Photo By Master Sgt. Charles Johnston | 1st Lt. Patrick Wheeler of the 941st Military Police Battalion, New Hampshire Army...... read more read more
The New Hamsphire Army National Guard hosted a combatives training course at the Pembroke armory June 8 to 12, 2026.
Active, reserve and National Guard Soldiers from around the country gained practical, hands-on experience in self-defense fundamentals, ground fighting and striking techniques during the five-day program.
"The course uses techniques from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Tai, and kickboxing and applies them to a military setting,” said Capt. Landon McBride, commander of the Multifunctional Training Company, 195th Regional Training Institute.
Spc. Savannah Silver of the 237th Military Police Company enrolled to enhance her skills as an MP. She also trains in mixed martial arts during her personal time.
“I think it’s a basic Soldier skill to be able to understand how to fight close combat with somebody, even if you’re not advanced,” Silver said.
All Soldiers benefit from the program regardless of ability level, said 1st Sgt. Nicholas Collishaw, a master combatives instructor.
“Just jump in headfirst,” Collishaw said. “We’re not here to beat you up. We’re not here to demoralize you. We’re here to build you up, give you a skillset that you can take back and use in a real-world scenario.”
Graduates are expected to return to their units as force multipliers and "be able to instruct the their own Soldiers," McBride said.
Though administrators say future slots are limited, interested Guardsmen should seek training opportunities through their chain of command.
“Every Soldier should be able to go through at least level one to build up their confidence," McBride said. "The state needs to continue this program and send us Soldiers for incredibly high-quality training," McBride said.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.29.2026 17:41 |
| Story ID: | 568971 |
| Location: | NEW HAMPSHIRE, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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