The
Marine Corps Martial Arts
Program (MCMAP) is
a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine
existing and new hand-to-hand and close quarters combat (CQC) techniques
with morale and team-building functions and instruction in what the Marine
Corps calls the "Warrior Ethos".The program, which began in 2001, trains
Marines (and U.S. Navy personnel attached to Marine Units) in unarmed
combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, and rifle and bayonet
techniques. It also stresses mental and character development, including the
responsible use of force, leadership, and teamwork.
MCMAP comes
from an evolution dating back to the creation of the Marine Corps, beginning
with the martial abilities of Marine boarding parties, who often had to rely
on bayonet and cutlass techniques.
During World War I these bayonet techniques were supplemented with unarmed
combat techniques, which often proved useful in trench warfare. Between the
world wars, Colonel Anthony J. Biddle began the creation of standardized
bayonet and close combat techniques based on boxing, wrestling, and fencing.
Also during this period, Captains W. M. Greene and Samuel B. Griffith
learned martial arts techniques from Chinese American Marines and brought
this knowledge to other Marines throughout the Marine Corps.
In 1956, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph
Hayward (captain of the judo team at MCRD) made Gunnery Sergeant Bill Miller
the new Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Hand-To-Hand Combat. Miller
was ordered to develop a new curriculum that a 110- or a 210-pound Marine
could use to quickly kill the enemy. Miller created the program from various
martial arts styles such as Okinawan karate, judo, and jujutsu. Every Marine
recruit that went through MCRD was instructed in Miller's Combat Curriculum.
This also included Special Operations Forces from all branches of the
military and civilian entities. Later in 2001, retired Gunnery Sergeant Bill
Miller was awarded the Black Belt Emeritus "for pioneering Martial Arts in
the United States Marine Corps."
Eventually these different techniques evolved into the LINE System in the
early 1980s. Later, the system was found to be lacking in flexibility and
techniques for use in situations that did not require lethal force, such as
peacekeeping operations. The Marine Corps began searching for a more
effective system. The result was the Marine Corps Close Combat training
Program implemented in 1997–1999. MCMAP was implemented as part of a
Commandant of the Marine Corps initiative in summer 2000. General Jones
assigned Lieutenant Colonel George Bristol and Master Gunnery Sergeant Cardo
Urso, with almost 70 years of martial arts experience between them, to
establish the MCMAP curriculum to be taught at the Martial Arts Center of
Excellence (MACE).
Belt System
The program uses an advancement system of colored belts similar to that of
most martial arts.
The techniques
used by MCMAP vary in degrees of lethality, allowing the user to select the
most appropriate (usually the least) amount of force. For example, a Marine
facing a nonviolent but noncompliant subject can use an unarmed restraint to
force compliance with minimal damage and pain. A more aggressive subject
could be met with a choke, hold, or a strike. Lethal force can be used on a
subject as a last resort. The majority of techniques can be defensive or
offensive in use, with or without a weapon; allowing Marines flexibility in
combat and operations other than war (such as civil control or humanitarian
missions, as well as self-defense). An instructor can augment the
circumstances of training to better fit the unit's mission, such as military
police practicing after being exposed to pepper spray.
The
different levels of belts are:
Tan belt,
the lowest color belt and conducted during entry level training, signifies
the basic understanding of the mental, physical, and character disciplines.
It is the minimum requirement of all Marines with a training time of 27.5
hours and has no prerequisites. Recruits receive these belts after
completion of a practical application test on all of the basic techniques of
the Tan Belt.
The tan
belt syllabus focuses on the development of the basics of armed and unarmed
combat. Students start with the Basic Warrior Stance and break-falls are
taught for safety, then move to:
basic punches, uppercuts, and hooks
basic upper-body strikes, including the eye gouge, hammer fists, and elbow
strikes
basic lower-body strikes, including kicks, knee strikes, and stomps
bayonet techniques
basic chokes and throws
counters to strikes, chokes, and holds
basic unarmed restraints and armed manipulations
basic knife techniques
basic weapons of opportunity
Students must prove proficiency with 80% of 50 techniques to pass and earn
their belt. The tan belt syllabus is part of The Basic School and recruit
training curriculum.
Gray belt
is the second belt attained after 39 hours of training. It signifies an
intermediate understanding of the basic disciplines. The prerequisites for
this belt are as follows: The Marine must complete the "Leading Marines"
course from the Marine Corps Institute, and most instructors will require a
report be completed on The Marine Raiders.
