FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Do you know what you would do in the event of an attack?
Instructors from the 10th Mountain Division (LI) Light Fighters School are teaching Soldiers, Civilians and Family Members exactly how to get away from potential attackers.
Master Sgt. Curtis Mosely, LFS combatives program noncommissioned officer in charge, is a brown belt and instructor in jiu-jitsu, as well as a Gracie Defense System certified instructor.
While he has been teaching self-defense classes at Fort Drum for the past year, Mosely completed the Gracie Defense System instructor certification last month, and he is excited to bring back what he's learned and share it with the community.
Staff Sgt. Catherine Duttine, LFS lead combatives trainer, serves as Mosely's assistant instructor during the class.
"I think it creates a good balance to have men and women in the class," Mosely said. "If it's just a man or just a woman, it's harder to visualize the dynamics of a potential attack. When we're both teaching, she can reinforce the skills we're teaching and I can interact with her."
Mosely noted that even though he is strong, Duttine can show the students how someone, regardless of their level of strength, can escape. Together, they teach students 15 leverage-based self-defense techniques that are based on the martial art of jiu-jitsu.
"The self-defense aspect of the training is so important to me," Mosely said. "I do combatives and I do jiu-jitsu. Jiu-jitsu is a self-defense art. Essentially, the students are learning jiu-jitsu and what it was originally intended for -- self-defense.
"Self-defense is a different mindset than combatives," he added. "You may see the same techniques, but I always emphasize that this is not a combatives class. That's why we're never in ACUs when we're teaching. In self-defense, we want you to get away. In combatives, you're closing the distance with the enemy."
Mosely and Duttine offered two two-hour Gracie Defense System seminars Oct. 8 where they were able to go more in depth into what the class offers.
Duttine said she enjoys teaching self-defense, and she is interested in finding out what her students hope to take away from the class. While many of the students were looking for another way to get some exercise or were curious about what the class had to offer, others were hoping to learn evasive protection techniques.
One of the best protective measures a person can take is to be attentive and aware of his or her surroundings, Duttine said. The inability to know what is going on could potentially make someone an easy target.
"We should be attentive and look around at our surroundings," she said. "How much time do you spend on your phone? When you're walking, are you paying attention or are you zoned into your phone? Little things like being attentive can make you more prepared."
Mosely added that predators look for easy targets and an opportunity to commit a crime. For example, it is much easier to abduct a person who is alone in a secluded area versus a public place.
While people cannot control who the potential predator is, they can control whether they are making themselves an easy target and whether they are giving a predator an opportunity to attack.
Lynnia Watkins took her daughter, Ella, 15, to the class last week.
"You have to be prepared as much as possible," she said, adding that she has taken her older daughters to similar training. "This class is about empowerment. If they do get attacked, they know what to do."
Another student, Ebony Porter, said she took the class to improve on what she learned from the last self-defense class she attended.
"I took one other class," she said. "This was more in-depth and there's more time to practice the techniques. The last one was just a one-hour class, so we didn't get to practice as much.
"I'm learning some new things today," Porter added. "It's important to know just for personal safety. (I) feel more comfortable knowing that (I) have the knowledge -- even a small amount of knowledge -- to help in the event that I'm attacked."
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