army combatives manual

[shinja]

Hello all,

I have had a copy of 21-150 (the one available on the net) floating around the haouse for a couple of years and recently started thumbing through it again.

Just wondering, has anyone ever actually been actually exposed to instruction in these specific methods?

[John Lindsey]

Hi,

As part of my "drill sgt" training, we are supposed to be trained and able to teach about 20 such techniques. I have yet to reach that level yet (still working on teaching the hand salute, positions of rest at the halt, etc). But, there seems to be more emphasis on hand to hand then when I was on active duty many years ago.

During active duty, I saw such stuff only twice. Once was during Ranger school and the other was at SOT school at Mott Lake outside of Ft. Bragg. The Mott Lake stuff was originally set up by Michael Echanis. All I remember of it was that we would train at kicking against an old tire. There were a few sentry take out techniques but the "art" seemed to lack something since Echanis' death.....

[tcasella]

Mr Lindsey, didn't realize you were at Bragg before, must not have been paying attention.

I remember when that version (as opposed to the 70's version) of the combatives manual was being edited and was one of the handful of "early days" CQC instructors for that manuals contents. I remember having to go back to my Battalion and training our Platoons on the material. I left Bragg shortly afterwards so I am not sure how much of the material actually sunk in with some of the troops.

Now, the majority of the military is looking pretty hard at LINEs training and a form of Jujitsu(sp). Just like anything else though, use what's useful and throw out the rest. In my opinion, there are techniques in that version of the manual that may not be that practical.