The physically fit but exhausted Soldiers maneuvered back and forth, looking for some advantage that would lead to victory. They had applied every hand-to-hand combatives skill they had to become the final two Soldiers in the pit after starting with 25 competitors. The rookie Private from Bravo Company then surprised the seasoned Staff Sergeant from Headquarters and launched him over the edge of the pit, causing an uproar from Bravo and securing bragging rights for the next month.
Pvt. Ryan Owen, left, attempts to clinch Staff Sgt. Aaron Price during a one-minute bout of hand-to-hand combat Dec. 16. Owen is one of 32 Basic Combat Training Soldiers in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment who were certified in Modern Army Combatives.
Doesn’t sound like your typical close-out formation, does it?
The battalion commander had ordered each company to offer up 5 Soldiers at the monthly close-out formation challenge, but the teams never knew what the competition was until after they were selected. It was a brilliant way to reinforce a crucial aspect of the unit’s Vision Statement, “Be ready to fight, anytime, anywhere.”
Most units view close-out formations simply as a venue to communicate information and give the mandatory safety brief. But with a little creativity, leaders can turn them into competitive, team-building events that build cohesion and give permanency to the leader’s message. Here are a few ideas.
