ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- The Rock Island Arsenal Modern Army Combatives Program instructor has more on his mind than training Soldiers. He's also teaching women self-defense.
Sgt. 1st Class David Stephenson, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, and his wife, Lori, led a three-hour seminar at the Rock Island Arsenal Fitness Center, Feb. 7, where they taught six women techniques to defend themselves against an attacker.
"The first step in self-defense is awareness," said Stephenson. "Knowing your surroundings is the first line of defense, but if a person is not confident, or doesn't look confident, they can become a target."
Tracy Smyser, a Quad Cities real estate agent, said her job puts her at risk for attacks.
"I'm really interested in self-defense because we are vulnerable as realtors," Smyser said. "There are always clients behind me, or my hands are full. We drive people around in our cars that we don't know that well. We enter vacant houses."
Stephenson said that he was approached by several people asking for a self-defense class after they saw him instructing combatives for Soldiers at the fitness center.
"I've always wanted to take a self-defense class," said Ann Bonis, Army Contracting Command -- Rock Island. "It's something beneficial to have as a woman. I've seen the combatives training and knowing he (Stephenson) would be teaching this, I wanted to participate."
"The most important thing for people to know when it comes to self-defense is that not all situations are the same," said Stephenson. "The classes I teach are a way and another technique that can be used to divert or provide the ability to get away without incident."
Stephenson said that he is working with the fitness center to set up more self-defense courses at RIA.
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