Guardsmen to grapple in 2012 Combatives Tournament Feb. 25

Competitors battle it out during the inaugural, 2011 Missouri National Guard Combatives Tournament in Springfield. The second annual tournament will take place Feb. 25 at the St. Charles Family Arena in St. Charles. (National Guard file photo)

By Bill Phelan
ngmo.pao@us.army.mil

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The second annual Missouri National Guard 2012 Combatives Tournament is coming to the St. Charles Family Arena on Feb. 25 with competition slated to begin at 8 a.m.

The event will feature at least 42 soldiers and airmen of the Missouri National Guard and it is free and open to the public.

Combatives is a form of hand to hand self defense that all Army Soldiers are schooled in during basic training.

"The combatives program has been around since the early 1990s," explained Master Sgt. Richard J. Burns, of Nixa, a tournament organizer and first sergeant of the 1438th Engineer Company in Macon. "It was started by the Army Rangers and is now a requirement for all soldiers as a part of basic training. Under the standard rules there is no striking; it's more grappling on the mat."

The tournament is open to both men and women in eight weight classes. Winners in each class at the state level will be eligible to compete in the national All Guard Combatives Tournament at Fort Benning, Ga. March 16-19.

And while the competition is admittedly a lot of fun for the participants and spectators alike, Burns points out that there is a more practical military benefit as well.

"Guardsmen involved in combatives are more physically fit," he said. "And allowing the guardsmen to compete one on one with their peers gives them valuable fight experience that they can use if they ever have to defend themselves."

An interest in martial arts drew Sgt. 1st Class Evenson Turner to the combatives program. The 34-year-old Florissant resident serves as a liaison officer for the 70th Troop Command at Jefferson Barracks. He took his first combatives course in September.

"This will be my first combatives tournament," Turner said with a measure of apprehension. "I never wrestled in high school or did any mat work so this will be quite the experience to add to my repertoire."

Turner will compete in the Cruiser Weight Division for men, 170-185 pounds.

"I've been practicing three days a week with two other soldiers, rolling around on the mats, going through some moves and working out," he said.

Also new to combatives and participating in his first tournament will be Lt. Col. Thomas R. Bischoff, of Oakville, a communications officer with the 157th Air Operations Group at Jefferson Barracks.

At 42, Bischoff knows he is one of the oldest competitors.

"I'm going into this probably not as qualified as the rest of the competitors but I'm going to give it my best and have fun doing it," he said. "And it's not about strength so much as it is about technique and your level of skill. I've seen really muscle-bound guys run out of gas and tap out."

Bischoff got hooked on combatives during a deployment to Iraq last year with Army Special Forces.

"Combatives was mandatory for the Special Forces but being in the Air Force I felt I needed to participate to be a part of the team," Bischoff said. "Turns out it was interesting, challenging and rewarding."

Still, Bischoff never thought he would compete in a combatives tournament.

"Absolutely not, negative," Bischoff said smiling. "But once I found out about the combatives tournament it took me back to my deployment and I said to myself, 'I have to do this.'"

Weigh-ins for the 2012 Combatives Tournament will take place Friday, Feb. 24 beginning at noon. Competition will take place throughout the day Feb. 25 with an awards ceremony slated for Feb. 26 at 9 a.m.

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