Joint Combatives Training by 1LT Whitaker

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Army Field Manuel 3-25.150, which outlines Modern Army Combatives, states that “proficiency in hand-to-and combat is one of the fundamental building blocks for training the modern soldier.” Sergeant Jedadiah Eustaquio of 368^th Inland Cargo Transportation Company of 11^th Transportation Battalion at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEB LC-FS) takes the latter statement seriously. Last year, Sergeant Eustaquio served as an assistant instructor at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE), aiding in the Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP) Level 1 certification of over 200 Soldiers. He also competed on the JBLE Fight Team and in the 2010 All-Army Combatives Tournament. After graduating from MACP Level 3 Combatives Course at the United States Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Sergeant Eustaquio was then able to conduct his own course and certify Soldiers in MACP Level 1. As the senior instructor in 11^th Transportation Battalion at JEB LC-FS, Sergeant Eustaquio envisioned creating a joint service combatives academy where Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers could train and become certified in different styles of military combatives. He wanted to focus on techniques from the Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP), the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), and the Navy’s Tactical Combatives Program (TAC-COM). With a little bit of ambition and coordination, Sergeant Eustaquio brought his idea to fruition by presenting it to senior enlisted members of each service. As a result, he planned and conducted the first-ever joint combatives training course at JEB LC-FC. Sergeant Eustaquio invited Master Combatives Instructor SFC Luis Romero from Joint Base Langley-Eustis to assist in teaching Marines, Sailors and Soldiers in the week-long joint course at JEB LC-FS’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Compound. The course, which was taught on January 18-21, 2011, offered participants the opportunity to become MACP Level 1 certified. The instructors also demonstrated new combatives techniques from the Army Combatives School at Fort Benning. Some of the new techniques taught included basic handcuffing techniques and the post, frame, and hook, a move that helps Soldiers control and maintain distance between themselves and their opponent. Sergeant Eustaquio and Sergeant First Class Romero also taught weapons retention training.  At the end of the week, 4 Sailors, 3 Marines, and 9 Soldiers graduated with a certification in Level 1 MACP techniques.