Company F recruits display skills, earn MCMAP tan belts

Photo By Cpl. Crystal Druery | Company F recruits demonstrate a proper left fall March 28 while testing out for their tan belt aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. To graduate recruit training all recruits must achieve their tan belt, to do so they must be able to demonstrate any tan belt move if asked.  

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

03.28.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery 

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego     

SAN DIEGO - To earn the title ‘Marine’, a recruit must complete a variety of tests aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. One of the many tests at recruit training is earning the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program tan belt.

Recruits from Company F showed their drill instructors everything they retained from MCMAP training by demonstrating the entire tan belt syllabus during an evaluation March 28.

The recruits went through six stations, each with a different instructor to test them on tan belt techniques. The stations included upper and lower body strikes, counter strikes, chokes, counters to chokes and holds, knife techniques, bayonet techniques, armed and unarmed manipulation, and break falls and leg sweeps.

“This MCMAP training is their foundation,” said Sgt. Ryan-Michael Daffin, drill instructor, Company F, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. “No matter what situation you get in, you always resort back to the basics.”

Now in third phase, Company F recruits were required to perform the techniques when prompted with the name of each move.

“The moves are pretty easy to remember,” said Recruit Oziel Isael Camacho, Platoon 2134, Co. F, 2nd RTBn. “The names of the moves are pretty self-explanatory. Like break falls you just remember to break your fall with your arm.”

During first phase the recruits are put through a series of classes that teach them all of the tan belt moves. By second phase, they don’t focus as much on MCMAP and only touch on it occasionally. Prior to their third phase tan belt test, they remediate with a martial arts instructor trainer and their drill instructors.

Though tan belt is only the first belt of five it helps prepare the recruits if they are ever in a combat situation.

“I feel this is preparing me mentally for combat by giving me the confidence to know what to do if ever faced with hand to hand combat,” said Camacho. “Instead of being surprised, I’ll have a pretty good idea of what to do.”

Once they become Marines and get out of training, they will have the opportunity to advance in belts which will better help them prepare for what they encounter throughout their military careers.

• Date Taken: 03.28.2012
• Date Posted: 04.05.2012 18:10
• Story ID: 86333
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US