FORT HOOD, Texas-- As day two of the 2012 U.S. Army Combatives Championship kicked off, a chorus of slaps, smacks and cheers echoed off the walls as competitors took to the mats at the Abrams Physical Fitness Center July 27.
Sixty-four Soldiers and Airmen representing posts all across the world competed in the semi-finals. The semi-finals consisted of eight weight classes, ranging from bantamweight to heavyweight.
2nd. Lt. Nick Shafer, of 69th Air Defense Artillery, 1-44 Air Missile Defense, Fort Hood, and a finalist in the welterweight class said he is excited to be representing Fort Hood.
"I come from a wrestling background, so my plan is to use my wrestling defensively and try to keep the fight off the mats," Shafer said. "I'm going to take the match as it goes. The coaches are real good at getting us ready for everything so I am pretty confident."
Coach, fighter and noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the 82nd Airborne Division combatives program, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Yurk, Fort Bragg, N.C., said the fights themselves are great preparation for competitors to be better Soldiers, officers and NCOs.
"Combatives is really a great thing," Yurk said. "Combatives is an excellent equalizer. It doesn't matter what job you have, whether you're male, female, tall, short, super skinny, or heavier set. Every single person that goes through combatives, whether it's a tournament or the Army training program, is given that choice of 'do I close the distance and get to the objective?' In the end that's what combatives is. It's the embodiment of the Warrior Ethos: the willingness and ability to close the distance with the enemy."
Yurk said his teammates have trained very hard for this tournament, and he's very proud of them and all they have had to give up.
"You don't think about all the things that go into getting to these competitions," Yurk said. "There's a lot, not just the training or getting beat up and the risk of injuries, but also being away from family, from your own unit. Everyone has worked very hard to be here this week."
Spc. Antonesia Giles-Green, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colo., came off two months of temporary duty and began training right away to be able to compete.
"I trained two to three times a day with cardio, working out and grappling/fighting to work on moves," Giles-Green said. "I had a supportive unit that made it possible."
Giles-Green was not unfamiliar with the rigorous training that came with competing.
"Last year, I came here and I thought I was pretty hot stuff," she said. "I thought I was going to do something and I didn't. I lost both rounds. So I told myself I have to get my head on straight. I got my weight down and I just wanted to do a lot better than I did last year and I did."
Giles-Green said when it came to fighting against the guys, she enjoyed it.
"Whether it's a man or a woman, I'm going to go out there and give it my all," she said. "It's a personality trait. Whether you have ovaries or testes, I'm going to go out there and fight. It was hard, but it gives me a boost when the female is beating up on the guy. I can't help it; it's fun."
Although she didn't move onto the finals, Giles-Green finished in the top five of her weight class and was already determined to be back next year.
"It took me two years to get as far as I did," Giles-Green said. "Obviously the first year is always going to be a shocker and a training round. Don't get discouraged. Go out and get the experience, learn from it and go back for another round. I'll be back. I never quit."
Fort Carson is sending three Soldiers into the final round. Along with Fort Bragg, Fort Carson troops will face off against Soldiers from Fort Sill, the Minnesota National Guard, Fort Stewart, 5th Special Forces Group, Korea, Fort Drum and Fort Hood.
The championship round is July 28. It begins at 4 p.m. CST and will be broadcast live online at http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/2515#.UBLzfdnTcSE.
CURRENT TEAM STANDINGS
Fort Stewart (367)
Fort Hood (346)
Minnesota National Guard (310)
Fort Bragg (309)
Fort Carson (300)
5th Special Forces Group (297)
Fort Sill (218)
Fort Leonard Wood (217)
Fort Lewis (212)
Fort Riley (185)
FINALS FIGHTERS
Bantamweight
Championship Fight: SFC Jonathan Mejil (Fort Sill) vs. SPC Sean Stebbins (Minnesota National Guard)
3rd Place Fight: SPC Larry Jackson (Fort Hood) vs. SGT Robert Mitchell (Fort Bragg)
Flyweight
Championship Fight: SSG Francisco Mercado (Fort Bragg) vs. SFC William Haggerty (Fort Bragg)
3rd Place Fight: SSG Aaron Riley (Fort Hood) vs. PFC Joshua Young (Fort Stewart)
Lightweight
Championship Fight: SSG Glenn Garrison (Fort Carson) vs. SSG Shane Lees (Fort Hood)
3rd Place Fight: SGT Jesse Hertzog (Fort Bragg) vs. SPC Blaze Schubert (Fort Campbell)
Welterweight
Championship Fight: 2LT Nick Shafer (Fort Hood) vs. 1LT Matthew Kyler (Fort Carson)
3rd Place Fight: SGT Philip Platt (Fort Hood) vs. SPC Hobert Wilmotf (5th Special Forces Group)
Middleweight
Championship Fight: PFC Vincent Fairbairn (Fort Stewart) vs. CPT Jon Anderson (Fort Carson)
3rd Place Fight: Tech Sgt. Christopher Davis (Joint Base Lewis McChord) vs. CPT Jason Norwood (Fort Hood)
Cruiserweight
Championship Fight: 1LT Daniel Midgett (5th Special Forces Group) vs. SSG Ashten Richardson (Korea)
3rd Place Fight: SSG Andrew McLauchlan (Fort Stewart) vs. SSG Patrick Miller (Fort Benning)
Light Heavyweight
Championship Fight: SFC James Stelly (5th Special Forces Group) vs. SPC Carlie Williams (Fort Drum)
3rd Place Fight: SPC Julio De la Cruz (Fort Leonard Wood) vs. SGT Jose Espinosa (Fort Hood)
Heavyweight
Championship Fight: SGT Jason Reyes (Fort Hood) vs. SPC Nathaniel Freeman (Fort Stewart)
3rd Place Fight: SSG Lonnie Kincaid (Fort Riley) vs. SFC William Smith (Fort Carson)
Related Links:
Army Combatives Championship kicks off, III Corps to defend title
Warriors worldwide come to Fort Hood for combatives championship
B-Roll and High-Resolution photos
WATCH LIVE: starting at 4 p.m. CST, July 28
CSF-PREP works with III Corps Combatives Team on mental training
2012 Army Combatives Championship
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