Combatives: close, dominate, finish

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan | Spc. Daniel Lee, a paralegal specialist from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on Osan Air Base, South Korea, passes Spc. Felix Sepulveda’s guard, a human resources specialist from the 35th ADA BDE, at the Security Forces training facility on Osan Air Base, May 16, 2017. Lee practices a basic combatives course technique called, “passing the guard,” for his test.  

OSAN AIR BASE, SOUTH KOREA

05.19.2017

Story by Staff Sgt. Monik Phan 

35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (May 19, 2017) -- Soldiers, assigned to 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on Osan Air Base, South Korea, sat on a large green mat with their eyes focused on Sgt. Aaron Rapoza, senior combatives instructor assigned to 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Rapoza quickly unraveled his rainbow-colored boxing hand wraps as he sat on a black chair in front of the Soldiers. Sweat drops trickled down the side of the Soldiers' temples as they took their mouthpieces out of their mouths and placed them in their sweaty hands. Rapoza reached for a thick white binder that laid next to his bare feet and placed it on his lap. As he opened the binder, Rapoza gave the safety instructions of battle drill three in a confident and clear voice. The Soldiers listened intensively with discerning looks on their faces.

The Modern Army Combatives Program helps build Soldiers' morale, confidence and discipline, said Rapoza. It incorporates the warrior ethos and exposes Soldiers to hand-to-hand combat. Soldiers will be desensitized to the adrenaline of combat so they will not experience similar scenario-based situations for the first time in combat, he said.

Combatives is an essential program that provides Soldiers with the fundamentals of hand-to-hand combat. The course is designed to teach the techniques to close the distance, to dominate and defeat the enemy.

Matt Larsen, former combatives director of United States Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Kris Perkins, former III Corps combatives director, retired Lt. Col. Reynold Arredondo, former West Point athletic director, Sgt. 1st Class Colton Smith, former combatives noncommissioned officer in charge at Fort Hood, Texas, Sgt. 1st Class Tim Farris, combatives director at the USACS, and Staff Sgt. Brandon Sayles, the senior combatives master trainer at USACS, helped reinvigorate and rebuild the MACP to where it is today. These people paved the way for Soldiers to continue the legacy of teaching and preparing combatives to the men and women within our ranks, said Rapoza.

“Both these senior leaders have instilled everything that I am as an instructor, and what I strive to be as a leader,” said Rapoza. “They have helped me realized all the attributes of the combatives program in my everyday life, and as a leader in today's Army. It was these leaders that have helped me get to where I am today by continuing to influence the importance of the combatives program.”

The MACP simulates a realistic training environment that enables Soldiers to react to a variety of scenarios through muscle memory. It helps Soldiers build confidence in themselves, so when adversity strikes, they have the proper training to defeat the enemy, Rapoza said.

Rapoza received his training under Farris and Smith while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, respectively.

Rapoza’s traveled from Camp Humphreys to Osan Air Base to train and certify six 35th ADA BDE Soldiers in the basic combatives course May 15-18 at the Security Forces training facility on Osan Air Base.

“This course is both mentally and physically challenging,” said Staff Sgt. Jairno Nicanor, the operations noncommissioned officer, now a graduate from the basic combatives course assigned to the 35th ADA BDE. “It is essential task for all Soldiers.”

Every Soldier should know how to fight, regardless of their military occupational specialty, said Spc. Daniel Lee, a paralegal specialist, now a graduate from the basic combatives course assigned to 35th ADA BDE at Osan Air.

Unit training plans focus on other aspects of Soldier training and neglects the need of combatives training, said Rapoza. Conducting combatives training is not strongly prioritized. It is a skill that is needed to prepare the best Soldiers to defend the nation, he said.

NCOs whom are passionate about the MACP are helping the program rebuild back into unit training plans by incorporating more tactical training that relates to Soldier-based skills, Rapoza said.

“There is no excuse not to learn combatives,” said Lee. “It is part of field manual 7-22. As well as a warrior task and battle drill.”

“In order to stay ready, we need to be ready,” said Rapoza. “If we are not training this perishable skill, we are not going to be ready for the enemy. There are times where we are going to endure the adversity of hand-to-hand combat. What's going to happen when the fight comes to you rather than you to the fight? We must be trained properly for realistic scenarios, otherwise, we are going to be the Soldier that's not going to know how to react properly and potentially put ourselves or others at risk.”

• Date Taken: 05.19.2017
• Date Posted: 06.04.2017 23:25
• Story ID: 236326
• Location: OSAN AIR BASE, KR