Fort Bliss Combatives tournament features advanced rules 

Pfc. Jennifer Kennemer

16th MPAD

Soldiers participating in the Winter Combatives Tournament at the Biggs Fitness Center Feb. 26 were welcomed with all the pomp and circumstance of professional fighters, entering the arena through an inflatable entrance tunnel amid a cloud of smoke. The fights were held inside a black, octagon-shaped cage in front of a packed crowd of the fighters’ peers and family members. 

The competition featured “advanced rules,” a first at Fort Bliss, and highlighted both the fitness and overall skill of the participants. The Modern Army Combatives system is built on a graduated set of moves beginning with the grappling principles taught at basic combat training and progressing into advanced levels that feature submissions, kicks and closed-hand punches. 

“[Advanced rules] provide a little more realism and intensity to the fights,” said Eric Howard, Fort Bliss Combatives director. “It also puts them on an even keel with other installations that have already been doing it and gets them ready for the Army Championships at Fort Benning, Ga., in October.”

Howard said that Combatives tournaments provide motivation to Soldiers to excel and train hard.

“It gives the Soldier a chance to be a champion,” said Howard. “It doesn’t even need to be a post tournament. Bring it to the squad and platoon level.”

Preliminary rounds were held earlier in the week to determine the final participants in each of the weight classes and who would fight in the title matches. 

Colter Brown, 5th  Brigade, 1st Armored Division, was the winner of the light heavy weight bout. Combatives has remained a personal interest since Brown joined the Army four years ago. 

“It was fun,” said Brown of his match. “It wasn’t a highlight reel, but it was fun.”

Brown is an infantryman and said events like this one helped to keep him motivated and fit while in garrison.

 

The focus of the night was on competition but the center of the Combatives program at Fort Bliss remains the same: preparing Soldiers for their deployment mission. Battlefield Combatives is available as a 40-hour course to all deploying units and represents the marriage of Combatives skills and individual unit missions; for example, room clearing, checkpoint procedures, and enemy prisoner of war tactics.

“A lot of Soldiers never reach level three or four in the Modern Army Combatives,” said Howard. “If a Soldier is deploying downrange we want to train them up on the higher-level skills right away in case they don’t get through the formal school process.”

Those Soldiers interested in qualifying for the Fort Bliss Combatives Team can participate in a summer Combatives tournament scheduled for later this year.

Winners:

•Light Weight Divison: Ryee Brock, 11th ADA Bde.

•Welter Weight: Angel Faulkner, William Beaumont Army Medical Center.

•Middle Weight: Dewayne Pitkin, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Div. 

•Cruiser Weight: Don Kirchner, 11th ADA Bde.

•Light Heavy Weight: Colter Brown, 5th Brigade, 1st Armored Div.

•Heavy Weight: August Ohari, University of Texas at El Paso ROTC.