Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 Seabees attend Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Training

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Kenneth Robinson | Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27, watch as Cpl. Derrick Knight, a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor, demonstrates the proper stance and technique for using the bayonet with M16/M4 service rifle. Members of NMCB-27 recently underwent training in the Marine Corps class to get a better understanding of the fighting course. The Seabees of NMCB-27, also known as the 'Skibees," are deployed to Iraq and other areas in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The tasking of the Seabees is to conduct Marine Expeditionary Forces directed construction projects for Marines and other units operating in al-Anbar province.  

AL ASAD, IRAQ

10.06.2008

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kenneth Robinson 

Naval Construction Battalion 27

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Kenneth W. Robinson
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27

AL-ASAD, Iraq - Eight Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27 earned the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program tan belt after training two and half hours a day for eight days.

"MCMAP is providing a new and unique way for Seabee's to get involved with Marines and identify with the warrior culture," said Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Neiberger, Marine military advisor to NMCB-27. "The Seabee's involved with MCMAP are taught to use bayonet techniques, knife fighting, in addition to a variety of strikes, chokes and throws."

MCMAP is a battlefield oriented fighting program employed by the United States Marine Corps for close-in engagements and is composed of three disciplines; mental, character and physical. The course consists of a belt ranking system with five basic levels - tan, gray, green, brown and black being the highest belt. The Seabees that attended the 20-hour class all received tan belts in the art form.

"Every Seabee that has earned their belt wears it with a sense of pride, knowing that they paid for it with hard work and dedication, in addition to a lot of sweat and bruises," said Neiberger.

"This class was a test of not only strength but a mental challenge as well," said Petty Officer 1st Class Nadean Storey of Hartford, Conn. "The support and encouragement that you receive from your team members makes this belt even more worth wearing because you didn't do it yourself, you did it as a team, with those who know your struggle and can appreciate your victory as well."

The MCMAP at al-Asad will be offering more classes for the Seabees assigned to NMCB-27, in hopes that more will participate and develop a better understanding of benefits that participation will offer.

"I have been a Seabee reservist for over 19 years, have trained in two different styles of martial arts for over 10 years and I am four-year veteran police officer, said Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Ferreira of Swansea, Mass. "This is a course that all Seabees should be proficient in. With all the changes in today's world the 'We Build We Fight' has transformed, we have become more self–sustaining. In today's Seabees we are increasing our training in the aspect of fighting even more. With MCMAP, we now take it to a more personal level of fighting, "the one on one." As a Seabee our mission has always been we build first, but with the demand to be more independent we are now beginning to train to fight back even more."

• Date Taken: 10.06.2008
• Date Posted: 11.05.2008 08:53
• Story ID: 25948
• Location: AL ASAD, IQ