Browsing: MCMAP

Today, our friend and fellow military blogger Phil Creed posted a great story about the re-emergence of mixed martial artist and former Marine Sgt. George “Loaded” Lockhart. Regular readers of Marine Corps Times will recognize that name. Lockhart was the subject of a cover story two years ago after the Marine Corps told him he could not accept Spike TV’s invitation to appear on “The Ultimate Fighter,” a reality show for up-and-coming MMA pros seeking a shot at UFC stardom. At the time, commanders in Quantico worried that Lockhart’s participation could reflect poorly on the institution, as some of the…

UFC-style competition will likely be rolled out Corps-wide within a year, according to Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent. While Kent was clear that the final decision rests with the commandant, Marine officials are already in detailed meetings to discuss how an Army Combatives-style tournament system could be rolled out. Early this year, Kent sent Sgt. Maj. Howard Long, the senior enlisted Marines at Training and Education Command at Quantico, Va., on a fact finding mission that took him to the U.S. Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Ga. There the Army’s master trainer, Sgt. 1st Class Jason…

Sgt. George “Loaded” Lockhart, one of the Marine Corps’ top martial arts instructors, has said he plans to open a gym this summer with rising UFC star Brian Stann. Lockhart, who is set to leave the Marine Corps in July, said he and Stann, a former Marine captain and Silver Star recipient, hope to co-manage the gym in Alpharetta, Ga., near Atlanta. The two of them are both quickly earning names for themselves in the UFC — Stann as the underdog fighter who crushed Chris Leben in a New Year’s Day victory and Lockhart as a diet guru who helps…

Less training hours, more safety rules, new testing on values and stricter injury reporting criteria. These are just some of the details contained in this week’s Marine Corps Times on the new rules for the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. All Marines will still be required to have a tan belt, the lowest belt on the five-belt MCMAP system, but Marines wishing to move up can do so more quickly as the requirement for training hours has been significantly reduced. It’s all in the chart on page 20. If a Marine gets hurt beyond reason, not only will the injury…

In this week’s print edition Deputy News Editor James K. Sanborn gives readers and overview of one gunnery sergeant’s innovative plan to overhaul the Marine Corps Martial Arts program by bringing mixed martial arts competition to bases and incorporating MCMAP into existing required career courses. Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Carter, a battle-hardened 3rd-degree martial arts instructor trainer based at Quantico, Va., says MMA competition, long shunned by Marine leadership, would give Marines a positive outlet to stay sharp and build morale by competing against each other and even soldiers. “That would be as good as Army-Navy football,” he said. He laid…

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