National Guard Soldiers assigned to the United States Property and Fiscal Office for North Carolina (USPFO-NC) participated in Army Combatives during their annual training event in April at the Camp Butner Training Center in Stem, North Carolina.
The USPFO-NC revisited and trained on many of the Army’s Warrior Tasks as part of Operation Balanced Soldier.
The training included Combatives Level I and Level II taught by Army SGT Luis Piris-Santiago, and a combat urban assault and defense class taught by David Loftis, an instructor with Karate USA in Hillsborough, North Carolina.
SGT Piris-Santiago, who is a noncommissioned officer in the data processing information technology office assigned to the USPFO-NC, taught four essential moves Soldiers can use on possible aggressors. SGT Piris-Santiago began by teaching grappling techniques such as the rear mount with opposing thumb grip. He concluded by instructing on how to utilize the full mount, full guard and side control. The techniques taught in the class focused on body control and how to properly overcome possible attackers.
“We learned a lot of great moves, a lot of great techniques on the battlefield as far as close encounter,” said SFC Miranda Werner, a logistics noncommissioned officer assigned to the USPFO-NC. “It was really great training.”
Loftis’ class included a variety of defense techniques such as blocking, kicking, punching, strangulation and weapons defense.
“I know knowledge is power, so I want to equip them with a better way of defending themselves, getting out quickly and avoiding a really bad situation,” Loftis said. “Basically, trying to arm them with knowledge so they can survive more situations with a higher percentage of success.”
Karate USA volunteered the instruction time used to offer the North Carolina Guard Soldiers a mixed training environment and help them enhance their skills.
By PFC Hannah Tarkelly, North Carolina National Guard
