CloakAndDagger wrote:
Another combat concern is what changes when you put on a combat boots, a 30 lb. protective vest, a 7 lb. helmet, 3+ liters of water, 210+ rounds of ammo, a 5 lb. protective (gas) mask hanging off one side, and at least a small rucksack with more ammo and your food for the day (quite possibly much, much more...especially if you get stuck with the radio). Oh, and a 5-20 pound weapon (firearm for civvies) that you may not get to fire if Haji Raghead jumps you from behind some form of concealment. (Did I get this about right, Rangers?)
A last concern is the barroom brawl scenario...many servicemembers like to drink, and sometimes they get bored of their military installations and like to go outside, and sometimes, at the places they visit, there are shithead angry drunks who don't like service members...get the idea?
To summarize: master of this art vs. master of that art is not our primary concern. Training soldiers how to fight is.
That brings up a question.
I've had this discussion with my bro, and with some others, and while Combatives as it is I think is an excellent tool, there is the point that it does have some weaknesses.
I've only been through the Level I course, and I only know what was mentioned to us that in Level II you learn more standup positions with strikes and the like, and Level III you learn more of the same plus how to fight with a weapon (stickfighting, using a knife and a rifle).
But shouldn't we also include training in full battle rattle? And learn how to use what we have on us as weapons if possible? It would make the training more realistic than fighting in just BDUs....or ACUs now?...and shoes/boots only. A hard headbutt with a kevlar to the head for example would probably buy you some time in a combat situation where they got the drop on you to draw up another weapon, achieve a dominant position, or break free and get clear. Or would it?
I just don't know how you could train that way in a training environment that is safe enough yet closer to potential realistic combat situations.
Lemme know if I'm off base in my thinking in any way.