Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Bruce Cobbeldick | Marine Corps Sgt. Gary McCord (bottom, center) conducts a body throw on Air Force Tech...... read more read more
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KABUL, Afghanistan - In a ceremony Saturday, sailors, Marines and airmen at the International Security Assistance Force Headquarters here received their Marine Corps Martial Arts Program tan belts after undergoing a grueling three-week training program. The tan belt is the first level in the MCMAP training program.
A dozen warriors punched, kicked and threw each other around and toughened their bodies while not only earning tan belts but also the praise of Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Geary, deputy director for the intelligence directorate. He commended the service members for taking the initiative to hone their skills while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Marine Corps Sgt. Gary McCord, of Rome, Ga., ran the participants through rigorous early morning training, teaching offensive and defensive close combat skills that trained them to be more effective fighters on the battlefield.
McCord volunteered to conduct the training to instruct his brothers- and sisters-in-arms in Marine Corps hand-to-hand combat – critical skills for any service member in theater.
Even though participants included officers and enlisted, training went smoothly, according to McCord “I stayed professional with them and they stayed professional with me.”
“The main thing I am trying to offer is techniques for these service members to maintain their warrior-first ethos while they are out here. We’ve pushed each other to the limits out here and have conducted some good training, which I know is of benefit to these warriors,” McCord said.
It was not uncommon to leave the training day with bumps, scrapes and bruises and yet according to some of the trainees, they simply could not get enough. Practices could last hours, but no one complained. Seemingly the harder it got, the more these sailors, Marines and airmen got a kick out of it – sometimes, literally.
One of the trainees, Air Force Tech. Sgt. William Branham, said, “The course for tan belt has been a 28-hour course that has been very physically challenging but well worth it.”
Branham added the instruction began at 6 a.m. and ended just prior to 8 a.m., seven days a week.
During the ceremony, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Danny R. Morris congratulated the class on their hard work and commended them for completing the rigorous training to earn their tan belt.
Marine Lance Cpl. Ramsay Flores, from Puyallup, Wa., who serves as a driver for the strategic communications directorate, said, “I think this program is great because it shows the other services how we, as Marines, train. It also is a great way to pass the time and a morale booster. This martial arts training takes the mind off daily tasks and maybe even relieves a little stress.”
Navy Lt. j.g. Quenton Roehricht, from Rancho Santa Margariva, CA, said, “This truly is an invaluable program where all the branches can come out here and hone your skills and build self-discipline. It helps us all to be better either as officers or noncommissioned officers. It’s been a great experience to hone our skills and develop important techniques that are critical to the warrior-first ethos. The joint-training has been a very positive experience and it has allowed us all to work together shoulder to shoulder and realize that every day is an opportunity to get better and improve yourself.”
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2013 02:29 |
| Story ID: | 105575 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Hometown: | PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | ROME, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 203 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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