FORT BENNING, Ga. — A small team of U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers join their peers from across the Army to test their physical skills and fighting spirit during the Lacerda Cup this week.
The United States Army Reserve Command (USARC) Combatives Team arrived at Pilau Hall at Fort Benning Tuesday to complete weigh-ins, medical screenings, rules briefings and Public Affairs coordination ahead of the upcoming Lacerda Cup competition.
The team is composed of highly trained Soldier athletes from across the Army Reserve who have spent months preparing for the event. Their training has focused on refining technical skills, strengthening physical conditioning and sharpening the combat mindset required for elite combatives competition, according to Command Sgt. Maj. Francisco J. Gonzalez, of Devens Reserve Forces Training Area in Massachusetts.
“This competition represents more than individual performance,” Gonzalez said. “It reflects the readiness, adaptability, and warrior ethos of the Army Reserve. Our Soldiers are prepared, focused and ready to compete.”
Staff Sgt. Kevin Pelletier, 327th Quartermaster Co., U.S. Army Reserve, who is one of the competitors on the USARC team, said he is looking forward to the rigorous challenge of facing talented Soldiers from across the Army.
“Success in combatives can be beating the guy in front of you, whether it be in a competition, day-to-day scenario or life-threatening scenario,” Pellitier said. “But my personal opinion, it is beating the guy that you were yesterday, making sure you improve on everything that you can.”
Sgt. 1st Class Castro, who is stationed with the U.S. Army at Fort Leonard Wood, is one of the coaches of the USARC team.
He said it is a challenge to build a team from across the nation and throughout the U.S. Army Reserve to showcase them against competitors from active duty and National Guard units.
Castro said success in combatives creates a steady improvement for individuals – even as small as 1 percent per day – to allow them to survive a conflict, regardless if they’re overseas or at home – on their own or long enough for someone from their teams and units to “show up and then help them finish that fight.”
While contestants continued to work on their own, Castro said the team was able to fine tune techniques and “capitalize on those skills” at last week in preparation for the tournament.
As a result, the team is ready to represent the Army Reserve at the Lacerda Cup and inspire the next generation of competitors, coaches and unit-level trainers to strengthen the overall capabilities of the group.
Gonzalez, who is certified as a Modern Army Combatives Program instructor, said it was a long-time dream to create a self-sustaining program, which he was able to accomplish with the small garrison at Devens RFTA - an USAR installation in Massachusetts which serves the northeast.
As a result, Gonzalez organized several basic combatives classes for Army Reserve Soldiers in 2025 and facilitated the 99th Readiness Division Combatives Tournament at Devens RFTA in January.
The USARC team was selected from two MACP instructors and the top Army Reserve contestants from each weight class from the nationwide tournament. The team returned to Devens RFTA in April to focus on basics and hear feedback from coaches during a week-long training session before leaving for the Laceda Cup Monday.
The following day’s activities concluded with an opening ceremony on Powell Field featuring remarks from retired Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, who emphasized the significance of the event and the enduring legacy of combatives within the force.
Matches are scheduled to begin Wednesday at Smith Fitness Center, where competitors will face off in intermediate-level bouts. The competition highlights the Army Reserve’s commitment to developing disciplined, resilient, and lethal formations capable of operating in complex environments.
Spectators and supporters are encouraged to attend and show their support as USARC competitors take the mat in pursuit of the Lacerda Cup.