Travis Airmen learn the art of self-defense

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Lesley Waters
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Members of the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron completed the weeklong Krav Maga Worldwide instructor course Dec. 4 in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape building here.

Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces which emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques and realistic training scenarios.

"The goal of the Krav Maga Worldwide Training program is to get operators to a high level of readiness in a short period of time," said Jon Pascal, Krav Maga Worldwide force training division director. "Because the program is well integrated, common defensive principals apply to a variety hostile situations. This reduces the number of techniques the operator must learn and allows him to retain the training under high stress."

A key principle of Krav Maga is finishing a fight as quickly as possible and therefore all attacks are aimed toward the most vulnerable parts of the body.

"We take small teams out when we go, they must be as self-reliant as possible," said Master Sgt. Marc Slonecker, 571st MSAS training NCO in charge. "The ability to act is important, but more so is the ability to recognize when to act. That is what Krav Maga does for us; it helps our Airmen make those split second choices, against multiple attackers, in any given situation."

Krav Maga is the pinnacle of that type of training, especially when these small teams go on missions and cannot carry weapons with them.

"Since we are not allowed to carry weapons in (certain areas of) our area of responsibility, this training taught us how to take weapons from our attackers and use them against them," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Gaines, 571st MSAS vehicle maintenance air advisor.

Several MSAS Airmen are preparing themselves for their upcoming TDY to Central America which is the squadron's first mission since becoming a new unit within the 615th Contingency Response Wing. The MSAS, activated May 20, provides air mobility advisory and exchanging ideas in support of the Air Force goals of building partner capacity throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America.

This training is one of those ways to help the unit foster relationships with its partner nations.

"They (partner nations) often ask for just this type of course, now we have the ability to meet that request when it is presented to us," Slonecker said. "The expectation is to help partner nations grow their mobility forces capabilities and expertise so they are capable of responding in a time of crisis."