Gracie Jiu-Jitsu provides Airmen with non-lethal techniques

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Nicole Langley
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  After a grueling week-long course here Nov. 17 to 21, nearly 40 individuals became certified as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Combatives instructors. 

The 570th Global Mobility Readiness Squadron hosted the training session, which was taught by visiting instructors from the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance, Calif. 

In addition to the 570th GMRS, participants in the class included members from the 60th Air Mobility Wing, Airmen from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and other local, state and federal agencies. 

"The compliance techniques taught in this program give our Airmen other options besides using deadly force when responding to situations," explained Lt. Col. Craig Theisen, 570th GMRS commander. 

Grand Master Helio Gracie created Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the late 1920s after he realized that he was physically too frail to utilize the traditional Japanese techniques. The techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are based on precise timing and effective use of leverage so that virtually anyone can do it, regardless of size or athletic ability. 

His family has carried on this form of Jiu-Jitsu, and one of the instructors for the class on base was taught by his grandson, Rener. 

As one of the head instructors of the Gracie Academy, Rener teaches approximately 12 to 15 week-long instructor courses each year, primarily at military bases and police academies all over the world. 

And, he's not the only one in the family teaching these techniques to servicemembers. Rener's brother, Ryron, is currently in Baghdad teaching about 600 soldiers the Gracie Combatives techniques. 

The 570th GMRS decided to host this course because of their wing's unique quick-response mission, which could send them to places or situations where non-lethal options might be necessary. 

"We might be in a situation, providing humanitarian assistance," explained Colonel Theisen, "and may need to provide security or defend ourselves. In a case like that, we wouldn't necessarily want to use deadly force. In that type of situation, we could use these martial arts skills." 

These techniques are designed to tire out an adversary and force his compliance, the colonel continued. 

"This training also gives our security forces Airmen tools to do their job in non-shooting scenarios and builds their confidence," Master Sgt. Kenneth Collier, 570th GMRS, added. 

The participants in this course received training from the best. As the grandson of the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and the son of the creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Rener takes great pride in being a member of the Gracie family and teaching these techniques to military members and law enforcement personnel. 

"Regardless of athletic ability, man or woman, physical attributes - doesn't matter what you have or don't have, you can walk into our school and learn," said Rener. 

He also explained that the most rewarding part of his job is certifying instructors, then receiving word from them that one of their students actually used the techniques on the job, and that they worked and saved someone on the job. 

With a rapidly deployable mission to open forward airbases or provide humanitarian assistance worldwide, members of the 570th GMRS are now armed with non-lethal techniques when responding to threatening situations.