TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 72nd Security Forces Squadron hosted Blue Shield Tactical Systems, a law enforcement based teaching company from Ft. Worth, Texas, specializing in defensive tactics and use of force training, offered training for hand-to-hand combat skills April 10-11.
In hosting the course, SFS was granted two spots at no cost. Staff Sgt. (select) Cassie Loveland and Senior Airman David Spellman along with other law enforcement teams from Midwest City, participated in the training over the course of two days. In passing the course, Loveland and Spellman received a two-year instructor certification.
Cpl. Ray Beshirs, an instructor with Blue Shield Tactical Systems, explained that the objective of the course is not to take away the knife. Rather, the key is to secure the arm holding the knife and then, of course, the instructor said survival of the incident is the goal.
Straight stab, slice and overhead stab were a few of the techniques emphasized throughout the two-day course. Other techniques covered included blocks and strikes, ground attack defense, weapon transition drills and knowledge of body language. According to Beshirs, the techniques in the course are practical and realistic for attacks that officers have experienced in the field.
As knives are easily concealable and dangerous, the purpose of the course is to increase knowledge on real life scenarios, and to be well equipped with the practical defense skills to survive those attacks.”