Air Force Air and Space Basic Course faculty, staff and students observe instructors demonstrating Air Force combative skills following the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Expeditionary Training Complex May 1. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jamie Pitcher)

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Capt. Michael Thompson, 37th Student Squadron Air and Space Basic Course, demonstrates Air Force combatives training with a fellow instructor at the new Expeditionary Training Complex following the ribbon-cutting ceremony May 1. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jamie Pitcher)

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Col. Stephen Tanous, Squadron Officer College commandant, and 1st Lt. Kristen Jones, the youngest course instructor at the Air and Space Basic Course, cut the ribbon at the opening for the new Expeditionary Training Complex May 1. An Air Force combatives performance was conducted by ASBC instructors and students following the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jamie Pitcher)

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ASBC adds combatives facility; Combat skills for new officers

Published May 6, 2009
By Capt. Jennifer Lovett
LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Arms and legs flailed and thrashed in grappling and arm bars as instructors and students demonstrated self-defense tactics for a grand opening ceremony May 1 at the new Expeditionary Training Center here. Combatives are now part of the new warrior-ethos curriculum being developed and integrated into Air University's Air and Space Basic Course.

"Launched in January 2008, the Air Force combatives program is a 10-hour course that teaches basic ground-fighting techniques, arm bars and chokeholds," said Lt. Col. Mark Ramsey, 37th Student Squadron commander and demo instructor. "Based on the popular modern Army combatives program, it focuses on defensive and evasive maneuvers to fend off and subdue an attacker because the enemy is not trying to pin you; he is trying to kill you."

ASBC currently teaches its instructors to be two levels more qualified than their students in combatives.

"We've brought in 15 enlisted experts to train our instructors in nearly 40 hours of intensive combatives and other expeditionary skills training," said Col. Mark Simon, ASBC commandant. "Their training should be complete by July and student training should begin in the fall. We are here to produce warriors."

Along with combatives, ASBC is bringing combat skills to more than 3,600 new officers annually so that when they return to their first duty assignments, they are mobility ready.

"We are fulfilling a chief of staff special interest item to imprint a more robust warfighting ethos in today's junior officers," said Lt. Col. Tony Moninski, Squadron Officer College director of transformation. "It's a tiered approach; we've already incorporated small-unit tactics, integrated base defense and land navigation into the course in an expeditionary location."

Currently the students "deploy" to the Blue Thunder tent city on Maxwell for expeditionary training but upgrades to the Vigilant Warrior mock deployment location will allow the school to deploy students to that site 45 minutes north of Montgomery beginning in June.
This CSAF initiative was allocated $24 million for a combat arms facility and upgrades to the Vigilant Warrior site.

"Our graduates are better equipped to meet the global security threats they will likely face in the future," he said. "They will gain crucial experience in wing-level readiness operations, enhancing their home-station and deployed value."

This new combat skills curriculum is geared to preparing officers for handling their wartime leadership roles.

"All in all, ASBC will furnish commanders with junior officers who are full-up rounds, motivated and ready to face today's challenges," said Colonel Moninski.

The goal of ASBC retool is to provide Airmen throughout the Air Force with a foundation of fighting skills and confidence in their abilities on the battlefield.