Battle focus fitness: Warriors close with and destroy enemy

Photo By Maj. Asha Cooper | Lt .Col Mark Leslie, commander, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division hosts a quarterly combatives tournament Dec 17, 2014. This event tests Soldiers on the body; the fourth level of warfare. The tournament had seven weight classes. Pvt. Niquolas Quick won the fly weight class, Cpl. Timothy Hellon won the Light, Pfc. Mathew Ledford won the Welter, Staff Sgt. Kody Jones won Middle, Spc. Kevin Cooper won Cruiser, Staff Sgt. Sean Anderson won Light Heavy and Cpl. Jacob Smith won Heavy. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. Asha Cooper, 4th BCT, 10th Mountain Division, Public Affairs)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

12.17.2014

Story by Maj. Asha Cooper 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs

FORT POLK, La. - Some of America’s adversaries are highly-skilled in military fighting with organized leadership and well-equipped forces who are a significant threat to the U.S. and its allies. Lt. Col. Mark Leslie, commander, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division is using intense combative training to take his unit an optimal fighting level, destroying the enemy in close combat.

The 2nd Battalion Soldiers participated in a quarterly combatives tournament Dec. 17, 2014, at the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade gym. The four levels of warfare: Bombs, bullets, blades and bodies; This quarterly event is coordinated to test Soldiers on the fourth level.

“Soldiers must be proficient in all levels. Combatives techniques are an advantageous warfighting skill,” says Leslie.

First Sgt Michael Perez, Master Combatives Trainer, Company C, 2nd Battalion along with other level 3 and 4 certified instructors teach their battalion Soldiers basic and advanced ground fighting skills.

“Even though the Army is downsizing, I think combatives is very important in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy," said Perez. “You instill in your Soldiers the warrior ethos, the desire to close-with and destroy the enemy, the confidence not to give up and the physical and mental toughness required to push into your opponent.”

The competition has seven weight classes: Fly, light, welter, middle, cruiser, light heavy and heavy. Each company sends two fighters per weight class with a single elimination. Winners move to the next bracket until they make it to the championship round. A winner represents each weight class.

Fort Polk’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation donates special camouflage martial arts belt to all winners, in addition first place winners also receive Army Achievement Medals. Currently, this is a 2nd Battalion quarterly event. However, Leslie anticipates opening it to the entire brigade.

“People say that combatives is not good physical fitness, their wrong, unless they’ve done it. Combatives is a tough and grueling workout and gets after the division commander’s intent of combat and battle focus fitness,” said Leslie. “It’s a good way to test your skills and a great esprit de corps event as well, plus, it makes the Soldiers feel like true warriors.”

• Date Taken: 12.17.2014
• Date Posted: 12.19.2014 13:32
• Story ID: 150760
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US