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Combat tactics reinforce confidence

By Alexandra Williams

284th Base Support Battalion Public Affairs Office

Giessen ’s Miller Hall Fitness Center looked like a rough place April 17 as the basketball court was filled with men and women throwing punches, blocking and kicking.

About 50 Soldiers and civilians participated in the daylong hand-to-hand combat self-defense tactics course conducted by Grandmaster Lo Man Kam, a renowned martial artist from Taiwan . Lo, a retired major of the Taiwan Army, makes a living training members of the Taiwanese Army, Special Weapon Attack Teams, the Los Angeles Police Department, Navy SEALs from Virginia Beach , Va. , and other U.S. federal agencies.

Participants learned a variety of skills during the course including basic maneuvers such as safely closing the distance to the attacker, blocking a punch, forcing the opponent to the ground and disarming an attacker.

Several 1st Brigade company commanders asked Renardo Reed, who runs the Wing Chun School in Miller Hall to organize the training with his martial arts teacher. Reed said, having been a Soldier himself, he knows what is required in combat for today’s soldiers and that confidence in one’s capabilities is important for today’s Soldiers.

“Apparently there’s a need for today’s Soldiers to know what it takes on the modern battlefield because the landscape of combat has changed,” Reed said. “Everything went from long scale combat tactics to door to door, close quarter combat. It cannot be overstated that on the modern day battlefield, the Soldier must rapidly respond to various situations, be it small arms fire or hand to hand combat. Only through practical training in controlled but realistic fighting/battlefield situations does one learn the necessary skills and acquires the basic combative framework. With physical contact, he or she can apply and improve upon what he or she has learned. Then in a real conflict, they have immediate, effective and flexible responses that have unlimited applications when faced with dangerous situations. This is the road to success in combat.

Many Soldiers of the 527th Military Police Company took advantage of the course to deepen their self-defense knowledge.

“I felt like I didn’t learn enough during our training at AIT (Advanced Individual Training). I wanted to pick up more tactics because it could be very beneficial for me,” said Pvt. 2 Natasha Santiago, 527th MP Co. “It’s a lot to remember in one day, but I am sure that if I am in a situation, the tactics would snap in.”

“As MPs we do patrols on base, and I think it’s good to know these hand-to-hand tactics, because you cannot always use your weapon,” said Spc. Matthew Moressi, also from the 527th MP Co.

“As a Soldier I think it’s good to have both -- your weapon and the ability to fight unarmed to defend yourself,” said Pfc. Brandon Truitt of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery.

“I think it’s good to know what you can do if you get into a situation like after school,” said Lee Hillmon, age 14. “My dad is a third degree black belt, and sometimes we practice together,” he said. Hillmon added that knowing how to defend himself would not lead him to fighting or getting in trouble. “When you learn self defense moves you also learn to be responsible and to use them in an emergency and not for fun.”

“The class was well accepted, and I will try to organize another one before the deployment,” said Reed. “My sifu (teacher) was very happy with the turnout and is looking forward to coming back and interacting with our Soldiers. He has a lot more information to put out. Collectively we will set up a two to three day training event for the Soldiers. One day is clearly not enough; however it sure is a benefit having exposure to these real-world techniques. This training reinforces confidence in everyone, and our Soldiers sure can use that downrange.”