Photo By James Smith | Sgt. Samuel Isensee, a data network specialist with 8th Communication Battalion, II...... read more read more
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JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - The first stage of the course took the Marines through classes on everything from teaching techniques and anatomy, to how to look out for Marines’ personal well-being. Follow on training immersed the Marines in strenuous physical training and sparing events, where the Marines learned to distinguish themselves from their future students.
Fifteen Marines pushed themselves through a grueling Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor course conducted by 8th Communication Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 15 through Oct. 3.
The three-week-long course included intense physical endurance exercises and trained the Marines to become proficient in MCMAP techniques and principles. Above all, the course prepared the students to lead their own classes as instructors infused with the Marine Corps’ warfighter tradition.
“Martial arts instructor course is designed to be a leadership course through the teaching of martial arts, directly centered around a combat mindset,” said Sgt. Kevin Pelzel, a martial arts instructor trainer with the battalion. “We do this using the three synergies of MCMAP: Physical discipline, mental discipline, and character discipline.”
The first stage of the course took the Marines through classes on everything from teaching techniques and anatomy, to how to look out for Marines’ personal well-being. Follow on training immersed the Marines in strenuous physical training and sparing events, where the Marines learned to distinguish themselves from their future students.
“[The course] was not as easy as I thought it would be,” said Sgt. Vincent Church, a student in the course. “There are a lot more levels of training than I expected. The hardest things for me was walking through each step of the techniques and teaching them to my peers.”
The final week of the course challenged the students to take everything they learned and apply it in a culminating battle event that tested their martial arts skills, physical endurance, and capacity to lead.
“It’s not about themselves,” said Pelzel. “The [instructor] tab isn’t for them. It’s not something for them to distinguish themselves as ‘awesome.’ It’s for the Marines under their charge … to give something back to their unit.”
Teaching Marines can be a two-way street, with students learning from instructors while instructors learn from their students.
“They come here and surprise me,” said Pelzel. “It’s amazing that no matter how much adversity you put the Marines through, all they want to do is push through and fight.”
“I don’t know a single person who went through this instructor course and didn’t come out a better person and a better leader,” said Pelzel.
Following their class with the battalion, the students will return to their various units around Camp Lejeune to help teach and guide their fellow service members.
“You have to be a lighthouse, no matter what,” said Cpl. Quaran Douglas-Greene, a student in the course. “Being a lighthouse means you want to motivate others. Don’t go internal and don’t think that it’s about you. It’s always about other people.”
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2014 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 145135 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 206 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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