FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – About 30 Soldiers from the Pennsylvania and Connecticut Army National Guards completed the Pennsylvania National Guard State Combatives Program's 40-hour Basic Combatives Course June 22-26, building the confidence and close-quarters fighting skills needed to react under pressure.
“The Basic Combatives Course is the first of three levels in the Modern Army Combatives Program,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Dougherty, Pennsylvania Army National Guard state master combatives trainer and course noncommissioned officer in charge. “We teach the foundations of close-quarters, hand-to-hand combat with an emphasis on grappling, takedowns and basic ground fighting. The goal is to help Soldiers close the distance, gain dominant body positions and control the fight.”
One scenario in the course involved an instructor bursting forward without warning, driving a Soldier to the ground and forcing the trainee to fight to regain control of the encounter. Moments later, the Soldier created enough space to bring a rubber training rifle onto target, demonstrating techniques learned throughout the week. The realistic ambush was the culminating event of the training.
Before facing the scenario, each student demonstrated the techniques they had learned throughout the week, explaining every movement to the instructors as they executed them step by step. Together, the assessments measured not only physical proficiency, but also each Soldier’s understanding of the fundamentals behind the Modern Army Combatives Program.
For many students, the week meant stepping well outside their comfort zones. Staff Sgt. Ian Bradley, assigned to the 928th Military Working Dog Detachment, Connecticut Army National Guard, traveled to Pennsylvania with five other Connecticut Soldiers after learning about the course earlier this year. As a squad leader, he saw it as an opportunity to bring valuable knowledge back to his unit.
“I want to take what I’ve learned here and bring it back to my unit so I can prepare others on the fundamentals before they have the opportunity to attend this course themselves,” Bradley said.
Although Bradley had little formal martial arts experience before arriving, he said the cadre presented the material in a way that made it approachable while still pushing students physically and mentally.
“It’s like drinking from a fire hose,” Bradley said. “You learn a lot in five days, but it’s surprising how much you’re able to retain.”
Bradley said one of the week's most valuable lessons came during the clinch drill, an exercise that teaches Soldiers to push through the instinct to retreat and instead aggressively close the distance on an attacker. While protecting their heads and maintaining proper posture, students advance into striking range to establish a dominant clinch and stop the attack.
"Getting punched in the face really drives that lesson home," Bradley said with a laugh. "You understand pretty quickly why the instructors keep telling you to keep your hands up during training."
For Bradley, whose military police duties routinely place him in close contact with the public, the techniques learned during the course have practical applications beyond the training environment.
“I’m in an operational military police K-9 unit, so the skills we learn here are very applicable to what I do full time,” he said.
Sgt. Austin Blackner, an 88M motor transport operator assigned to the 121st Transportation Company, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, said his wrestling background initially sparked his interest in Army combatives, but training with Soldiers of different sizes and experience levels proved equally valuable.
“The highlight was getting to roll with everybody,” Blackner said. “People bigger than you, smaller than you, faster, stronger. You don’t get to choose who you might have to fight in the real world.”
Blackner said the course gave him greater confidence that he could respond effectively in a close-combat situation. He also credited the instructors for creating an environment where Soldiers could challenge themselves while continuing to improve.
“They’re phenomenal,” Blackner said. “They know what they’re talking about, they teach you well and they’ll work with you if you need help. They’re the real deal.”
While the Basic Combatives Course serves as the entry point into the Modern Army Combatives Program, Dougherty said the training is designed for every Soldier, regardless of experience.
“Combatives is for everybody, and everybody starts somewhere,” Dougherty said. “Put your reservations aside, come out on the mats, see what you’ve got, and learn and get better.”