Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tina Eichenour | Modern Army Combatives Program Level 1 instructors and students pose for a class photo...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - As voices echo out chanting ‘fear none, destroy all’ from a tent called the ‘fight house’ on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, a passer-by would wonder what was happening inside.
For the soldiers, who enter the fight house quickly find out on the first day of Modern Army Combatives Program Level 1, this is not like other fight clubs. The program is designed to build fighting skills for close-combat enemy engagement.
“MACP is not about beating soldiers up, contrary to some misguided beliefs. It's about the soldier having the intestinal fortitude to close the distance and impose their will upon the enemy combatant,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher M. Kidwell, the lead instructor.
MACP instructors from the 47th Transportation Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, are hosting the program for the entire 38th Sustainment Brigade every two weeks until the unit re-deploys back to Texas late this summer.
Kidwell, from Dallas, has instructed more than 30 MACP classes since 2005. During his time as an instructor, he has also fought in five fights at Fort Hood, representing 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. With Kidwell’s skills and experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge to students in the MACP classes that he is instructing for the brigade.
“The instructors will talk and walk the students though until the instructors and students are confident that they are familiar with the drill or movement being instructed,” said Kidwell. “The students will then practice the drill until the instructor is satisfied that each and every student is conducting the drill safely and correctly.”
Staff Sgt. Frank ‘Ricky’ Rodriguez, instructor from Binghamton, N.Y., has been in two combatives tournaments at Fort Bliss, Texas, and the All Army Combatives Tournament. Rodriguez, who has been instructing since 2009, explained they take a step-by-step instructing approach so “students gain the knowledge of basics of defense and offense on the ground.”
“We make sure to review over and over until they can effectively teach us back the techniques,” said Rodriguez. “Also there are drills they perform to engrain the technique in their heads.”
Students go through various movements, techniques and drills during the 40-hour MACP course. The instructors provide the in-person instruction and visual handouts giving the students the ability to pass an evaluation on the last day of the course.
“I would like the students to have achieved a since of new found confidence,” said Kidwell. “Some soldiers may have never been in a fight in their life. If, god forbid, they had to engage any enemy combatant in close quarters, they have the tools and know-how to get the job done.”
| Date Taken: | 04.15.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2013 06:03 |
| Story ID: | 105191 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Hometown: | BINGHAMTON, NY, US |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 360 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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