Army National Guard Soldiers Compete in Hand-to-Hand Combat At Camp Smith Saturday

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New York Army Natonal Guard Soldiers conducting combatives training in May at Camp Smith Training Site.

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE , NY (07/25/2013)(readMedia)-- Eighteen members of the New York Army National Guard will face off in a hand-to-hand combat competition at Camp Smith Training Site on Saturday, July 28.

Members of the press are invited to cover this unique military competition.

WHO: Eighteen New York Army National Guard Soldiers –16 men and two women-from units located across New York.

WHAT: The New York Army National Guard Combatives Tournament sponsored by the 106th Regional Training Institute at Camp Smith Training Site. The 106th RTI, which runs a variety of military schools for the Army National Guard, conducts a combatives instructor training course for National Guard Soldiers.

WHEN: 9:30 to noon on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (Competition runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. but the most activity will happen in the late morning.)

WHERE: Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, NY.

Coverage Opportunities

Members of the press will have an opportunity to interview participants in the combatives competition as well as event organizers. Imagery opportunities will include the hand-to-hand combat events.

For access to this secure military installation and the event members of the media must contact Sgt.1st Class Eduardo Hernandez, the event Non Commissioned Officer in Charge at 718-213-1517.

Background:

The 21st Century Army National Guard may fight with tanks, armored fighting vehicles, missiles, and helicopters, but experience in Afghanistan and Iraq has shown that Soldiers still need to know how to defeat an enemy in hand-to-hand combat or control an angry civilian without using a weapon.

The Modern Army Combatives Program teaches Soldiers how to respond to physical aggression using a variety of techniques borrowed from Jiu-Jitsu and Greco-Roman wrestling. Soldiers learn how to respond with and without a weapon. The New York Army National Guard's combative program is designed to teach Soldiers basic self-defense, improve Soldier confidence, and engender warrior spirit.

The 106th Regional Training Institute conducts Level I and Level II combatives training to teach Soldiers who can then pass on their skills to Soldiers in their home units.

The goal of the combatives competiton is to build interest in this basic military skill and identify Soldiers who can compete in Army wide competitions.