The gray belt syllabus expands on the basic techniques with:
intermediate bayonet techniques
intermediate upper-body strikes including knife-hands (karate chops) and
elbow strikes
intermediate lower-body strikes including kicks, knee strikes, and stomps
intermediate chokes and throws
counters to strikes, chokes, and holds
intermediate unarmed restraints and armed manipulations
intermediate knife techniques
basic ground fighting
basic nonlethal baton techniques
intermediate weapons of opportunity
Green belt
is the third belt, requiring 44 hours of training. This belt signifies
understanding of the intermediate fundamentals of the different disciplines.
This is the first belt level in which one can become an instructor, which
allows him or her to teach tan and grey belt techniques with the power to
award the appropriate belt. The prerequisites for this belt include a
recommendation from reporting senior, and to be an instructor requires the
Marine to be a Corporal or higher.
The Green belt technique shifts focus from defensive to offensive techniques
with:
intermediate bayonet techniques
muscle gouging
intermediate chokes and throws
counters to strikes
intermediate unarmed manipulation
intermediate ground fighting
intermediate nonlethal baton techniques
advanced weapons of opportunity
Brown Belt
is the fourth belt level requiring 56.5 hours of training. It introduces
Marines to the advanced fundamentals of each discipline. In addition, as
with green belts, they may be certified as MAIs and teach tan through green
techniques. Prerequisites for this belt include recommendation of reporting
senior, rank of Corporal or higher (able to waiver to LCpl), and appropriate
PMEs completed for rank (Such as Corporal's Course).
The Brown belt technique shifts focus from to advanced tecniques
advanced bayonet techniques
advanced ground fighting and chokes
advanced throws
unarmed vs. hand held weapons
firearm retention
firearm disarmament
advanced knife techniques
advanced nonlethal baton techniques.
Black
belt 1st degree is the highest belt color
and requires 62.5 hours of supervised training. It signifies knowledge of
the advanced fundamentals of the different disciplines. A 1st degree black
belt instructor may teach fundamentals from tan to brown belt and award the
appropriate belt. In addition, a black belt can become an
instructor-trainer, which authorizes them to teach and award all belts, as
well as teach and certify instructors. Prerequisites include recommendation
of reporting senior, rank of Sergeant or above, and appropriate level of PME
completed (such as Sergeant's Course.)
There are an additional 5 degrees of black belt, with several of the same
common prerequisites, including recommendation of reporting senior,
appropriate level of PME completed, must be a current MAI or MAIT. Black
belt 2nd degree to 6th degree signify that the holder is an authority in the
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. In addition to the above prerequisite,
each belt also has its own rank requirements.
Black belt 2nd degree requires the rank of Sgt or above.
Black belt 3rd degree requires the rank of SSgt or above.
Black belt 4th degree requires the rank of GySgt for enlisted and Major or
higher for officers.
Black belt 5th degree requires the rank of MSgt/1stSgt for enlisted and
Major or higher for officers.
Black belt 6th degree requires the rank of MGySgt/SgtMaj for enlisted and
LtCol or higher for officers.
Black Belt 1st Degree
advanced bayonet techniques
advanced chokes, holds, and throws
advanced ground fighting
basic counter firearm techniques
advanced upper-body strikes, including strikes and smashes
advanced knife techniques
pressure points
improvised weapons
Black Belt 2nd Degree
rifle vs. rifle
short weapon vs. rifle
unarmed vs. rifle
Because the belts are worn with the Marine's Utility Uniform, the complete
range of belt colors such as red, yellow or purple are excluded as a
practical consideration. Once a Marine obtains his gray belt, he can attend
an additional training course (such as those at the two Schools of Infantry)
to become a martial arts instructor (secondary MOS 0916, formerly 8551).
MCMAP instructors can train other Marines up to their current belt level,
and certify Marines at one level below their current belt level. A green
belt instructor can therefore certify others for tan and gray belts, a brown
belt instructor can certify tan, gray, and green, and so on. The instructor
status is signified by one vertical tan stripe on the MCMAP belt. A Marine
must have attended at least the Martial Arts Instructor (MAI) course to
advance beyond first degree black belt. The only one who can train a Marine
to be an instructor are black belt Martial Arts Instructor-Trainers (MAIT).
An MAIT's status is signified by a vertical red stripe on the MCMAP belt and
a secondary MOS of 0917 (formerly 8552). To become an MAIT, a Marine must
have already completed a local MAI course. The Marine then attends the MAIT
course at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence in Marine Corps Base
Quantico.
MCMAP techniques can be taught to other services and to foreign military
members, and belts awarded to those who complete the course.
