MCMAP Mandatory Training Mega Thread

[SuperStallionIP]

There is always the time factor for advancement to another belt. If it is going to be done right, time needs to be put in to legitimately become proficient in each belt. Time is something that is hard to come by as a junior company grade in a squadron. As a field grade, it is next to impossible to find, for all the previously mentioned reasons in this discussion. Visions without resources equate to hallucinations.

 

[Col Angus]

First, in America, we spell the color as "grAy," not "grEy." Are you all on some exchange program from the British Commonwealth?

The Brit in my squadron makes me spell grey this way. In turn he started pronouncing "schedule" correctly.

 

[Crowbar]

With ZBone's approval I added a poll to his thread. All posts were copied from the original thread. You can pick multiple options which I hope are self-explanatory.

If you aren't a Marine, don't be an idiot and vote trying to be cute.

 

[Herc_Dude]

I'm not used to these fancy multiple choice polls (plus my reading comprehension is questionable at best) - I plan to move up as well.

 

[Crowbar]

I'm not used to these fancy multiple choice polls (plus my reading comprehension is questionable at best) - I plan to move up as well.

Your name doesn't show up but I bumped up the vote count by one for you.

 

[sonicboom]

Is there anything like this in the Navy? What kind of self defense training to sailors/officers receive? I wanna learn to kill too!

 

[usmarinemike]

That giant friggin' cover emblem of theirs doubles as a ninja throwing star. Game over.

 

[BigRed389]

Is there anything like this in the Navy? What kind of self defense training to sailors/officers receive? I wanna learn to kill too!

Theoretically yes...in SWO land all armed watchstanders(that includes O-1 up to O-3) need to go through the requisite courses...problem is training is usually done onboard the ship, and sustainment training is usually minimal.

 

[Harrier Dude]

MCMAP is sanctioned hazing, pure and simple. Not there's anything inherently wrong with that. 99% of us won't remember crap about the kung fu moves a month after doing it unless you keep training for it, which is a pipe dream at best.

I thought it was pretty fun, although a ball buster PT wise. If you do it with yur Marines, you'll get to know them better and they'll get to see that you give a shit and can do what they do.

If you are the senior man, DON"T be afraid to step in and stop the insanity. If it looks stupid and no-kidding dangerous, then sack up and stop it. That goes double for heat related injuries.

For all of you that are having trouble comprehending the "pilots can't afford to get hurt" argument......all I can say is wait until you are a schedule writer in a fleet squadron someday and you'll see what we mean. One missing "key person" can swing a moderately large wrecking ball through your schedule/weekly/monthly training plan. God help you if you lose somebody right before deployment. You'll see.

This whole program isn't something to be overly spooled up about. The MARADMIN that told us to get these belts (again) has no teeth to it (again). At least for officers, it doesn't seem to mean squat whether you do any of it or not. The basic jist of the MARADMIN is "Everybody has to be a gray belt by 1 Jan 09 or.............we'll tell you to do it by 1 Jan 10...........and we'll mean it this time".

Yeah, right. There won't ever be any real consequences for not doing it, other than losing some of your respect from your Marines that did it. That alone is reason enough to do it anyway.

I'm a green belt, and if I had to take the tan belt test today I'd be shocked and amazed if I passed.

 

[MasterBates]

Not that I have to do MCMAP, but I found this on the sked, and thought it funny.

0800: KUNG FU FIGHTING FOR MAJ'S PAIN, XXXX, YYYY, ZZZ, CAPT'S FUN AND AMERICA AT NAS CC BASE GYM.

Names altered to protect the guilty.

 

[Crowbar]

I have this weird feeling that a high school senior is not a MCMAP black belt.

 

[Mumbles]

I hope that I'm not overstepping any boundaries in this discussion, that was not my intention, nor did I mean any disrespect. I also concede that I don't have an informed view of what life in the Wing is like nor did I take into account the added "durability" that youth provides.



I only sought to put forth my view that Marine Officers are Marine Officers, and should generally be held to the same standard. I do, however, realize that is not how it works.

And I am currently in the worst shape in the past several years of my life. They don't call it The Body Softener for nothing! In between the mandatory hikes, the 70, 80, and 100+ hr work weeks, and week-long field exercises, its difficult to find the time and energy to maintain your fitness.

yeah....
I kind of thought you looked like a bag of ass when I met you....

 

[HueyCobra8151]

I have this weird feeling that a high school senior is not a MCMAP black belt.

You'd be surprised at what they are doing in the "Young Marines" these days. I'd bet he has a scuba bubble and a lead sled too.

Edit: This is a pretty damn good thread. Good points by all.

 

[nebekerb]

When I was an Brown Belt Instructor in the Marines, the people who would commonly get hurt or hurt others were those who thought they didn't need to pay attention and do what they were told. Also, people who didn't stay in good shape and then tried to participate as if it was a joke would get hurt. I agree that getting your Marines to retain the skills is difficult, but it seems like most commands (except for infantry units) treat it like a joke. The ideal setup is a certain amount of time spent on learning new skills, and then at least one PT session a week can be devoted to retention. Final statement: most injuries happen, if at all, during ground fighting, which you are not supposed to participate in until you ARE a gray belt.

 

[Nafod]

My pet peeve with this whole mandated deelio (and thats what it is) is that it makes tan belt redundant.

If they want everyone to know the grey syllabus, why dont they just put them together to make the basic course? Then if some mos branch wants to go above and beyond the basics (which would be a good idea for the ground pounders) then they can do that. the rest of us can be content with the basics (unless you want to be moto).

Im not arguing against the program, i kind of like learning things like the Flying Tiger Claw Takedown and as Marines we should have some knowlege of hand to hand fighting beyond what we learned in the schoolyard; i just think this execution is dumb.

Oh, and uh, put me on the side of "I dont wanna get hurt to badly" as well. Again, thats fine for you moto 'i want to crack I-beams with my forehead' types, but I kind of want to stay in aviation.