Fort Bliss Monitor

WBAMC Soldier prevails at MAC tourney

Maj. Todd Nicolson
WBAMC

Sgt. Thach Nguyen
NCOIC of the Intensive Care Unit at WBAMC

The face is ever evolving. Linear battlefields are a thing of the past and the enemy can be as close as your next-door neighbor. In keeping with the evolutionary warfare process and theme, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Peter Schoomaker announced, “All Soldiers are warriors,” putting the Army leadership on notice that change was eminent.

The Army has adopted the Modern Army Combatives program to teach its warriors how to survive in a close quarters fight. This is now a Warrior Core Task.

As a train-the-trainer program, the MAC program, which is based on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, offers four levels of training. The Level I course, taught here at Fort Bliss, provides each Brigade-size unit with qualified instructors of the MAC program. This weeklong course provides the basic foundation, self-confidence and ability to train the warriors of the modern Army. Soldiers don’t need to be martial art practitioners to attend the training – they need to be enthusiastic, motivated and willing to learn the program.

MAC is taught in a logical, sequential, step-by-step manner that provides the building blocks. Each student is taught techniques and counter-techniques. The one-week course culminates in a class tournament, which allows the students to safely apply their grasp of the MAC techniques and the basic application.

Aug. 6, Sgt. Thach Nguyen was pronounced Tyke New Yen. He achieved this by becoming the lightweight and overall champion for the class of 04-09. Nguyen, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the intensive care unit at WBAMC, provided one of the best overall performances the Fort Bliss MAC program has ever witnessed.

Nguyen faced a fellow classmate and battled to a 0-0 tie after the first five minutes, the traditional time limit. The battle continued until a winner was determined. After another six minutes, Nguyen adeptly maneuvered his opponent in such a manner as to achieve a dominant body position, a basic tenet of the MAC program.

This match went a grueling 11 minutes with no time outs and no breaks, only quick-paced action based on the MAC principles. The end of the match brought the entire class, students, instructors and spectators to their feet in a standing ovation.

“Nguyen wins because he remembers the principles of the training: technique and patience,” said NCOIC of Instructors for the course, Sgt. 1st Class Xavier Whitehead.

Yet, this was not the end of the class tournament. Exhausted from his match, Nguyen had to prepare for his match with the class heavyweight winner, who had been resting for 15 minutes. At a significant weight disadvantage, Nguyen expertly moved his opponent into a reverse straight arm-bar, a submission move, inside of 90 seconds, closing out the class tournament and achieving the title of overall class champion.

“It’s his awareness of what his opponent is doing that makes him good,” Whitehead said. “By sticking to the principles taught, [Nguyen] is able to overcome his opponents’ superior size and strength.”

Nguyen was greeted, celebrated and hugged by his classmates for his performance. He captured the hearts and attention of his classmates, spectators and MAC instructors alike. Nguyen demonstrated the warrior spirit and showed his fellow warriors, “Medics lead the way!”

Nguyen is now one of four Level I MAC program graduates and instructors assigned to WBAMC. He will be one of the trainers within his unit. The MAC program is for all Soldiers whether they are officers, warrant officers, NCOs or enlisted Soldiers. A Warrior Core Task, the MAC training program for William Beaumont is in good hands.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	August 19, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	WBAMC Soldier prevails at MAC tourney Maj. Todd Nicolson WBAMC Sgt. Thach Nguyen NCOIC of the Intensive Care Unit at WBAMC The face is ever evolving. Linear battlefields are a thing of the past and the enemy can be as close as your next-door neighbor. In keeping with the evolutionary warfare process and theme, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Peter Schoomaker announced, “All Soldiers are warriors,” putting the Army leadership on notice that change was eminent. The Army has adopted the Modern Army Combatives program to teach its warriors how to survive in a close quarters fight. This is now a Warrior Core Task. As a train-the-trainer program, the MAC program, which is based on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, offers four levels of training. The Level I course, taught here at Fort Bliss, provides each Brigade-size unit with qualified instructors of the MAC program. This weeklong course provides the basic foundation, self-confidence and ability to train the warriors of the modern Army. Soldiers don’t need to be martial art practitioners to attend the training – they need to be enthusiastic, motivated and willing to learn the program. MAC is taught in a logical, sequential, step-by-step manner that provides the building blocks. Each student is taught techniques and counter-techniques. The one-week course culminates in a class tournament, which allows the students to safely apply their grasp of the MAC techniques and the basic application. Aug. 6, Sgt. Thach Nguyen was pronounced Tyke New Yen. He achieved this by becoming the lightweight and overall champion for the class of 04-09. Nguyen, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the intensive care unit at WBAMC, provided one of the best overall performances the Fort Bliss MAC program has ever witnessed. Nguyen faced a fellow classmate and battled to a 0-0 tie after the first five minutes, the traditional time limit. The battle continued until a winner was determined. After another six minutes, Nguyen adeptly maneuvered his opponent in such a manner as to achieve a dominant body position, a basic tenet of the MAC program. This match went a grueling 11 minutes with no time outs and no breaks, only quick-paced action based on the MAC principles. The end of the match brought the entire class, students, instructors and spectators to their feet in a standing ovation. “Nguyen wins because he remembers the principles of the training: technique and patience,” said NCOIC of Instructors for the course, Sgt. 1st Class Xavier Whitehead. Yet, this was not the end of the class tournament. Exhausted from his match, Nguyen had to prepare for his match with the class heavyweight winner, who had been resting for 15 minutes. At a significant weight disadvantage, Nguyen expertly moved his opponent into a reverse straight arm-bar, a submission move, inside of 90 seconds, closing out the class tournament and achieving the title of overall class champion. “It’s his awareness of what his opponent is doing that makes him good,” Whitehead said. “By sticking to the principles taught, [Nguyen] is able to overcome his opponents’ superior size and strength.” Nguyen was greeted, celebrated and hugged by his classmates for his performance. He captured the hearts and attention of his classmates, spectators and MAC instructors alike. Nguyen demonstrated the warrior spirit and showed his fellow warriors, “Medics lead the way!” Nguyen is now one of four Level I MAC program graduates and instructors assigned to WBAMC. He will be one of the trainers within his unit. The MAC program is for all Soldiers whether they are officers, warrant officers, NCOs or enlisted Soldiers. A Warrior Core Task, the MAC training program for William Beaumont is in good hands.