Fort Moore, Georgia. (April 12, 2024): America’s armed forces want every servicemember to be fit to fight. That is why martial arts training that was once reserved for special operations troops is now provided to the average servicemember in a way that they can build on. In the above photo, Soldiers compete in the Lacerda Cup Combatives Championship in sparring matches that assess their courage and resiliency. The goal of the Army’s Combatives Program, a hand-to-hand combat training program that incorporates several martial art disciplines for use by the military and law enforcement.

The program is designed to build confidence through realistic training in close quarter combat techniques. Combatives draws upon the best methodology from a mix of martial arts disciplines including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, and traditional Boxing. Soldiers are taught grappling, submissions, and arm and leg strikes. This ground-based fighting system teaches troops to quickly close with the enemy, gain dominance, and finish the fight.

Established in 1995, Combatives training is now incorporated into the daily personal training regimes of all servicemembers. This regular training helps develop “muscle memory” to the point that these combat techniques become automatic.

The U.S. military Combatives program ensures every servicemember is confident and mentally prepared to defeat an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.