RELEASE NUMBER: 141218-01
DATE POSTED: DECEMBER 18, 2014
10th SFG (A) Soldier places in tournament
by Sgt. 1st Class Jacob McDonald
Headquarters, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs
FORT CARSON, Colo. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 18, 2014) - Fort Carson Soldiers took second, third and fourth place in their weight divisions at the first All-Armed Forces Combatives Tournament held at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 10-13.
First Lt. Victor McCullough, assistant logistics officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, took second place in the 185-pound weight class, due to referee stoppage in the last 20 seconds of the third round. Sgt. Ivy Barton, combatives NCO in charge, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, placed third in the 205-pound category, and Sgt. 1st Class William Smith, General Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), placed fourth in the heavyweight category.
Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Pretat, combatives NCO in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, helped coordinate the team and also competed at the tournament.
“In the three weeks we had to comprise the team, we did really well,” Pretat said. “Every fighter fought a weight class up; we didn’t have time to cut weight. While we didn’t have a full team, as individuals, everybody did good. I think we would have had a chance to take it if we had a full team.”
McCullough, who has been training in jiujitsu since the age of 13, practiced with the 4th Infantry Division Modern Army Combatives Program for three weeks prior to the tournament. He said he was grateful to Lt. Col. Michael Mineni, commander, and Capt. Jacob Haag, supply officer, both with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, for giving him time to train.
All military branches were invited to send competitors to the event. The tournament allowed participants to showcase their combatives skills and earn boasting privileges.
“These Soldiers put a lot of their time and effort into their training,” said Master Sgt. Maltise Jones, Fort Bragg Combatives School NCO in charge and one of the coordinators of the tournament. “There is nothing more rewarding than finishing something as strenuous and arduous as a combatives class.”
Participants competed using the Army’s set of rules and guidelines to ensure that the fighters used appropriate combatives techniques. The Modern Army Combatives Program started in 1995 with the 2nd Ranger Battalion and has spread at the grass roots level around the Army.
The Fort Carson Combatives team holds training 6-8 a.m. for those interested in signing up. The combatives fight house is located in building 2161, and the team can be reached at 526-4635 for more information.