Courtesy Photo | Spc. Lashon Leonard (left), an infantryman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th...... read more read more
Subscribe
Story by Spc. William A. Joeckel
2AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C
BAGHDAD — Proving that friendly competition is a force that can push individuals to their limits, soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Company A, 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, engaged in a Modern Army Combatives tournament Aug. 1-4 at Camp Taji, Iraq.
The elimination tournament began on Aug. 1, as 2nd Platoon infantrymen fought a series of matches with their comrades in three weight classes — lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight.
“The battalion supported the event, and we have done this type of tournament before in our previous deployment [in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2008-2009],” said Staff Sgt. Joshua Geery, the platoon sergeant of 2nd Platoon and a Dickson, Tenn., native, one of the tournament’s organizers. “We set the conditions so that later on we can hold a company or battalion-level tournament.”
Before the fighting began, soldiers wrapped up their hands and donned gloves, head protection and shin guards. Ensuring soldiers’ safety was of the utmost importance, said Geery.
Those who competed in the tournament said they got ready for their contest by going to the gym after work.
“I prepared for the fight by sparring with my battle buddies, physical training and eating well,” said Spc. Lashon Leonard, an infantryman with 2nd Platoon and a Greenville, Ky., native, who won the competition’s heavyweight division.
Though there were punches thrown and blood spilled, the competing soldiers came together to test themselves amongst their peers in the spirit of honest competition without malicious intent.
“There is a lot of competitiveness in the platoon to make each other better,” Geery said. “[The event wasn’t held] to say ‘this guy beat that guy,’ but more along the lines of team building and [let soldiers] know that they have each other’s back.”
Leonard said the tournament allowed a latent competitive instinct in many of the soldiers to manifest itself in a controlled environment.
“A lot of the soldiers played sports before coming into the Army,” he said. “We have an athletic competitive drive, but there aren’t any hard feelings towards anyone in the platoon.”
Though all of the fights were well-matched, the heavyweight championship match was arguably the most hard-hitting and compelling. Leonard fought against Sgt. Andrew Northup, an infantryman and team leader with 2nd Platoon and a Bixby, Okla., native, in a match that could have gone either way.
Both fighters at times seemed to have the advantage, but gains by one soldier were quickly reversed by sudden bursts of strength from the other. Fatigue became a factor in the third and final round, and ultimately, the fight ended with Leonard as the victor and champion.
The soldiers of the 2nd Platoon were prepared for the fights in that they were recently given combatives level one training and certification.
“Based [on] the level that they knew, I was impressed with their ability to do everything that they were taught,” Geery said. “I couldn’t ask anything more of them. They all performed well above my expectations.”
After many of the matches, Geery would step in to to help some of the soldiers see their mistakes and how to correct them.
“During the fights, some of the soldiers were put into situations where they didn’t know what to do,” Geery said. “So after the match, we would show them what they could have done so they get and retain that information like in any after-action review that we do when coming off of a mission or any training event.”
The tournament showed the importance of staying active and pushing oneself to overcome challenges, and Vanguard Battalion soldiers are continuing to use their free time to take that extra step to better themselves and each other.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.13.2011 01:41 |
| Story ID: | 75286 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ‘Vanguard’ Battalion soldiers challenge selves, comrades with combatives competition, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
