Marine Corps Martial Arts Program

I actually got to see them train while I was working Iwakuni Air Station.
I have to say it's not bad at all.


CAMP COURTNEY (Jan 31, 2003) -- "To locate close with and destroy the enemy with fire and maneuver..."
Although this has been the proclamation that gave hundreds of Marine rifle squads their marching orders to fight their enemies, it is not guaranteed that a Marine will always be able to rely on his rifle to fend off the enemy.
Hence, the Marine Corps has created the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
Students of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Far East School here demonstrated to the commanding generals, the senior enlisted council and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, the techniques they have learned during the Green Belt Instructor Course Dec. 18.
The reason for the demonstration is to show the senior leadership on Okinawa the multitude of techniques used within the martial arts training program and the similarities it has with Okinawan martial arts, explained Staff Sgt. Brantley E. Friend, martial arts instructor trainer.
"The purpose for the demonstration is for the senior leadership on Okinawa," the Winder, Ga., native said. "This will let them see everything we teach our students, and if any of them are confused to what the program is about, then this will give them some answers."
Friend added that the demonstration showed a variety of martial art techniques, which Marines might one day need on the battlefield.
"Marines are not always going to be armed or have ammunition and artillery," Friend said. "Every major conflict the Marine Corps has been in has come down to hand-to-hand combat. The program gives Marines another tool to fight out of a bad situation."
Another important aspect of martial arts is executing the fighting skills properly, which is just what the demonstrators did while performing in front of the crowd.
"We started the demo by doing some bayonet training. That gets the students used to going into a fight with a straight thrust, which is the most lethal strike in a fight," he said. "Next, we went into pugil-stick fighting, knife-fighting, armed manipulations, unarmed manipulations, counter techniques, throws and free sparring."
Hosting the event were the students of the Green Belt Instructor Course, which consists of 120 hours of training throughout a three-week period.
During the demonstration, the students not only showed off what they were taught but also answered the questions asked by the audience.
"The guests seemed very curious as well as impressed with the display," said 2nd Lt. Sean J. Schickel, student, and event demonstrator. "We had a few questions from the guests who were eager to learn basic knowledge of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. They were all curious about the discipline that's required and the character values that are learned."
Other demonstrations given by the Okinawan guests gave the students a new insight on martial arts as well, according to Schickel.
"The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program was originally developed from Okinawan martial arts," the Princeton, Ill., native said. "Seeing what they do gave us an idea on what the program could evolve into one day."

[arnisador]

I read about the Marine Corps' system, complete with belt ranks. I'm glad they're encouraging this kind of training, though I suspect it helps more for confidence than actual combat.

Is their training effective? I'm old enough to remember the god-forsaken "O'Neal" method taught to troops back in the old days...One would have been better off spitting at the enemy and calling him nasty names than using that stuff...
I hope this new method is better.

Did O'Neil learn his stuff from Monty Python?

"I fart in your general direction, you English sissies..."


chufeng

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by arnisador
I read about the Marine Corps' system, complete with belt ranks. I'm glad they're encouraging this kind of training, though I suspect it helps more for confidence than actual combat.

Marines are the last bunch of folks that need to develop confidence...

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
Marines are the last bunch of folks that need to develop confidence...

Heh. No argument.

No this was not the standard “line training” they teach in Basic Training.

They actually developed this training based on existing techniques.
I met the instructor on Iwakuni who was a “black belt” in their system of training.
He also said they borrowed a lot of techniques from Okinawan Karate. They use a lot of no nonsense takedowns and “joint breaks” that seem like they would work under the conditions they were meant for.
Not bad stuff really.

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
Marines are the last bunch of folks that need to develop confidence...

Yeah......no kidding.


While I was on Iwakuni Air Base I had a great time working with the Marines there.
I was walking down the sidewalk with a Lt. Colonel and some NCO’s one day. The Lt. Col. bent over to pick up some trash that he saw on the ground. I knew that man would never ask someone that worked for him to do something he wasn’t prepared to do himself.

I can really appreciate that sort of spirit.
I also think every teenager over the age of 15 should go through Marine Corps boot camp to get their sxxt straightend out.
I have never encountered a more polite and respectful group in my whole life.

Thank you for the kind comments regarding our military servicemen and women...

Too many times they are painted as gung ho killing machines (and they are when the time is right)...and undisciplined troublemakers when not out in the field (BS...)

Truth is, they embody the essence of what our founding fathers intended...I am proud of them.


chufeng

[arnisador]

Originally posted by chufeng
Truth is, they embody the essence of what our founding fathers intended...I am proud of them.

I worked for the Navy and then the Army, as a civilian but in a very military environment. For someone like me who had had no real exposure to the military it was very eye-opening. It broke a lot of my stereotypes.

The LINE system was dropped, I now recall; there's an article here.

[white belt]

Arnisador,

I have a student who left for Marine basic training in August of 2002. He came back on leave over Christmas and trained with us. He reached Tan Belt so far and said there are similarities to his DoJang training. He looked lean and hard. Your sharing that article filled in some gaps for me. Thanks.

white belt

The new "belt system" they use is Tan, Green, Black.

No stripes on the belts or Soke titles written on it either.
Actually the belts are just regular daily use belts........not MA belts

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
The new "belt system" they use is Tan, Green, Black.

No stripes on the belts or Soke titles written on it either.
Actually the belts are just regular daily use belts........not MA belts

I got a kick out of that when I first heard of it, but then got to wondering how the USMC uniform regs would handle such a thing.

I know the tan belt is the standard wear belt with cammies (BDUs for us Army types). Do they wear their differently colored belts with daily uniform wear, regardless of uniform? Just wondering...

Any Marines here that can comment?

Here are some details about the Marine Corps MA program:

http://www.mcu.usmc.mil/sncoa/Downlo...%20Handout.doc

i find it amusing that marines are adopting okinawan arts for their self defence programms. These arts were developed a long time ago, for people with different mentalities to marines and trained in them a differing manner to the way they are being taught to soldiers. Budo warriors lived the spirit every day and were therefore able to put their arts to use in self defence. Its not something that can be taught easily to make the original Bunkai's practical for use by marines in today's world. The art needs to be nurtured for years and must be part of the person, not simply taught in courses. If you ask me, they'd be better off learning something like Krav Maga for self defence.

In Budo