MINOT, N.D., - More than 20 North Dakota active-duty and National Guard Airmen grappled under the tutelage of North Dakota Army National Guard Modern Army Combatives (MAC) program instructors at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center here on Minot Air Force Base (AFB) May 10-14.
Security Forces Airmen from the North Dakota Air Guard’s 219th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) and Minot Air Force Base’s 91st Security Forces Group were able to gain critical hand-to-hand combat skills by training with the North Dakota Army National Guard’s Pre-Mobilization Training Assistance Element (PTAE).
A first of its kind in the United States, 219th SFS Guardsmen train and serve alongside 91st active-duty personnel in all aspects of missile security operations.
Pairing the units with members of the North Dakota Army National Guard for training is unique and a vibrant example of how various branches of the U.S. armed forces have become part of a joint environment, not only in combat theaters overseas, but also in stateside operations.
Chief Master Sgt. Mike Schreiner, 219th SFS manager, said the MAC program enhances the ability of security forces Airmen to perform in their profession.
“It’s always a possibility in our career field that you’re going to have to use physical force, and this is just another tool in our toolbox,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for our guys, and I’m glad that we are able to participate.”
The MAC program is derived from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and affords students the opportunity to progress through four different levels of instruction. The Airmen at Minot AFB participated in the level-one course, which consists of 40 hours of training in basic ground fighting and culminates in the perfection of 18 different maneuvers.
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Van Cleave, a journeyman with the 219th SFS, appreciated the realism the instructors were able to provide throughout the course.
Prior to moving to North Dakota, Van Cleave worked in Sioux Falls, S.D., as a civilian law enforcement officer. He said being able to detain or subdue potential aggressors quickly is a life-saving skill. It’s also an essential capability while supporting missile security and in combat operations overseas.
“This is teaching you how to win fast and that’s what you need to do,” Van Cleave said.
One of the drills students are shown is an exercise called “achieving the clinch.” Some find this portion of training overwhelming as they are challenged with gaining a dominant position over their instructors who throw continual punches with padded gloves.
The aim of the lesson is to desensitize MAC participants to the sensation of being hit by an aggressor and to learn how to close the distance in a standup fight.
Master Sgt. Dominic Cook, 219th SFS standardization and evaluation team, said it’s better for service members to experience being struck for the first time while training at home instead of in a combat zone.
“This gets them accustomed to getting hit and working under pressure,” he said.
Cook is also a former professional mixed martial artist. He said the MAC program offers a solid foundation for fighting proficiency.
“When I started fighting in the cage, I wish I would have had this class,” he said. “They (the instructors) are teaching them everything that’s effective … everything that works, and it’s been tested through experience, trial and error.”
The level one course was led by Sgt. Jon Blazek, an instructor with the PTAE, along with two other level-two certified MAC instructors.
Level-two incorporates more than 40 ground fighting maneuvers and delves into stand-up fighting or striking in addition to knife-fighting and managing enemy prisoners of war. Soldiers that complete the level-two course are qualified to assist in instructing level-one participants.
As a level-four certified instructor, Blazek is the only Guardsman in the state qualified to certify level-one and two MAC participants. To date, he has certified more than 200 North Dakota Soldiers in level-one MAC and 16 in level-two.
The third and fourth level courses are more advanced and require attendance at the MAC school in Fort Benning, Ga.
Blazek is enthusiastic about the collaboration between the Air Guard, active-duty Air Force and Army Guard and hopes to continue training Airmen in MAC through the level-two course later this summer.
“It’s great that our North Dakota military members can utilize each other’s resources,” he said. “These guys have been great students. They’ve picked everything up very quickly.”