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The Associated Press State & Local Wire
February 17, 2003, Monday, BC cycle
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 458 words
HEADLINE: Disarming approach: MPs learn hand-to-hand combat
BYLINE: By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: FORT DIX, N.J.
BODY:
Bullets, bombs and missiles are all well and good. But when combat gets up close and personal, it's low-tech methods that count.
So while other soldiers were practicing on more traditional weapons of war, a military police unit was getting full-contact lessons on the fine points of takedowns, punch blocking, pressure point techniques and other self-defense tactics. The three-day training session was held this weekend for 106 members of the 310th Military Police Battalion, a U.S. Army Reserve unit called up to provide security at prisoner-of-war camps should the U.S. invade Iraq.
"When you're out of bullets or you don't have a gun, you need to know how to defend yourself, to save your own life and maybe the lives of others," said self-defense instructor Sgt. Maj. Charles Slider. "It's critical."
Slider, director of training at the U.S. Army's military police academy, brought a four-man team to conduct the training sessions in a Fort Dix gymnasium on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
With face-to-face instruction, drills and hands-on training, the "Unarmed Self Defense Team" taught the Uniondale, N.Y.,-based soldiers how to handle aggressors - without killing them.
"These techniques can help them control people using the minimum amount of force," said instructor Paul Donnelly.
After opening with calisthenics, the soldiers - clad in athletic shoes, gray "Army" T-shirts and black sweat pants - were drilled on what Slider told them was the basic stance: left foot forward, right foot about 18 inches back, knees bent, fists up in front of the face.
"Your lead guard should be your left arm, up like an 'L,' like this," he said, holding his left arm up. "You need to block strikes with it."
Then he told them how to use arms and legs to break a fall, demonstrating by taking a couple of soldiers and hip-tossing them to the blue wrestling mat he was standing on.
Next came instruction on how to recover after being thrown, and how to escape once pinned to the ground.
When he called Sgt. Priscilla Sanchez, 28, up to demonstrate one move, Slider was the one who found himself on the defensive. When he tried to hit her in the head, she grabbed his forearm and bit his thumb.
"You don't want to do that!" he said, as the other members of the unit broke out laughing. "You can get a disease! Seriously!"
For most of the soldiers, who are awaiting orders to go overseas, the first day of training repeated moves they had learned in the Army's 10-week basic training for MPs.
Others, including finance clerks, a chaplain and other support members, were learning it for the first time.
"Some of it's refresher stuff, but it really helps build your self-esteem," said Spec. Irene Acevedo, 22.
February 17, 2003, Monday, BC cycle
SECTION: State and Regional
LENGTH: 458 words
HEADLINE: Disarming approach: MPs learn hand-to-hand combat
BYLINE: By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: FORT DIX, N.J.
BODY:
Bullets, bombs and missiles are all well and good. But when combat gets up close and personal, it's low-tech methods that count.
So while other soldiers were practicing on more traditional weapons of war, a military police unit was getting full-contact lessons on the fine points of takedowns, punch blocking, pressure point techniques and other self-defense tactics. The three-day training session was held this weekend for 106 members of the 310th Military Police Battalion, a U.S. Army Reserve unit called up to provide security at prisoner-of-war camps should the U.S. invade Iraq.
"When you're out of bullets or you don't have a gun, you need to know how to defend yourself, to save your own life and maybe the lives of others," said self-defense instructor Sgt. Maj. Charles Slider. "It's critical."
Slider, director of training at the U.S. Army's military police academy, brought a four-man team to conduct the training sessions in a Fort Dix gymnasium on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
With face-to-face instruction, drills and hands-on training, the "Unarmed Self Defense Team" taught the Uniondale, N.Y.,-based soldiers how to handle aggressors - without killing them.
"These techniques can help them control people using the minimum amount of force," said instructor Paul Donnelly.
After opening with calisthenics, the soldiers - clad in athletic shoes, gray "Army" T-shirts and black sweat pants - were drilled on what Slider told them was the basic stance: left foot forward, right foot about 18 inches back, knees bent, fists up in front of the face.
"Your lead guard should be your left arm, up like an 'L,' like this," he said, holding his left arm up. "You need to block strikes with it."
Then he told them how to use arms and legs to break a fall, demonstrating by taking a couple of soldiers and hip-tossing them to the blue wrestling mat he was standing on.
Next came instruction on how to recover after being thrown, and how to escape once pinned to the ground.
When he called Sgt. Priscilla Sanchez, 28, up to demonstrate one move, Slider was the one who found himself on the defensive. When he tried to hit her in the head, she grabbed his forearm and bit his thumb.
"You don't want to do that!" he said, as the other members of the unit broke out laughing. "You can get a disease! Seriously!"
For most of the soldiers, who are awaiting orders to go overseas, the first day of training repeated moves they had learned in the Army's 10-week basic training for MPs.
Others, including finance clerks, a chaplain and other support members, were learning it for the first time.
"Some of it's refresher stuff, but it really helps build your self-esteem," said Spec. Irene Acevedo, 22.
