Fit to Fight: 1st BCT, 1st AD, hosts combatives course

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kelsey Miller | Soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division participated in a Basic Combatives (Level I) course hosted by the Brigade here in May. Approximately 40 Soldiers signed up to participate in the first class held by the Brigade in almost two years. There are plans to hold the Basic Combatives (Level I) course at least monthly for the Soldiers within the brigade.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

05.17.2017

Story by Sgt. Kelsey Miller 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

Hand- to- hand combat has always been a staple in intense Army training, in order to clench a victory over an opponent within close proximity. There are underlying principles and techniques that Soldiers must master in order to successfully defeat their opponents. Soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division were given the opportunity to hone their close combat skills during a Brigade sponsored Basic Combatives (Level I) course given here, in May.
The purpose of combatives as a whole, is to help Soldiers be more confident in their close-combat abilities, and be able to engage the enemy when necessary.
“Combatives teaches mental and physical toughness,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Jeffrey, the 1st Brigade rear detachment senior enlisted leader. “There are a lot of situations in which you are in close proximity to other people, especially in Afghanistan or Iraq. There may be situations in which you have to grapple with someone to gain the upper hand.”
Approximately 40 Soldiers showed up to the brigade’s course ready to train and fight. They came in different weight classes and skill sets and from different military occupational specialties, but they all had a common goal; to be fit to fight.
“The motivation was high,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Smith, an instructor for the class. “I have been able to instruct various groups of Soldiers. I think the thing I saw in this particular group of students, with this being a brigade combat team, was the level of endurance and the overall motivation seemed to be a lot higher than some of the classes I have participated in.”
The high motivation was a necessity for the intense pace of the class. The Soldiers did not get to choose their opponents when they put their newly acquired skills to the test each day, so they were sometimes paired with those that were bigger, faster and stronger.
“I enjoyed the experience,” said Pfc. Aaron Schliesmann, a human resource specialist assigned to 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment. “Now I know if I ever do get in a close combat situation, I know I have the baseline knowledge of what I need to do and what I can do. I was one of the smallest people in there, so it was always a challenge. I am ready for level two.”
The instructors for the program are planning to hold the class for the Soldiers of the Ready First Brigade at least monthly. Eventually, the brigade will host a Basic Combatives (Level II) class.
“As long as we have the Soldiers support and the chain of command’s support, we can take this class into the future,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Lipscomb, a squad leader assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, and the master combatives trainer for the course. “We can certify more Soldiers, and eventually have more trainers running around the Army.”

• Date Taken: 05.17.2017
• Date Posted: 06.14.2017 12:53
• Story ID: 237849
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US