San Diego, Calif. -- Recruits must pass a variety of important tests while aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in order to earn the title Marine.
Company I came one step closer to that title May 23 by completing their Marine Corps Martial Arts Program tan belt test. This consisted of a combination of MCMAP skills they had learned over the past seven weeks prior to the test.
“Marines I know have had to use these basic moves to take down an enemy,” said Sgt. Michael Birch, drill instructor, Platoon 3214, Co. I, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion.
Though tan belt consist of the basic fundamentals of MCMAP, recruits may find themselves resorting to the basics. Recruits can’t advance if they don’t know the fundamentals, said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Carter, Martial Arts Instructor, Satellite School of Martial Arts, Support Battalion.
There are six stations for the final tan belt test. At each station a drill instructor grades the recruits based on proper form and effectiveness of each technique. If a recruit isn’t able to remember a move they fail that portion. To help ensure recruits can remember and properly demonstrate the moves, drill instructors remediate the moves constantly throughout recruit training.
“We have reviewed the moves multiple times during downtime,” said Recruit Alex Schnell, Plt. 3210, Co. I, 3rd RTBn. “Our senior drill instructor helped us last night by going over the moves we weren’t sure of.”
The stations consist of falls, punches, bayonet techniques, upper and lower body strikes, chokes, throws and much more. Many recruits have the most trouble with leg sweeps and the falls.
“A lot of recruits seem to be scared of falling, so they end up messing up the falls,” said Birch.
By the end of the 12-weeks, recruits have a good understanding of tan belt moves. This will ensure they are prepared if they ever encounter a close-combat situation. To become more prepared for combat, Marines advance belts once they reach their duty station. There are five different MCMAP belts Marines can achieve.
Now that Co. I has earned their tan belts and many other obstacles they will be graduating from the depot May 15.