|
|
|
Soldiers regularly train in various martial arts and combatives in Harney and Gruber gyms while stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Some even compete in local matches or tournaments to test and refine their skills. Two of them; Capt. Meg Pittenger, from Munson Army Health Center, and Spc. Steve Null of 15th Military Police Brigade, competed in local mixed martial arts cage matches Dec. 2 at Harrah’s in Kansas City Mo.
Pittenger fought hard in her MMA debut loss and went all three rounds of a very close match. Null also went the full distance of a close fight earning a local title belt with his victory. Both are graduates of the Modern Army Combatives Program at Fort Leavenworth.
Pittenger recently completed the MACP level II instructor course and holds a black belt in taekwondo. She competed in sport taekwondo at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and at the U.S. Open.
“Taekwondo competition has always been a part of my life but I wasn’t really looking to compete in MMA,” Pittenger said. “However, the support that I’ve found from several individuals while training for this fight makes me love MMA as much as my 15 years of taekwondo. Both Master Sgt. Pete Feider and Justin White are extraordinarily motivating instructors.”
Null is a MACP level III instructor and ju-jitsu brown belt. He has competed in previous All-Army combatives tournaments along with several local MMA matches.
“Fort Leavenworth has provided me with excellent opportunities to train,” Null said. “I already had a boxing background before attending Army combatives, then I improved my skills further by learning advanced ju-jitsu from Capt. Joe Proctor while he was at Fort Leavenworth.”
In addition to MACP training, both Soldiers are members of the G.I. Ju-Jitsu club on Fort Leavenworth coached by Feider of Munson Army Health Center.
“I enjoy volunteering my time to help train our Soldiers with ground fighting, grappling and submission skills,” said Feider, a MACP level IV instructor and ju-jitsu black belt. “MACP is based on the Gracie system so it’s easy to learn but takes practice to master.”
Feider also coaches the Fort Leavenworth combatives team for Armywide competition.
To prepare for their local MMA matches, both Soldiers solicited the help of White, a local MMA subject matter expert. White, a ju-jitsu black belt, fought professionally in MMA for four years and runs Mad Science MMA, which offers various MMA classes on post through Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. In addition, he volunteers his time for the Fort Leavenworth combatives program to help train Soldiers with striking and submissions.
“The Army gives our Soldiers a base of knowledge necessary to fight but those individuals who soar above by training in combatives and MMA are the top warriors who you certainly want to be with during combat situations,” White said.
Sgt. Maj. Alan M. Gibson, from the Center for Army Leadership, serves as the combatives program senior advisor.
“These individuals demonstrated warrior ethos with the MMA experience in addition to combatives training,” Gibson said. “It helps them become better Soldiers and inculcates a warrior spirit for others to follow.”
For more information on the Army combatives program, contact Feider at peter.j.feider@us.army.mil, and for more information on MMA training through FMWR, contact White at madscienceMMA@hot-mail.com or call (651) 230-4762.
Soldiers regularly train in various martial arts and combatives in Harney and Gruber gyms while stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Some even compete in local matches or tournaments to test and refine their skills. Two of them; Capt. Meg Pittenger, from Munson Army Health Center, and Spc. Steve Null of 15th Military Police Brigade, competed in local mixed martial arts cage matches Dec. 2 at Harrah’s in Kansas City Mo.
Pittenger fought hard in her MMA debut loss and went all three rounds of a very close match. Null also went the full distance of a close fight earning a local title belt with his victory. Both are graduates of the Modern Army Combatives Program at Fort Leavenworth.
Pittenger recently completed the MACP level II instructor course and holds a black belt in taekwondo. She competed in sport taekwondo at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and at the U.S. Open.
“Taekwondo competition has always been a part of my life but I wasn’t really looking to compete in MMA,” Pittenger said. “However, the support that I’ve found from several individuals while training for this fight makes me love MMA as much as my 15 years of taekwondo. Both Master Sgt. Pete Feider and Justin White are extraordinarily motivating instructors.”
Null is a MACP level III instructor and ju-jitsu brown belt. He has competed in previous All-Army combatives tournaments along with several local MMA matches.
“Fort Leavenworth has provided me with excellent opportunities to train,” Null said. “I already had a boxing background before attending Army combatives, then I improved my skills further by learning advanced ju-jitsu from Capt. Joe Proctor while he was at Fort Leavenworth.”
In addition to MACP training, both Soldiers are members of the G.I. Ju-Jitsu club on Fort Leavenworth coached by Feider of Munson Army Health Center.
“I enjoy volunteering my time to help train our Soldiers with ground fighting, grappling and submission skills,” said Feider, a MACP level IV instructor and ju-jitsu black belt. “MACP is based on the Gracie system so it’s easy to learn but takes practice to master.”
Feider also coaches the Fort Leavenworth combatives team for Armywide competition.
To prepare for their local MMA matches, both Soldiers solicited the help of White, a local MMA subject matter expert. White, a ju-jitsu black belt, fought professionally in MMA for four years and runs Mad Science MMA, which offers various MMA classes on post through Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. In addition, he volunteers his time for the Fort Leavenworth combatives program to help train Soldiers with striking and submissions.
“The Army gives our Soldiers a base of knowledge necessary to fight but those individuals who soar above by training in combatives and MMA are the top warriors who you certainly want to be with during combat situations,” White said.
Sgt. Maj. Alan M. Gibson, from the Center for Army Leadership, serves as the combatives program senior advisor.
“These individuals demonstrated warrior ethos with the MMA experience in addition to combatives training,” Gibson said. “It helps them become better Soldiers and inculcates a warrior spirit for others to follow.”
For more information on the Army combatives program, contact Feider at peter.j.feider@us.army.mil, and for more information on MMA training through FMWR, contact White at madscienceMMA@hot-mail.com or call (651) 230-4762.
