Army, Air Force, Navy go hand-to-hand at tourney

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Corbin
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Forty-six Soldiers, one Airman and one Sailor faced off in hand-to-hand combat June 9 at the Modern Army Combatives Tournament at the Hackney Fitness Center.

The event was sponsored by Delta Company 264th Medical Battalion and included 24 members of the 264th Medical Battalion from Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

The combatives program is based on two fighting styles, Gracie Brazilian JuJitsu and modern/Greco-Roman style wrestling. Striking, punching, kicking and such are not allowed. The matches were decided by either submission, or if it ran the complete five minutes, by points.

The Modern Army Combatives Program isn't just about friendly competition and camaraderie though; it was instituted in 2002 as a better way to train Soldiers who may face hand-to-hand combat while deployed.

Michele Thomas, a soldier attending training at Sheppard, said that she feels the training "better prepared me for hand-to-hand combat."

That, according to Sgt. 1st Class Donald Chappell, a combatives instructor with Delta 264th MB, is the goal of the program.

"I have a lot of passion for what I'm doing for two reasons," he said. "First (to prepare them) for when they find themselves in a difficult situation, and second, the confidence you see rise in them.

"This is what the military does; this is what builds character in our future people."

It featured six weight divisions, with a first place winner and runner-up in each category. In the initial round, Ft. Sam Houston members faced off against Sheppard military members.

In the flyweight division, 140 pounds and under, Nathan Ikehara, a private first class from Ft. Sam Houston, took first place, and Michele Thomas, a private from Sheppard, took second.

Andy Sivilaythong, a specialist from Ft. Sam Houston, took first in the lightweight division, 141 to 155 pounds, and Sydney Williams, a private from Ft. Sam Houston, took second place.

In welterweight, 156 to 170 pounds, Zack Wagner, a private first class from Ft. Sam Houston, and Jason Roth, a private first class from Sheppard, took second.

While in the middleweight division, 171 to 185 pounds, William Fowler, a private first class from Ft. Sam Houston took first place, and Aaron Mahler, a private attending training at Sheppard, took second.

In the light heavyweight division, 186-205 pounds, Michael Winkelspecht, a private from Ft. Sam Houston took first and Marco Wright, a specialist from Ft. Sam Houston took second.

Finally, in the heavyweight division, for those above 205 pounds, Air Force member Brent Lynch, a technical sergeant attending training here, took first and Clarence Avent, a specialist from Sheppard, took second.

The MACP has four levels of certification, all Army members are required to at least be trained in it, if not certified.