NCHB-1 Sailors Teach Marine Corps Martial Arts Program at Cheatham Annex

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1 established their own, unit-based, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) to be able to qualify their Sailors already enrolled in MCMAP.

Training started March 25, at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Cheatham Annex, when 12 students began the entry level class for the rank of Tan Belt.

"With our four Martial Arts Instructors (MAIs), we started our very own program and plan to qualify our Sailors in MCMAP through Brown Belt," said NCHB-1 Command Master Chief Michael Lopez.

MCMAP is a battlefield oriented fighting program employed by the U. S. Marine Corps for close-quarter engagements and evolved into its present day form by combining the best combat-tested martial arts skills and time-honored close combat training techniques - composed of three disciplines; mental, character and physical. The course consists of a belt ranking system with five basic levels - tan, gray, green, brown and black being the highest belt.

Sailors enrolled via special requests and were screened for current training qualifications, medical clearance, and passing the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA). Training sessions occur three times a week and members train the required number of hours for each level including a practical test of where they demonstrate the martial arts techniques they've learned.

"Our program was actually conceived during a casual conversation between Lopez and Army 1st Sgt. Paul Agan, and Sgt. Devon Fischer, a Black Belt (2nd degree) instructor trainer of MCMAP of Bravo FAST (Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team) Company. With their collaboration, 16 volunteers from our command participated in their program last August," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Brian Chung, martial arts instructor at NCHB-1. "After advancing to Tan and Gray Belt levels in November, four of us were selected by the command to attend the Instructor Trainer course."

The instructor course consisted of three rigorous weeks of training administered by lead instructor, Fischer and his team. It included daily combat conditioning training, martial arts integration drills, sparring sessions, technique sustainment exercises and training from guest martial arts instructors who specialize in different disciplines.

"This course was undoubtedly valuable for the content of its training but also, more distinctly, for its joint service integration," said Chung.

"At NCHB-1, we pursue excellence in everything that we endeavor to do, and the MCMAP is another tool that assists us in being a great command," said Cmdr. Joseph Davis, commanding officer of NCHB-1.

"This program will supplement our mission readiness as part of the Expeditionary community," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Michael Martin, martial arts instructor at NCHB-1. "We offer more diversity in physical training to enhance and promote physical fitness, discipline and teamwork."

"The objective of our MCMAP course is to not only increase command readiness by improving physical conditioning, but to also provide exposure to a program that very few sailors get to experience," said Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Sean McWhirter, martial arts instructor at NCHB-1. "The Marines at Bravo FAST Company provided us with a great and rare opportunity to attend the MAI course. We will uphold the integrity of the program by training and holding everyone to the standards that the Marines set upon us."

NCHB-1 is the active duty, rapid deployable unit of Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG). NAVELSG delivers expeditionary logistics capabilities with mobilization-ready Navy Reserve Forces and active duty Sailors. NAVELSG provides a wide-range of supply and transportation functions critical for peacekeeping, crisis response, humanitarian, and combat service support missions. NAVELSG is part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, a global force provider of adaptive force packages of expeditionary capabilities to joint warfighting commanders.

For more news from Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, visit www.navy.mil/local/nelsf/ .