• Date Taken: 06.14.2011
• Date Posted: 06.14.2011 09:24
• Story ID: 72055
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW