MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- All Marines have basic combat training, but many Marines improve their combat efficiency through hundreds of hours of conditioning and practice with the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
MCMAP provides Marines with different levels of combat-oriented movements, as well as physical, mental and moral discipline.
“MCMAP is important because the Marine Corps itself is known as a fighting force,” said Cpl. Joseph Hwang, an air traffic control Marine with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, who is currently training for a grey belt. “This kind of training only helps you out. It makes you a stronger Marine.”
The program operates on a belt system, which means Marines receive new belts with each level of training they complete. Marines receive a tan belt, the lowest level, in basic training. They can go on to receive grey, green, brown and six different “degrees,” or levels, of black belts.
“As a Marine, you should always strive for the next level,” said Hwang. “You don’t want to stay a [private first class] – you strive to get the next rank. It should be the same with everything you do. The more training and knowledge you have, the better.”
Each belt level consists of techniques in four areas which are rifle and bayonet, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity and unarmed combat. In addition, Marines must participate in combat conditioning exercises, sparring and pugil stick training. The amount of combat conditioning and sparring increases with each belt level.
“The purpose of MCMAP is to introduce students to inner-personal violence,” said Staff Sgt. Stephen Kephart, the assistant chief instructor at the Dojo, Instructional Training Company, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Basic MCMAP training includes angles of movements, break falls, upper and lower body strikes, chokes, counter to chokes, take downs and weapon strikes and blocks. Each belt builds on the techniques of the level before, making the movements more complex and fluent. Movements such as the basic wrist lock take down, become the foundation for moves like the basic wrist come along.
“MCMAP is great because an instructor can take someone who doesn’t know anything about martial arts, and by the end of the training they blossom into a fighter,” said Staff Sgt. Hibbard Keifert, the H&HS training staff noncommissioned officer in charge and a MCMAP instructor here.
When Marines test out, they have to perform five techniques from their current belt level and all moves from the belt level they are trying to attain. The Marines have to receive at least an 80 percent on their test to advance.
Marines must have 27.5 hours of training to receive their tan belts. Grey belts require seven hours of sustainment training, and 28 hours of grey belt training.
To test out for their green belts, Marines need 14 hours of sustainment training, and 29.15 hours of green belt training. Brown belts require 21 hours of sustainment and 34.4 hours of brown belt training. Marines must have 28 hours of sustainment and 24.5 hours of black belt training to attain black belts.
Achieving the next level of anything is the goal of most Marines, according to Hwang. By training with MCMAP, they can achieve a higher standard in their combat readiness. Being prepared for the future means having the ability to save Marines’ lives.
“You need to teach a Marine how to fight, not just pass a test,” said Keifert. “The Marine instructors basically take what the program requires and mold all of it into the Marine Corps mentality.”
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