SAN DIEGO - Learning the fundamentals of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program is a requirement that every recruit aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego must go through in order to earn their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.
Recruits of Company E, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, executed every basic technique as they earned their tan belts Aug. 15 aboard MCRD San Diego.
“Earning their tan belt is a graduation requirement,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Lansdon, martial arts instructor trainer, Instructional Training Company, Support Battalion. “They must pass every technique in order to obtain it.”
MCMAP is a program developed by the Marine Corps that combines hand-to-hand and close quarter combat techniques.
Recruits are put through mental and physical exhaustion for long, strenuous hours in the hot sun to perfect every technique to instill a combat mindset and warrior mentality.
“Tan belt is basically the foundation of MCMAP,” explained Landson, a 29-year-old Phoenix native. “They are taught punches, kicks, break-falls, and bayonet and knife techniques; through this they’ll become more comfortable when handling a weapon and confident when defending themselves.”
Recruits lined up and preformed tan belt techniques while their drill instructors graded how well they were executed. Each recruit is graded on how confident and precise the technique is performed.
According to Sgt. Jonathan Montalvo, drill instructor, Platoon 2105, Co. E, there is more to teaching recruits MCMAP than just learning techniques.
“Although they’re introduced to the physical aspect of fighting, it also teaches them certain disciplines of the Warrior Ethos,” explained Montalvo, a 23-year-old from Huntsville, Ala. “It teaches them to have the discipline; to know when to walk away and when to defend themselves.”
Recruit Chase James, Plt. 2105, also believes that MCMAP teaches discipline as well as responsibility.
“MCMAP teaches you responsibility of knowing what you could do to someone else,” said James, an 18-year-old St. Louis native. “You need to know what you’re capable of doing and the harm you can cause.”
James feels that MCMAP is important to learn in recruit training and plans to follow-up on in the fleet because of the discipline it instills.
“Recruit training teaches us responsibility and discipline, but I feel MCMAP will keep those disciplines continuous throughout your Marine Corps career,” explained James.
With Co. E earning the first level of belt in MCMAP and the disciplines it instilled, they will continue their journey through recruit training and endure the Crucible, a 54-hour field training exercise that requires recruits to complete missions with very little food and sleep.