Combat advisors of Class 86 with their combatives instructor,
Staff Sgt. Joseph Crocker (front row, center).
Airmen, Sailors take on Army combatives
FORT POLK, La. - Few Airmen or Sailors join up thinking they will
eventually be taught the finer points of grappling, but that's the
training combat advisors from Class 86 received. During the first two
weeks of December, the mats in Tiger Gym were rolled out daily so the
Air Force and Navy personnel from Class 86 could learn all about Army
combatives.
To meet the deployment criteria for the Afghan and Iraqi theaters of
operation, Aggressor Company, 1st Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment,
162nd Infantry Brigade, instituted a rigorous combatives program.
"We're trying to instill these combat advisors with the Warrior Ethos.
Combatives breeds a confidence in their abilities, especially when it
concerns ground combat," said 1st Sgt. Jerry Horn, A Co first sergeant.
Class 86 completed 10 hours of difficult training. "You're definitely
worn out at the end of the day," said Master Sgt. Rey Thompson, a combat
advisor in Class 86.
The service members started with no knowledge of Army combatives and
have progressed to the point of individual matches. Between combatives
starting at 5:30 a.m. and classes that can last until 11 p.m., Class 86
has been getting a crash course in how to be a combat advisor that
rivals the pace of basic training.
"Combatives is not quite something we're accustomed to, not something
the Air Force teaches. It does toughen us up," Thompson said.
Class 86 will have the opportunity to get some of its members Level 1
combatives certified. As combatives training winds down, the pace of
operations will speed up as the class heads into weapons training and
then more combat-focused training.
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