Feature: Controversial MMA training causes rift in Navy SEALs program. For twenty years the United States Navy’s Sea Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, had used a combatives system known as Close Quarter Defense (CQD) to train and prepare themselves for hand- to- hand combat with the enemy. This all changed in 2. CQD was dropped by the Navy Special Warfare Command (NSW) in favor of allowing Navy SEALs to train in mixed- martial- arts, both in- house and at MMA gyms across the country. The move was not without controversy, and today that decision is at the forefront of a political battle to determine who will be the next leader of the NSW, and be responsible for overseeing and conducting all future Navy SEAL missions. Well before the NSW’s decision to end their affiliation with CQD, the SEAL community was split on whether CQD or MMA was most effective - and deadly - in the field. CQD was invented in the early 1. Duane Dieter, a former law enforcement officer. According to CQD’s website, Dieter (who did not respond to Bloody Elbow’s request for an interview)developed his system after he . After visiting Hong Kong, Okinawa, and Taiwan, Dieter was allegedly told by an . You must develop it yourself. It must be your purpose.” CQD is split into six disciplines, which include Weapon & Zone Control, Suspect/Prisoner Control, and the trademarked terms Direct Defense Skills, CQD Shooting, Operation Physical Training, and Internal Warrior. CQD was officially adopted by the NSW in 1. Since 2. 00. 8, Dieter’s Close Quarters Defense Inc. However, detractors within the SEAL community have claimed that CQD was proved obsolete in the field during combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan. One SEAL who was against CQD was Timothy G. Szymanski, who - as a Captain - helped author a report examining whether CQD should be dropped in favor of training similar to that of UFC fighters. In 2. 01. 1 Szymanski’s report contributed to the NSW ending their affiliation with CQD. The Navy then handed out a number of contracts to various MMA providers. Timothy Szymanski was a member of the vaunted SEAL Team Six and today he holds the rank of Rear Admiral. He currently serves as assistant commander of the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N. C. In April 2. 01. Phuket Top Team is Phuket’s first purpose built MMA Training Camp while still delivering traditional Muay Thai & Mixed Martial Arts in Phuket, Thailand. Martial Arts Training Resort for Mixed Martial Arts, Self Defense, Fitness and Recreation. Stay Days, Weeks, Months. Here is a summary of our basic MMA fight prep for UFC fighter Viktor Pe Fitness, Personal Training, Nutrition, Weight Management, Martial Arts Conditioning, Certifications and Continuing Education Courses Our fitness and coaching education programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn, there. 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Brian Losey is to retire after complaints he had engaged in acts of whistle- blower retaliation (per Military. With Szymanski primed to take over all actions regarding the Navy SEALs, questions have been raised about his reasons for championing the switch from CQD to MMA. On April 5th, Congressman Duncan Hunter, a Republican and former US Marine who represents California’s San Diego County, sent a letter to US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to request that Szymanski’s promotion be put on hold until an investigation is held into the switch from CQB to MMA. In his letter, Hunter stated that he had, “concerns with the process for considering and awarding the contracts that have led to the removal of CQD from SEAL training.” Hunter’s letter continued to state that he was of the belief, thanks to . Hunter’s most serious claim was that the NSW made the shift to MMA because both active- duty and retired Navy SEALs had business interests with various MMA gyms that would benefit from the change in training. According to The Washington Times, in 2. NSW investigation into the SEAL communities relationship with MMA gyms. Hunter’s father, Duncan Hunter Sr. Bush administration - had also expressed concerns about conflicts of interest among Navy SEALs and MMA businesses. The 2. 01. 0 report did find instances of wrongdoing, including illegal fraternization in ownership of private MMA gyms. The findings resulted in a new round of ethics training for SEALs, but the NSW claims this investigation did not have an effect on the dropping of CQD a year later. After NSW ended its relationship with CQD, Duane Dieter alleged that Rear Adm. Szymanski himself was guilty of a conflict of interest. When speaking to The San Diego Union- Tribune, Dieter alleged that Szymanski had steered an MMA training contract towards Linxx Global Solutions, which was founded by former SEAL Frank Cucci, a friend of Szymanski. Dieter is a sore loser,” said Cucci to the Union- Tribune, after being asked to comment on Dieter’s claims of favoritism. Another claim made against Szymanski by Dieter is that the Rear Admiral once tried to solicit a bribe from the CQD inventor. Dieter also told the Union- Tribune that he was approached by Szymanski in 1. Another claim against Szymanski comes from retired SEAL Eric Deming, who wrote a letter to Representative Hunter in April. In that letter (per the Union- Tribune) Deming claimed he filed a formal complaint in 2. Szymanski’s alleged promotion of MMA training for the financial benefit of other SEALs. Deming was a CQD instructor. In his letter Deming stated he was passed over for promotion due to his complaint against Szymanski, and that in 2. Afghanistan where two spec- ops soldiers had been killed due to . Van Ovost, vice director of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, replied to Rep. Hunter regarding his concerns over the shift from CQD to MMA and that MMA was not sufficient for Navy SEALs and the combat they would face. As reported in the Washington Times Gen. Ovost stated that the Navy had, “reviewed its training needs and determined that the combative program requires multiple techniques, instead of a single system, to provide the tools and flexibility to conduct operations.”Gen. Ovost then named boxing, Muay Thai, judo, wrestling, grappling, and Brazilian jiu- jitsu, as skills beneficial to the Navy SEALs. Ovost did not support any investigation into the awarding of MMA training contracts. Outgoing leader of the NSW Rear Adm. Losey also weighed in on MMA vs. CQD, saying, “The current combative system evolved by Naval Special Warfare, aggregates martial arts styles, systems and techniques relevant to NSW requirements, and by definition is mixed martial arts.”Another supporter of Navy SEALs (and other US special forces) cross- training in multiple martial arts is 1. UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy (2. Green Beret and veteran of US wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Kennedy has been a member of the Special Forces for fifteen years and has trained extensively in various military combative programs. He has also trained with Navy SEALs. Though he’s never trained in CQD, he is aware of the program. Kennedy’s opinion of CQD is the same as his opinion on most hand- to- hand combat systems developed specifically for the military and/or law enforcement. I think a couple, maybe five or six guys who can beat me in the world, because my chassis, my frame is good. Now if you put me in body armor and give me a gun, and you give me a knife, you give me a tomahawk.. Yeah, I don’t really think there is any dude on the planet that would survive a fight with me. Cause my chassis, the fundamentals, the basics are there and I train with both. But the most important part is that I am good with basics.”Kennedy recommended all Navy SEALs follow this formula and seek out training with fellow special forces operators who are also accredited in MMA, such as former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, who is a BJJ black- belt under Dean Lister. Willink and Lister operate Victory MMA together, out of San Diego, along with Joe Mannino (another former SEAL). When asked about the controversy surrounding the NSW’s dropping of CQD, Kennedy was blunt. The enemy – if anything – they’re super happy when they have to fight someone that’s been doing some boxed pre- sold government contract combative program. Though the argument over whether they were allowed to do so based purely on what makes a better fighter may not be over.
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